Last Updated on July 9, 2024 by Kari-Ann Ryan
Introduction
The Daily Herald Media Group (DH) is a Chicago suburb-based company that publishes newspapers in print and digital formats and offers marketing solutions. The group has been in operation for more than 150 years and is the main source of information for its suburban audience. Their diverse portfolio offers clients and readers multiple ways to deliver and consume media. Over the past 30 years, Daily Herald has undergone four moves with our team. These moves have encompassed growth, downsizing, rightsizing, selling off the printing division, and transitioning to remote work.
Client Background
The most recent move was driven by two major factors. First, the Daily Herald was selling all their printing machinery and their Schaumburg location which housed the machinery, to the Chicago Tribune. Moving forward, the Tribune would print for the Daily Herald. Second, they aimed to eliminate most of their office space as employees transitioned to remote work. They retained a small space in Schaumburg for offices, meetings, and similar purposes.
Specific Requirements
A primary requirement was for us to pack, move, and set up their “paper” storage in our warehouse. This included storage racking, bankers’ boxes of files, photos, and past paper archives. Additionally, Daily Herald employees needed access to this storage as needed.
Challenge
This project was multifaceted, involving numerous pieces of equipment and personnel. Key challenges included dismantling and reassembling storage in both their facility and ours while maintaining numerical inventory order for easy access. Daily Herald staff utilized this accessible storage multiple times throughout the process.
We stored this archive in our warehouse for 8 months to a year, after which we moved it to the new Schaumburg location once they were ready. During this time, we shredded much of the storage per their direction, recycled the metal shelving units, and delivered the updated storage to their new location.
Personalized Services
We decommissioned the old Arlington Heights location, which included two large buildings, over a span of three weeks. Our services included selling off excess furniture and modular workstations, cleaning, repairing, spackling, debris removal, pulling out electrical wires, recycling furniture, and e-recycling. We also packed all employee files on library carts for the move.
Implementation
The move was meticulously planned and executed in multiple phases. The planning process involved creating scopes of work written by our Director of Commercial Sales, who estimated, sold, and served as the project manager. These plans were approved by the client. Direct contact with the client, typically managed by 1-2 key individuals in the client organization, ensured the move remained tight, on track, and in constant communication. The move adhered to a strict schedule by date and time to ensure all parties were aligned.
Special Care for Valuable Items
We handled a historic printing machine, weighing about 4 tons, with special machinery moving equipment called a Rigging machine. Although non-functional, this machine serves as a mascot and is on display at the Daily Herald’s new office.
Results
The client has been very satisfied with our services throughout multiple moves. We have received additional moves and referrals from the staff we worked with, and they continue to call us as needed for any additional items or services.
Conclusion
Daily Herald’s successful moves with Mid-West Moving & Storage highlight our ability to handle complex, multifaceted projects with precision and care. Our personalized services, meticulous planning, and direct communication ensured a smooth transition for the Daily Herald, reinforcing our positive impact on their moving experience.
