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Home > Resources > Case Study
Civil engineering/planning firm needed a plan for its archived records
Seattle and Tacoma-based engineering and design firm had to source professional,
cost-effective storage and archiving of its older design drawings, and found the ideal vendor right nearby
The client
With a staff of more than 130 professionals, AHBL Civil and Structural Engineers offers creative design and cost-effective engineering
solutions for projects involving civil engineering, structural engineering, landscape architecture, community planning and land surveying.
One of AHBL’s specialties is spearheading development projects that capture and maintain a sense of community by integrating the natural
and cultural heritage of an area into an often-changing urban landscape.
The situation
AHBL maintained three separate storage locations for storage of its physical records from past projects.
Although engineering and landscape drawings are created and maintained online these days, the firm had to
maintain these older physical records on file, especially ones from public projects. In late 2005,
the decision was made to clean out a 10 x 10-foot site containing numerous older documents. The firm needed secure,
cost-effective archiving, since some of the drawings and binders had to be retained in perpetuity.
“We needed a vendor we could really trust,” said Sharon Alvord, AHBL office manager,
“one who would make sure the archiving and transfer was handled properly.”
The solution
Washington Archives Management was selected as ABHL’s choice for records management for three reasons, Alvord said:
Location. The proximity to AHBL’s offices in both Seattle and Tacoma was a plus
Competitive pricing. Thanks to accurate estimating, WAM’s bid was on target
Delivery services. Same-day delivery (before 10 am) was offered at regular pricing
“The WAM folks came in, boxed everything up, bar coded everything and then took it to their secured site,”
said Alvord. “They handled everything, inventoried all our boxes and just took charge of the whole project.”
The results
AHBL now has the security of a storage site that can protect their documents indefinitely,
plus the ease of working with a records management firm that understands the engineering industry.
And WAM’s high-tech storage site and inventory management systems facilitate fast,
simplified access to documents when needed.
“On occasion, we do need to access our archived documents,” Alvord explained.
“Every time, we contact Washington Archives, they come through. You just call them up, and the records are here.”
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