Flexible Terms
Flexspace is the master of self-storage for both businesses and individuals. We offer self-storage units of different sizes at six of our locations across the UK. All our destinations within reach of main roads, near or in major towns and cities.
So, whether you are looking to use it for business or personal storage,
below are the benefits of using a storage unit at Flexspace:
Flexspace offers flexible storage terms, whether it’s for a minimum of a month, or longer if needed.
Better still, you can start with a shorter agreement and then extend, or even increase the storage if needed and available. Given we have so many units it is easy to find more space if ever required.
All Flexspace sites have ample parking space, with dedicated bays near the storage facilities, making loading and unloading easy for you. We also have staff are on hand to supply, if needed, packaging materials to ensure that your items are well looked after.
If your concern is space, security or convenience, self-storage could be the solution for you. For more information on our self-storage spaces browse our self-storage solutions. Or call today on 0800 033 4444 to book a viewing.
This month’s ‘meet the client’ brings us up to date with the latest technology. We spoke with Jamie Brown who owns and runs a 3D printing company Psyber-Tech 3D Printing. Office based, in Flexspace Livingston, they can create a wide variety of objects.
Jamie’s background is in electronics and component manufacture. He cut his teeth working for a manufacturer called Jabil based in Livingston. Last year the factory announced they were going to cease manufacturing. This seemed like the perfect opportunity for Jamie to change direction. He wanted to be his own boss, so he decided to set up on his own.
First, Jamie needed premises which would allow him to grow and expand with the business. Flexspace Livingston fitted the bill. Their flexible terms and facilities encouraged him to become a Flexspace tenant. After investing in a couple of 3D Printers, there was no turning back!
3D printing (sometimes called additive manufacturing) is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file.
The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process, the object is created by depositing successive layers of material. This slowly building up to a 3D object. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the eventual object.
3D printing is therefore the opposite of subtractive manufacturing. Subtractive is the cutting out or hollowing out a piece of metal or plastic. It usually involves the use of a milling machine.
3D printing allows for the production of complex (and functional) shapes. It uses less material than traditional manufacturing methods as well. This keeps costs down.
It requires no moulds or prototypes. Yet allows for very complicated products. Many objects include internal moving parts.
Its therefore ideal to develop early products for real world testing. Which means faster to market at significantly less cost.
Since starting up, Psyber-Tech have made a variety of objects from the everyday to the extraordinary.
One of the first items to come off the line was a Fixture to hold circuit boards whilst on the assembly line.
More complicated items were manifolds for a set of chemical reactors. They have very complicated internals. They were made from a certain type of plastic, so it didn’t react with the chemicals.
Psyber-Tech even made a learning tool for children at a local primary school. This supports them in learning specific words, by helping them to build up muscle memory.
During the festive period, Jamie participated in a ‘meet the engineer’ talk at a local primary school. He talked to the class about 3D printing. As a parting gift, the pupils were given 3D printed Christmas trees to hang in their homes!
In summary, Psyber-Tech can make anything which can be thought of and designed. The limitations of 3D printing are the limits of the imagination only.
If any readers of this blog like what they have heard, or have any questions, Jamie can be reached on 01506 657307 or by email Jamie_brown@psyber-tech.co.uk
Remember to visit the website www.psyber-tech.co.uk and check out their Facebook page
If you would like to join one of our business centres or if any company would like to work alongside similar companies to Jamie’s, get in touch on 0800 033 4444 for a no-obligation chat about your situation. We’ll try as hard as we can to find something suitable for your business needs. .
When we talk of mixed use business parks, there’s two different ways of looking at this. At one end of the scale there’s a variety of white collar business (you know the type; slick looking business parks with manicured landscapes and impressive looking modern architecture) housing what is essentially a variety of office spaces.
And then there’s the older, mixed use business parks (frequently found on industrial estates). Here, the differences between tenants is greater. The range spans light industrial through to storage to workshops and office and clerical.
Really, there’s no hard and fast rule as to which scenario is better for networking. Although logic would suggest that the wider the range of tenants, the greater the chance that you might find benefits to any cross fertilisation. All we would say is- try to meet your neighbours. Then find out if you can help them and whether they can help you.
