Data Backup Digest

Given an ever-increasing reliance on big data usage and storage in the 21st century, as well as growing compliance requirements, many companies are beginning to make moves toward larger buildings and facilities. One such company, Ellefson Transportation Group of Augusta, Georgia, has recently begun the process of creating a secondary location for their data storage needs.

The company's current facility, which boasts 92,000 square feet of usable floor space, is simply not enough to accommodate their ever-increasing collection of service records. Complicating the move is the fact that many of these records have not yet been digitized. Movers will have to handle and relocate more than 250,000 boxes of hard documents to the new location.

Although their new facility only includes 26,000 square feet, company representatives are optimistic that the additional space will be enough to meet their needs. While future requirements could very well change, the second location definitely eases some of the current burden. Moreover, considering the fact that many of their customers are positioned within the healthcare and railroad transportation industries, it's easy to see how vital their services actually are within the surrounding neighborhoods and communities.

CEO of Ellefson Transportation Group, Brain Ellefson, spoke somewhat nostalgically of his success so far as well as his recent endeavors. He was quoted as saying: "When we built this and moved in, everything fit in a third of this space. Now, this space only represents a third of our records.” He continued by saying: "We’ve been at this property a little over 20 years and never in our wildest dreams did we think we’d be building another facility."

Ellefson Transportation Group is also opening a new facility in order to maintain compliance with evolving recordkeeping requirements, particularly federal stipulations that mandate the retention of customer data. As Ellefson is the parent company of many different transportation companies, including ADSI Moving Systems, Acme Moving and Storage and August Go-Mini's, they have quite a bit of customer information to preserve and protect.

Jim Thorpe, director of business development with Ellefson Transportation Group, spoke candidly about the new upgrades. He was quoted as saying: "This is an exciting time for Ellefson Transportation Group. You might not travel Mike Padgett Highway on a daily basis, but we hope if you get the chance over the next year you’ll swing by, slow down and take a look at the progression of the building here."

With an estimated completion of September 2017, the facility will become the 26th storage facility in the U.S. to achieve full compliance with the new standards of the National Archives and Records Administration, or NARA. Their new codes mainly revolve around climate control and fire suppression.

By the time it's all said and done, the new addition will represent a $2.5 million investment on behalf of the Ellefson Transportation Group. Couple this with the fact that the company has recently celebrated their 50th anniversary and it's safe to say that Ellefson Transportation will continue to bolster their presence in the region for some time to come.