Paper archives grow quietly until they take over a room. A compactus packs that storage into far less floor space. Its shelving bays sit on tracks and slide together, so a whole row needs only one open aisle at a time. This guide explains how mobile shelving works, the sizes available, what to check about the floor, and the simpler steel shelving that suits smaller archives, with six products and prices.
The units here come from our bookcases and shelving range, with sizes taken from the product pages.
How a compactus works
Ordinary shelving needs an aisle in front of every run, and those aisles sit empty most of the day. A compactus puts the shelving bays on carriages that roll along floor tracks. The bays close up against each other, and you open a gap only where you need to reach.
That means one aisle serves the whole row. The trade-off is access, because only one aisle is open at a time. A compactus suits archives and records that a small team uses regularly, rather than shelves that many people need at once.
The compactus units in this guide are freestanding. They sit on level carpet or flooring without being secured down, so they can be moved if the office layout changes. A low-profile track spreads the weight evenly and keeps the trip hazard small.
Compactus sizes: 4, 6 and 8 bays
All three units use the same bay size, 2175mm high and 400mm deep, in 900mm or 1200mm widths. What changes is the number of bays and the length of the track they run on.
- The Compactus 4 Bay Mobile Shelving Unit (from $4,812) runs on a 2500mm track.
- The Compactus 6 Bay Mobile Shelving Unit (from $6,612) runs on a 3500mm track.
- The Compactus 8 Bay Mobile Shelving Unit (from $8,540) runs on a 4500mm track.
Each unit is listed with five adjustable shelves that move in 25mm steps. Every shelf carries 75kg as a uniformly distributed load, meaning the weight is spread evenly across the shelf. The system is fully lockable, comes in White Satin or Cyber Grey and has a 10-year warranty.
Shelf spacing can suit tall archive boxes on one level and rows of lever arch files on the next. Optional extras include wire file racks, pull-out reference shelves, pull-out drawers and file frames, dividers and extra shelves. Keep the heaviest items on the lower shelves.
| Option | Bays | Size | Shelves | Shelf capacity | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compactus 4 Bay | 4 | 2175mm high, 2500mm track | 5 adjustable, as listed | 75kg | From $4,812 |
| Compactus 6 Bay | 6 | 2175mm high, 3500mm track | 5 adjustable, as listed | 75kg | From $6,612 |
| Compactus 8 Bay | 8 | 2175mm high, 4500mm track | 5 adjustable, as listed | 75kg | From $8,540 |
| T-span Starter Bay | 1 | 2100mm high, 910 to 2160mm wide | 4 levels | 200kg | From $275 |
| T-span Add-on Bay | 1 more | 2100mm high, 910 to 2160mm wide | 4 levels | 200kg | From $221 |
| Steelco Open Bookcase 2000H | 1 | 2000mm high, 900 or 1200mm wide | 4 adjustable | 40kg | From $452 |
Floor space, floor strength and installation
Measure the floor along the track and across the bay width before choosing a size. The 8 bay unit, for example, runs on a 4500mm track in a 900mm or 1200mm bay width.
A loaded compactus concentrates a lot of weight on a small area of floor. Before ordering, have a builder or structural engineer check that the floor can carry the full load, especially on an upper level. The product pages also note that the floor must be level and that the unit needs specialised installation.
Steel shelving and bookcases for smaller archives
Not every archive needs mobile shelving. For a smaller store room, or where several people need shelves at the same time, static steel shelving costs far less and needs no track.
The T-span Shelving - Starter Bay (from $275) is built on heavy duty T-section steel uprights. It stands 2100mm high, in widths from 910mm to 2160mm and depths of 450mm or 600mm. Each bay has four shelf levels as standard, adjusting in 50mm steps, with a stated shelf capacity of 200kg.
As storage grows, the T-span Shelving - Add-on Bay (from $221) extends the run with another bay in the same sizes. Both come with a dark grey frame, light grey shelves and a 10-year warranty.
For files kept in a working office rather than a store room, the Steelco Open Bookcase 2000H (from $452) offers four adjustable shelves rated at 40kg each. It is 2000mm high and 900mm or 1200mm wide, in White Satin, Silver Grey or Graphite Ripple, and it arrives pre-assembled. Our guide to office bookcases and shelving covers more options.
Planning a compactus for an Australian office
- Leased premises. Because these units are freestanding, they can be moved without damaging floors, which suits tenants who may relocate.
- Upper floors. Get the floor load checked before ordering, as above.
- Drawers instead of shelves. Papers in daily use may sit better in our filing cabinets, with the compactus kept for archives.
- Delivery. Delivery is to the ground-floor entrance. Items arrive flat-packed unless the product page says assembled, and each product page has a Delivery line naming its metro cities.
Cupboards, lockers and other storage are in our office storage range.
Compactus — frequently asked questions
What is a compactus?
A compactus is mobile shelving. Its bays roll along floor tracks and close together, so you open one aisle only where you need it.
How much weight does a compactus shelf hold?
Each shelf on the units in this guide carries 75kg as a uniformly distributed load. For heavier items, the T-span shelving bays state a 200kg shelf capacity.
Does a compactus need to be fixed to the floor?
The units here are freestanding and are not secured to the floor, but they need a level floor and specialised installation. Have a builder or engineer check the floor for heavy loads.
When is static shelving a better choice?
Static shelving suits smaller archives, store rooms where several people need access at once, and budgets that do not stretch to a mobile system.
Shop the range
Every unit in this guide is listed below in the order it appears.
- Compactus 4 Bay Mobile Shelving Unit (from $4,812): four lockable mobile bays on a 2500mm track, in two bay widths
- Compactus 6 Bay Mobile Shelving Unit (from $6,612): six lockable mobile bays on a 3500mm track, in two bay widths
- Compactus 8 Bay Mobile Shelving Unit (from $8,540): eight lockable mobile bays on a 4500mm track for larger archives
- T-span Shelving - Starter Bay (from $275): a 2100mm steel shelving bay with four adjustable shelf levels
- T-span Shelving - Add-on Bay (from $221): an extra bay that extends a T-span run as storage grows
- Steelco Open Bookcase 2000H (from $452): a pre-assembled 2000mm steel bookcase with four adjustable shelves
Metro delivery is a flat $75 per order, and prices include GST.
