It seems like every day brings more business headlines highlighting company moves. The pandemic has upended the commercial real estate market, with many organizations finding themselves with footprints that exceed their needs for an increasingly remote workforce. Even post-pandemic, many analysts estimate a rise in flexible environments that don’t require full-time space for all employees. Bottom line: Company space may shrink.

So while organizations adjust to this new reality and look at downsizing, facilities managers face an additional challenge: what to do with archival materials. When relocating a company headquarters and vast numbers of people and business equipment, that may not be the top priority. Still, leaders have to consider how to deal with the company’s heritage assets like valuable documents, digital records, product prototypes, videos and any other items related to company history.

These assets may make up an archives. Or they may be stuffed in cupboards or stashed on a hard drive or server. No matter their format, you still need to move them from point A to point B.

But before you proceed, consider this: These assets might be priceless and irreplaceable. They are part of your company’s heritage and potentially could be used to help your business in many forward-looking ways. That crate of old files is no ordinary parcel. Moving it is less like hauling a box of books and more like carefully transporting a sculpture or painting.

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