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Storage · Archive & box storage

Archive and box storage — every box barcoded, every file retrievable.

Move boxed archives out of your offices and into our own accredited UK facilities. Every box is barcoded and tracked in O'Neil, so you can have any box or file back the next working day — or within two hours when it's urgent.

Next-day retrieval2-hour urgent optionSince 1977
Barcoded archive boxes on racking in a Stor-a-File facility
Why archive off-site

Your archive shouldn't live in your most expensive space.

Records you're required to keep, but rarely open, quietly take over storerooms, basements and office floor space. Archive box storage moves them somewhere secure and purpose-built, without losing control of a single file.

Each box is logged the moment we collect it, barcoded, indexed to your own references and given a retention date. From then on you can see what you hold, request any box or file through our online portal, and know exactly when records fall due for review or destruction.

It's the same accredited team and audit trail we've applied to the UK's most sensitive records since 1977 — in facilities we run ourselves, never subcontracted.

Archive boxes stored and indexed at a Stor-a-File site
What we store

Archive storage for every kind of record.

Standard archive boxes

Office, finance, HR and contract archives stored at box level, with every box barcoded and recallable.

File-level archives

Individual files indexed to your references, so you request the file you need, not the whole box.

Closed client files

Completed matters, projects and accounts held against a review date until they can be securely destroyed.

Deeds & vital records

Extra-secure storage for deeds, wills and records that must never be lost.

Deeds & wills storage →

Heritage & historic archives

Long-term storage for historic records and collections in stable, monitored conditions.

Heritage preservation →

Data tapes & media

Climate-controlled storage and rotation of backup tapes and digital media, held off-site.

How it works

From your storeroom to a tracked archive — and back.

1

Collect

Our own DBS-checked staff collect your boxes, with a full chain of custody from day one.

2

Barcode & index

Every box, and every file if you choose, is barcoded and indexed in O'Neil to your references.

3

Store

Boxes are held in our monitored, fire-protected, access-controlled facilities.

4

Retrieve or destroy

Request online — next day as standard, two hours when urgent, or scanned the same day.

Why Stor-a-File

Big-provider security. Owner-run service.

The national providers have scale. We match them on accreditation and beat them on control — every box handled by our own people, in our own buildings.

O'Neil tracking

Every box and file barcoded, with a full audit trail on every movement and an online portal.

ISO 27001 certified

Certified information-security management, plus ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.

Never subcontracted

Our own DBS-checked staff and branded vehicles, collection to delivery.

Retention control

Retention dates on every item, with review prompts and BS EN 15713 destruction.

Related

Related services and guides

Get started

Get an archive storage quote.

Tell us roughly how many boxes you have and where they are. We'll send a clear, no-obligation price — collection included.

  • Free, no-obligation quote — usually the same working day
  • Collected by our own DBS-checked staff and vehicles
  • ISO 27001 UK facilities, run by us since 1977
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What happens next: we reply — usually the same working day — to confirm your volumes, then send a clear, no-obligation quote.

Frequently asked questions

Archive box storage FAQs

What is archive box storage?

Archive box storage is off-site storage for boxed records you must keep but rarely use. We collect your boxes, barcode and index each one in O'Neil records-management software, and hold them in our own monitored, fire-protected, access-controlled facilities until you need a box or file back.

How quickly can I get an archive box back?

Next working day as standard, or within two hours when it's urgent. If you only need one document, scan-on-demand sends it to you digitally the same day without moving the box.

Do you track individual files as well as boxes?

Yes. You can store at box level, or have us index down to file level against your own references, so you can request a single file rather than a whole box.

Can you collect our archive boxes?

Yes. Our own DBS-checked staff collect in our own vehicles, with a full chain of custody from your premises to our facility. Collection is never subcontracted.

What happens when boxes reach their destruction date?

Retention dates are held against every box, so you're prompted when records fall due. With your approval they're destroyed to BS EN 15713 and you receive a certificate of destruction.

How much does archive storage cost?

It depends mainly on how many boxes you store, how often you retrieve, how quickly you need them, and whether you want file-level indexing. See our document storage cost guide, or ask for a free, no-obligation quote with collection included.

Where are your archive storage facilities?

We run six UK sites of our own, including Leicester, Syston, Corby, Nottingham (Colwick) and Tilbury, which serves London and the South East. We collect nationwide.

Local document management: Leicester · Nottingham · Corby · Birmingham · Northampton · London · Camberley · Wirral · Halifax · UK-wide coverage