When networking its only natural to think ‘what can I get out of this interation’ Thinking this way, paradoxically, means that its unlikely you’ll gain any advantage from any interactions.
Why might this be? When networking, the most successful are the networkers who have the attitude – ‘what value can I bring to this interaction’. This is because this mindset is open to any opportunities which might present itself during the conversation. I suppose this reflects another truism: seek first to understand, then be understood.
Quite simply, anyone and everyone on your mixed use business park. Your greatest obstacle will be your (frequently incorrect) assumptions. Will this neighbour be a suitable individual to network with.
You need to get past that and recognise that just because (for instance) your business is white collar and some of your neighbours are involved with light industry, that doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be able to help one another.
Remember, networking is all about the connections that individuals have – its their networks you are trying to tap into at the end of the day.
The beauty (and benefits) of interacting and meeting tenants who own wholly different businesses from you can throw up some surprising benefits. At the very least, the potential for direct competition will be low, by definition.
But there is something quite special about finding a solution or opportunity right on your doorstep. So what are you waiting for?
Why not resolved to make this week the week to meet your neighbours, or better still, why not ask your landlord to arrange a ‘meet and greet’ networking meeting on your business park. Who knows what future productive connections and relationships will come out of this.
Self-storage is a god send for all long-suffering parent. Here’s why.
It’s surprising isn’t it? You arrive to start your time at university with a suitcase, holdall and back-pack. All your worldly goods packed into a couple of bags, which your parents are happy to transport. The end of year 1 arrives, often spent in campus accommodation and wow. Where did you get all this extra stuff?
It’s a scenario students (and their long-suffering parents) up and down the country have to wrestle with throughout their years’ of study. Ways to transport valuables home at the end of each term or during summer breaks have to be found. Locking your prized possessions in a cupboard in your student bedroom is no guarantee they will be there when you return.
Parents have to take time out to collect student and accumulated belongings in the family car (assuming they have a car big enough). Then arrangements have to be made to transport everything back again for the new term.
Sometimes students have to study at different university annexes miles apart. Which means regularly moving home becomes a lifestyle. As your personal property increases, these flat moves frequently entail the cost of having to hire a van. The problem doesn’t end there.
When you arrive at the new student share, the amount of one’s personal space is often less than it was before. Valuables have to be locked in small cupboards. Empty cases and holdalls need cramming under the bed. And you’re constantly tripping over other belongings you can’t fit anywhere. None of this is conducive to a lifestyle of intense study.
Storage units are not just the domain of big removal companies or large businesses. Where there is a high undergraduate and post-graduate population, you will find companies operating storage unit businesses. But not all storage companies are the same.
Flexspace has for years been at the forefront of offering cheap, secure and cost effective self-storage for students. It’s not everyone who needs a 40ft shipping container to safely keep their most prized possessions. Now greater numbers of students are also beginning to realise the benefits of renting a small self storage unit from Flexspace.
Flexspace operates a range of different sized units to meet all requirements. They also offer a range of flexible rental options from weekly, monthly or longer-term to fit in with your needs.
Often, larger is cheaper. Have a chat with your fellow house mates also having problems with where to store their belongings. Getting together and sharing a larger unit will often work out cheaper per person than taking your own unit. Ask Flexspace about upper level units. In many instances savings can be made if you don’t mind having to stretch a little.
With storage space arranged, visit the local supermarket and collect a few cardboard boxes for packing.
Pack the boxes, seal with tape and clearly add your name to each box.
Keep everything you need for day to day living and studying. The rest can be safely stored away in a secure Flexspace unit, until you need to access it.
Flexspace have almost 60 units nationwide so there’s a good chance there’s a self-storage unit close to your digs. Get in touch today, maybe your parents will thank you and help with a contribution to the cost!
Flexspace may be part of our brand name, but what do we really mean flexibility? In other words, in what myriad ways are we flexible?
