The NSW Government Records Centre recently completed construction of its Stage 6 building, a $18.64 million expansion that increased the centre's storage capacity by 40%. The building will securely store vital government records for at least the next 40 years. Dexion's newly released Ultima shelving range, manufactured in Australia, was selected to play a key role due to its ability to meet the Records Centre's long-term needs. The Records Centre relies on Dexion as an innovative partner to help improve operations and safety over decades of use.

1. Western Sydney
Records.
Records success with Government.

2. “The Records Management Team
has gained industry respect
for it’s depth of knowledge and
for providing innovative solutions.”
Dexion’s recently released Ultima™ shelving The Kingswood site, which is an hour’s
range will be playing a key role in ensuring drive west of the Sydney CBD, has been
vital NSW government records will be operating for 30 years; in that time,
securely stored for at least the next 40 years. approximately every two years there has
been a significant extension to the facility
This Australian-developed and manufactured
storage product was manufactured at to cater for the increased number of records
Dexion’s Kings Park manufacturing facility. it has to hold.
Western Sydney Records Centre is a The latest Stage 6 building was handed
Government Records Repository (GRR) over on June 23 on budget and on time.
responsible for storing and managing Its commissioning brings the total floor
records on behalf of the NSW state area of the site to 50,000 square metres
government, Government departments, with total storage capacity equivalent to
local councils, schools and hospitals. 485,000 linear meters.
In June this year, State Records’ $18.64 The storage capacity of Stage 6 is
million Stage 6 building at Kingswood, in 760,000 Type 1 boxes, the equivalent of
Western Sydney, was handed over. 137,000 linear metres, and which has
According to Associate Director, John increased on-site storage capacity by
Burke, the records centre provides a nearly 40%. This capacity is projected to
central warehousing function for the NSW meet the storage needs of GRR clients
Government. for the next five years.
“We provide a central warehousing Dexion has been involved in four of the
function here, managing 2 million boxes recent extensions, providing a different
- and we have to ensure they are stored solution each time. Some time ago Dexion
and retrieved in the most efficient manner.” recognised the need for a team that
Dexion Case Study – Ultima

3. “We rely on them to proactively contribute on
how the storage element of the business
can work more efficiently and how we can
continue to drive greater occupational health
and safety initiatives through the organisation.”
specialised in records and archive storage. This approach, combined with the new the Records Centre’s requirements that
Under the management of Mark Barraclough, computerised repository management shelving cope with day to day wear and
National Business Development Manager, system (RS-SQL), should result in tear for at least the next 40 years.
the Records Management Team has gained significant efficiency savings and lower
industry respect for it’s depth of knowledge Chequer plate has been added to the end
staff costs, said Bourke.
and for providing innovative solutions. of each line of shelving as reinforcement
For Dexion, Stage 6 was the first major and to provide additional buffers for the
“This is the fourth major installation that project for its recently released Ultima picker trolleys.
Dexion has been involved with, so over shelving range, which was manufactured
the years they have developed a good on Dexion’s newly installed production line “Strategically, we can’t view the role of this
understanding of our business and our facility in the short term; when we design
at its Australian manufacturing facility.
specific requirements,” said Burke. and construct, we have to think in terms of
The shelves had to be specially designed 40 or 50 year windows,” said Burke.
“We rely on them to proactively contribute • itting of a gas fire suppression system,
F
and manufactured to a dimension of
on how the storage element of the “That’s why it took three years to design rather than water sprinklers, to minimise
900mm wide by 800mm deep to handle
business can work more efficiently and the prospects of damage to records.
the dimensions of the Type 1 storage and develop Stage 6”.
how we can continue to drive greater
boxes. The flexibility of the new production Compared with earlier stages at the According to Burke, these changes are
occupational health and safety initiatives
through the organisation.” line makes this type of ‘tailor made’ positive additions to previous styles and are
Records Centre, Stage 6 includes a
solution possible. driven by the need to maximise security,
For example, while previous extensions have number of improvements:
Prior to placing the order samples of the improve climatic stability and reduce future
been based on a two floor design, the • rchitectural enhancements relating
A
Stage 6 building comprises three floors and new shelf were thoroughly tested by the maintenance costs.
to the higher use of insulation in the
uses low-level shelving. records centre, to ensure the system was
building envelope. In addition, government requirements that
capable of coping with the load carrying
This means that most staff are able to agencies favour options using longer-term
claims made by Dexion. • Use of concrete floors throughout.
access all shelves without the use of building life-cycle costings have provided
ladders, which were identified as an A total 70,000 shelves were installed each • ncreased compartmentalisation within
I strategies useful to State Records, although
occupational health and safety risk. with a 60 micron thick powder coat to meet storage areas. these have increased initial capital outlay.
Dexion Case Study – Ultima