Office Moves

At E Freight, our office moves solutions are designed to minimize disruption for businesses—whether you’re relocating a small team or multiple global offices. This case study highlights how we successfully managed the end-to-end relocation of a leading UK tech firm’s 3 London offices (headquarters, R&D center, and customer support hub) to a new campus in Berlin, ensuring zero downtime for their 250+ employees and safe transport of high-value tech equipment.

Our client is a fast-growing SaaS (Software as a Service) company specializing in cloud-based project management tools, with 80% of their revenue coming from European clients. They decided to relocate their London offices to Berlin to expand their EU presence and access a larger talent pool. Their non-negotiable requirements included:

1. Zero Business Downtime: The move had to happen outside working hours (evenings, weekends) to avoid disrupting client support, product development, and sales operations.
2. Secure Transport of Tech Equipment: 400+ items (including high-performance servers, 200+ laptops, 150 desktop computers, and 50 monitors) needed to be transported without damage or data breaches.
3. Furniture & Asset Tracking: 300+ pieces of office furniture (ergonomic chairs, standing desks, meeting room tables) and 100+ employee personal items (laptops, monitors, office supplies) required individual tracking to avoid loss.
4. Compliance with Data Laws: As a SaaS firm handling client data, all equipment (especially servers) had to comply with GDPR (EU General Data Protection Regulation) and UK Data Protection Act during transit.
5. Fast Setup in Berlin: The Berlin office needed to be fully operational within 48 hours of the final delivery—so employees could resume work immediately.

Relocating multiple tech offices across borders comes with unique hurdles that standard moving companies often struggle to address:

• Downtime Risks: Even a single day of server downtime would cost the client €50,000 in lost revenue and damage client trust.
• Tech Equipment Vulnerability: Servers and laptops are sensitive to vibration (which can damage internal components) and temperature changes (which risk data corruption).
• Data Security Threats: Unauthorized access to servers or laptops during transit could lead to data leaks—violating GDPR and exposing client information.
• Logistical Complexity: Coordinating 3 separate office moves (each with different assets) across 930km (London to Berlin) while aligning delivery times for the Berlin setup was a logistical puzzle.
• Furniture & Personal Item Management: Tracking 400+ unique items (from a CEO’s laptop to a team’s meeting table) across the move risked misplacement or loss.

To meet the client’s strict requirements, we designed a phased, security-first relocation plan with dedicated teams for tech equipment, furniture, and employee items. Here’s how we executed each stage:

We spent 4 weeks preparing to ensure no surprises on moving day:

• Asset Inventory & Labeling: Our team visited each London office to catalog every item—from servers to desk plants. Each asset received a unique barcode (linked to our cloud tracking system) with details like:
• Item type (e.g., “Server Model XYZ")
• Owner (e.g., “Jane Doe, R&D Team")
• Destination in Berlin (e.g., “3rd Floor Server Room, Bay 2")
• Tech Equipment Prep: We partnered with the client’s IT team to:
• Back up all server data to secure cloud storage (as a precaution).
• Disconnect servers and laptops, wrapping each in anti-static foam (to prevent electrostatic damage) and shock-absorbing padding.
• Seal servers in tamper-proof cases with GPS trackers (for real-time location monitoring).
• Move Schedule Finalization: We split the relocation into 3 weekends (one per London office) to avoid overloading the team and ensure thoroughness. Each move started at 6 PM on Friday and concluded by 6 AM on Monday—so the London office was ready for work on Monday, and the Berlin team could start setup immediately.

For each weekend move, we deployed specialized vehicles and security measures to protect assets:

• Tech Equipment Transport: We used climate-controlled vans (set to 22°C to prevent overheating) with air suspension (to minimize vibration) for servers and laptops. Each van had 2 E Freight staff (trained in tech equipment handling) and 1 security guard—with GPS tracking updating every 10 minutes.
• Furniture & Personal Items Transport: We used larger trucks with custom-built racks (to secure furniture and prevent shifting) and separate locked compartments for employee personal items (labeled with names to avoid mix-ups).
• Data Security Protocols: All tech vans had encrypted GPS trackers, and only 3 authorized E Freight staff had access to the van keys. The client’s IT team received real-time location updates, and any deviation from the route triggered an instant alert.

Once assets arrived in Berlin, our team focused on fast, organized setup:

• Priority Server Setup: Our tech team (working with the client’s IT staff) unboxed and installed servers first—completing setup by 6 PM on Saturday (12 hours after delivery). The client’s cloud tools were back online by 8 PM, ensuring no downtime for client support.
• Workstation Assembly: On Sunday, we assembled 250+ workstations—matching the layout of the London offices (per the client’s request) to minimize employee adjustment time. Each workstation had the correct laptop, monitor, and office supplies (verified via barcode scanning).
• Furniture Placement: Our team placed 300+ furniture items in pre-planned locations (e.g., meeting room tables in designated spaces, ergonomic chairs at workstations) using a 3D floor plan shared with the client.
• Final Inspection: By 6 AM on Monday, we conducted a full walkthrough with the client’s operations team—scanning each barcode to confirm all items were present and functional. The client’s employees arrived at 9 AM to fully operational workstations.

Even after the move, we stayed to address any issues:

• Missing Item Follow-Up: One employee’s laptop bag (with a charger) was accidentally left in the London office—we dispatched a courier to deliver it to Berlin by noon on Monday (at no extra cost).
• Adjustments: A few teams requested furniture rearrangements (e.g., moving a meeting table closer to a whiteboard)—our team completed these adjustments within 2 hours.
• Feedback Session: One week later, we met with the client’s team to review the move—addressing any concerns and collecting feedback to improve future office relocations.

“E Freight turned what we thought would be a chaotic move into a seamless process. We were terrified of downtime, but our servers were back online in 12 hours, and every employee had a fully functional workstation on Monday. The barcode tracking meant we never lost a single item—even a laptop charger that was left behind was delivered the same day. Their attention to data security and compliance gave us total peace of mind. We’ll definitely use E Freight for our next office expansion."

— Tom Wilson, Operations Director, [Client’s Tech Firm]

• Tech-Savvy Team: Our staff are trained in handling high-value tech equipment (servers, laptops) and follow strict data security protocols—critical for SaaS, fintech, and tech firms.
• Zero Downtime Focus: We schedule moves outside working hours and prioritize setup of critical assets (like servers) to keep your business running.
• End-to-End Tracking: Our barcode and GPS tracking systems let you monitor every item—from pickup in your old office to setup in the new one.
• Customizable Plans: We tailor moves to your industry (e.g., GDPR compliance for tech firms, fragile equipment handling for healthcare offices) and team size (small startups to large enterprises).