Certainly the thing that drives us, and permeates all aspects of our business, is the focus we put on our customers. That manifests itself in the many different ways we offer flexibility to our tenants.
There can be little doubt that many businesses claim to be flexible. However when you look beneath the surface, they often turn out to be quite intransigent in certain aspects of their operations.
At Flexspace, we really take flexibility seriously and this is borne out in everything we do. So if we say we offer adaptable spaces and variable arrangements which are tailored to individual needs. You know, we really, really mean it. Let’s take a closer look at each of our flexible customer proposition.
Your terms and contract length is one key feature of any flexible business premises. Many of our clients are going through rapid expansion. If you need a contract which offers you a secure and solid base. No problem.
But how about if you need something to fit in with your growing demand for space, too. There again, some start-ups simply don’t have the capital to begin their operations, so seek individual deals like free introductory offers to get them up and running.
For others, it is a rolling contract that is most desirable because this can fit in with their changing plans at the drop of a hat. Every client is different and at Flexspace we recognise that.
Whether you’re looking for a location within the country which puts you near to your customers or your preference is for proximity to a motorway or an international airport, you’ll need a base of operations that fits the bill.
Thankfully, we have 59 locations across the UK to choose from so every business need can be met in terms of its whereabouts. Many offer superb communications and are already established commercial centres where your business will immediately fit in.
Depending on the nature of your venture, you may need offices, workshops, storage facilities or even industrial units. At Flexspace, we don’t just have a good supply of each type of unit, but we frequently provide a mix of each for enterprises that require more than one unit type.
Every Flexspace unit has a dedicated manager who is willing go the extra mile for all our customers.
They take the time to listen to you, and understand your needs fully. This means they’re equipped to make your business environment work for you. In a way that is conducive to growth and promotes your success. Just talk to us to find out how flexible our business services can be.
We can kit out your flexible business premises for you so its ready to meet your needs from day one. When you move in, you may want particular partitioning arrangements or certain networking infrastructure in place.
Subject to agreed charges, such ‘Plug and Play’ arrangements can be made so that you hit the ground running. Remember that we offer mixed use units that can meet a wide variety of commercial needs on many of our sites.
We welcome start-up enterprises and offer favourable rates to help get tomorrow’s business leaders off the ground. Given that we’ve the scale to handle anything up to multinational organisations as well, the your next productive move is closer than you think. We want to be your trusted partner during your journey from start-up to market leader. Our scale and set up allows us to help you every step of the way.
When you’re seeking flexible business premises, it pays to select the provider who offers true adaptability across multiple factors.
That’s why flexibility is part of our name and a driving force of our brand ethos. It clearly states what we live and breathe everyday.
So make 2017 the year to make Flexspace – your new, flexible business partner.
This topic will be in 3 blog parts for simplicity:
For business owners, where you decide to put down roots is one of the most momentous decisions you can take as a business so it pays to give it sufficient consideration.
Maybe you’ve started off in a bedroom or garage, or are just looking for a new place to operate from. Whatever the key drivers are which underlie this decision? We outline a list which hopefully will act help you consider carefully all the important factors which will impact your business.
As mentioned above, in this first blog, we’ll tackle the physical factors influencing your location decision:
Any location needs to enable you to operate as a business as efficiently as possible without excessive costs. These costs can be a drag to growth at any stage of a business cycle, but are most critical in your business’s early stages.
One of the prime considerations should be flexibility.
What do we mean by this?
Well, the length of any lease needs to be carefully considered. Also, whether the building itself lends itself to mixed usage which can be changed as your business grows and develops.
So really, one guiding principle should be finding somewhere that has room for growth and facilitates your evolution as a business.
Understand the physical working space
Try to visualise what the business space will look like and how the space will be configured once you move in. What will it be like to work in?
All those visible and tangible considerations are one of the biggest factors influencing whether you sign on the dotted line or not.
Below are some of the considerations to be thinking about. Its not meant to be exhaustive but should give you some thoughts :
Any location has a particular set of factors which are going to influence your decision about whether you will consider the property seriously or not. And the old location, location, location adage is as true for commercial property as it is for residential.
