Running like Clockwork may be the ambition of most organisations, but for this UK-wide removal and storage company, it’s the name of the game. Founded in Edinburgh 26 years ago, Clockwork Removals has branches in Glasgow, Perth and Inverness as well as the capital, and covers the whole of Scotland including the islands, with four further branches in England establishing its UK presence in a competitive market.
All Clockwork branches offer removals and storage services that relocate homes and businesses locally, nationally and internationally, and provide safe and secure storage options. Clockwork teams through-out Scotland carry out workplace relocations across every sector, and full move management for large organisations as well as smaller businesses.
There are specialist moves for laboratories and hospitals, and in education for universities and schools. This can include moving desks during exam time, with specialist library consultants who are trained in Dewey Decimal, binary and Congress classification systems for large-scale library moves, as well as moving university lecturers to new departments. This service is available for large businesses too, where employees move around buildings regularly. Clockwork also has expertise in retail and hospitality, moving hotels, restaurants and shops, and storing stock.
As an award-winning member of the British Association of Removers Commercial Moving Group, Clockwork also has SafeContractor accreditation, and this means it is audited on an annual basis so clients can be assured that all staff are highly trained in the commercial services it offers.
However, global and UK events of the past few years have created chal-lenges and opportunities for the firm.
The housing market has boomed since reopening after the first pandemic lockdown. Yet with many staff working from home, there was less need for commercial relocations. At the start of the pandemic, Clockwork was moving employee workstations to their homes, and with many of those employees now returning to the workplace, its teams also went into offices to fit hygiene screens and reconfigure workspaces.
Issues that arose from Brexit, including labour and HGV driver shortages, are still ongoing, as is a downturn in European relocations. However, Clockwork has been investing in its workforce to help offset these problems.
“Since we came out of lockdown in June 2020 the demand for removals has been the highest we’ve experienced and that’s brought challenges in terms of resourcing,” says Jamie Mann, managing director of Clockwork Removals.
“The lead time for new vehicles has been close to 12 months due to supply chain issues, and we’ve lost some of our European crew members and found difficulty in replacing them. The shortage of HGV drivers is well documented. We’ve been training more of our porters and putting them through the HGV tests, so we have more experienced removal staff as drivers now.
“It has become even more difficult to forecast and prepare budgets in these uncertain times. The cost-of-living crisis, rising inflation and interest rates, plus the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, are likely to push the UK and other countries into recession. When, and how deep that may be, is impossible to know. But even in a recession people will still want to, or must, move, so there will always be opportunities, and we aim to make the most of these.
“Office moving has still not reached pre-pandemic levels as organisations have not decided on how their workforce will operate, but I’m sure that market sector will bounce back within the next two years.”
In the meantime, Clockwork helps with office clearances and downsizing, offering services in-cluding the environmental disposal of furniture and waste electrical and electronic equipment recycling. Corporate social responsibility remains a priority. Minimising environmental impact wherever possible, Clockwork is also making sure its fleet is fully compliant with the UK’s ultra low emission zones.
“We are always striving to meet and exceed our targets,” adds Mann, “whether this is with tree-planting, using recyclable materials, or partnering with eco-friendly organisations.”
As Clockwork looks ahead to its next 26 years, it is playing its part in moving towards the UK’s net zero target of 2050.
Partner Content in association with Clockwork Removals.
