In April 2021, Polstore Storage Systems had the opportunity to work with third-generation family-owned and managed company, Blue Diamond Engineering, on a new workshop installation project. Blue Diamond Engineering is a precision machining and fabrication company operating successfully for nearly 60 years. Their experienced and hardworking workforce needed a robust and easily accessible shelving and storage solution, and that’s why they chose Polstore.

“The main reason for investing in the Polstore workshop storage units was for the attractive appearance. The units are the first thing visitors see. We wanted a wow factor for when our clients visit the shopfloor.” Said Carol Brown, CEO of Blue Diamond Engineering.

At Polstore, we have a reputation for delivering exceptional storage solutions with a fine balance of strength and style. In the last year, Blue Diamond has invested considerably in new machines, technological advancements and storage facilities. Given the prominent and visible position of the workshop, the aesthetics of the storage units chosen were of equal importance to functionality, security and organisation.

There were three components to the storage solution for Blue Diamond. Firstly, the premium CNC and machine tool storage shelving system. Polstore offers both standard and bespoke systems to suit exact requirements, optimising productivity and efficiency within the workplace.

The CNC tool storage shelving system included sliding lockable doors with pull out drawers with a load capacity of 200kg – fitted with internal tool cradles and CNC tool holders essential for the heavy tooling the Blue Diamond workforce use to manufacture quality machine components. The safest way to store and retrieve heavy machine tools is within a drawer system as access from three sides eliminates the need to reach in. Reassuringly, our drawer cabinets are covered by our 5-year warranty and as an added confidence boost all our drawer slides and guide rails are covered by a lifetime warranty.

Secondly, Polstore provided 2 types of industrial workbench systems – a 3-metre-long workbench and hexagonal bench. Each were made up with a combination of 6 workshop drawer cabinets which was tailored to their needs with bench mounted roller shutter cabinets and tool shadow boards. Being such a flexible and modular system any storage combination can be created with options including drawer cabinets, hinged and sliding door cupboards, shelves, roller shutters, perforated back panels and tool shadow boards. A popular product we see engineering clients invest in to organise the drawer internals, is our routed foam inserts. These are a cost-effective storage solution which instantly alerts a user if an item is missing through a very simple visual cue.

The third and final aspect of Blue Diamond’s storage solution were the pull-out vertical drawers for storing small parts and consumable tooling. Each drawer is fitted out with our plastic tilt bin system ‘Unibox’. Here the tools are easy to see and access using transparent compartments of various sizes. Manufactured from high quality steel and 500kg SWL rating per drawer, all our drawer systems are available in a wide range of sizes to suit all various domestic, commercial and industrial environments. Due to the modular design a variety of configurations can be achieved.

To get the greatest efficiency from storage, each machine was allocated its own dedicated drawer unit. This meant it was easier for the team to keep track of tools and generally more accessible for all. For their Tooling Technician (Scott) having an ample and defined workspace and storage was essential. Scott oversees the preparation of tooling, jigs and fixtures to support production, one of the busiest areas of the factory floor because of how essential it is to the running of every machine they operate.

We understand that workshop space comes at a premium, and the right storage solution can transform how that space is used and optimised. For Blue Diamond, we were able to shrink the area used by previous storage by 50%. Originally planned for the Workshop Manager, when the team saw the hexagonal workbench unit, they decided to change the plan and put it in the middle of the workshop floor. Being in a central location allows the unit to serve the three Hartford VMC’s, the DMU Monoblock 95 and the lathes. Carol confirmed:

“It was important for us to ensure our Tooling Technician’s, workstation had ample space and storage to help ease workflow. It’s one of the busiest areas of the factory floor because of how essential it is to the running of every machine we operate.”

The Polstore team is as passionate and committed about storage solutions as our clients are about workspaces. We offer a full service from discussing the customers’ needs through to exceeding expectations at install and handover. In this case, the team at Blue Diamond were more than qualified to install and fit our storage units. Adam Lucas, Project Director at Polstore says:

“They invited our team back, once the units were all in place, and we’re so glad they did. It just goes to show with the right skill set in-house you don’t necessarily need us to do the installation. I am so pleased, the Blue Diamond team were delighted with the end result and it was great to see the improved organisation in place.”

Polstore Storage Solutions have been at the forefront of storage and retrieval solutions in the engineering and manufacturing arena since 1963. They design, manufacture, supply and install workshop and warehouse storage solutions throughout the UK. Polstore has a wide product range with a reliable and trusted supply chain and have recently invested in a new cnc facility at their premises to manufacture bespoke tool and asset foam inserts. All of their products are built to last, designed for heavy use in the most demanding environments.