But there are other considerations which are very different to the residential market. Here are some of the factors you need to be looking at when it comes to the area your business is located in:
So there you have it – a very quick sift through some of the physical considerations when deciding on a new premises for your business.
Of course, you could always save a lot of legwork by coming to the experts – Flexspace, and let us do all the hard work. We have a range of business premises across the country close to major arterial connections, together with some very favourable terms (up to 3 months free for some localities).
Some of our sites have additional amenities like on-site cafes etc. So what better time to contact Flexspace, and see where we can make an offer you can’t refuse. Flexspace: Managed workspace for the modern business.
Call 0800 033 4444 or complete the form today!
For anyone starting out on a new business venture it can be a thrilling time and, for many, involves a steep learning curve. There will be highs as well as lows along the way. From the outset, it often seems like the whole enterprise is something of a risk and it can, therefore, be quite an intimidating proposition. Which is why you need a flexible business premises.
When starting from scratch, you might not know what the future has in store. One thing is for sure, starting up your own business can be one of the most exciting things that you can embark on.
Most well-organised self-starting individuals mitigate the risk involved in a new enterprise by being as prepared as they can be before launching. This might include making business plans, producing sales strategies and forecasts and researching the sector thoroughly. It might also even include testing the market out in some way, and taking advice from experienced people in the industry.
However, once you have embarked on an exciting voyage like running you own business, you can never truly be sure of what will lie ahead.
As a result of the business risk that is most often acute at the start of an enterprise, a high degree of flexibility ought to be built into the business model from the start. This mean that during the early phases, remaining unfixed to one plan will not only be desirable, but could make the difference between success or failure.
At the start cash flow is tight, and you will be spending more than is coming in. Your whole business is under the greatest threat of failure. Adaptability, therefore, is key even if that involves activities that you never imagined in your business plan.
However, you also need flexibility over costs too.
One of the major overheads that start-up businesses face is when they rent office space or search for workshops to rent. Buying your own premises and committing to repaying a large loan or signing an extended lease on an office requires a huge financial undertaking. Crucially, it means committing to one path with little option to alter things down the line if needed.
You can end up feeling like you are competing with one hand tied behind your back if you don’t get it right from the outset. The last thing any new business owner needs is to have a lot of their precious working capital tied up for extended periods dealing with premises-based overheads.
It is for this reason that versatile business premises solutions from a company like Flexspace makes so much sense for start ups. Or, for that matter, mature small businesses.
Whilst future proofing your venture, is normally the number one reason to consider flexible business premises – there are many others, as well.
A key factor in choosing Flexspace is its sheer scope. There are suitable locations all across the UK, all near to major transport links and infrastructure hubs.
There are a variety of units available to rent, such as self-storage, workshops, industrial units and offices, each providing for changing business needs and growth.
Favourable terms are frequently available with special offers for new customers and start-ups, like three months free rental for a 12-month lease sign up. There is also the opportunity to take on mixed units as your business requires them.
Flexibility is one thing, but you also need premises you can rely on.
Flexspace offers a wide range of different types of offices and workshops to rent across the UK, all of them maintained to a high standard. Many clients have been long standing customers for over ten years, but the approach is very much a welcoming one to new customers who want to rent office space for the first time.
In conclusion, whilst the biggest challenge for a new business is likely to be cashflow. Your premises need not be one of your early headaches – in terms of reliability and flexibility you can get the best of both worlds.
Finally, remember that finding a business premises with flexibility built in, means that you will be able to focus on the important matters ahead.
With favourable financial terms – and frequent free month offers – you may even find that your cash flow situation is improved in the early days.
Why not get in touch with Flexspace today to see what we can do for you?
Are you looking for increased flexibility and reach without the downside of a long-term commitment or cavernous space.
Or perhaps as your staff shift to a more versatile working model, you need to be closer to where they live, and your customers are?
Flexspace has a dedicated multi-site team who can listen to you come up with all the options. To put together the perfect portfolio of locations and facilities to help your business thrive.
Call our dedicated team on 0800 033 4444, or
