Here’s a local business with big ideas and a long neck! Quirky Giraffe, based at the Allen House Business Centre in Sawbridgeworth, is one of those businesses. Started by Emma during lockdown in 2020, it began as a small online venture making personalised mugs and gifts. Since then, it’s grown quickly into a thriving brand known for its humour, originality and down-to-earth customer service. All their products are hand-printed in the UK and the business now supports a growing local team, including eight new temps for their last Christmas rush.
At Action Handling, we’ve always believed that local businesses are the heartbeat of our communities. So when we get the chance to work with one that’s just around the corner and full of creativity, it feels extra special. When last Christmas approaching, Emma and her team were preparing for their busiest stretch of the year. Orders were increasing daily, new staff were being trained and production was ramping up, but their workspace was struggling to keep up. They needed reliable shelving that could handle a growing inventory of stock and materials, fit neatly into their existing space and be installed without disrupting their business.
Our Sales Manager, Jon Ball, first met Emma in the simplest way possible. He'd just popped into her office at The Maltings one lunchtime to introduce himself and left a catalogue. A few days later, Emma got in touch to say, “Actually, I think you might be able to help us.” From there, we arranged a quick site visit to understand what she needed and how her team worked day-to-day. We quickly recommended a set of heavy duty shelving units, each measuring 1600mm high, 915mm wide and 455mm deep, with four melamine shelves capable of holding up to 200kg per level.
The goal wasn’t just to add storage, it was to create a setup that made sense for how their team moves, works and packs orders. The new racking now holds everything from printed mugs and packaging supplies to blanks ready for printing.
The difference was immediate. With the new shelving in place, Quirky Giraffe could store more stock safely and access it quickly, essential of course during a season when every hour counts. The space feels more open and organised allowing the team can focus on production rather than finding room for things. Emma put it best: “It sounds simple, but having the right shelving has completely changed how we work. Everything has its place now and that makes all the difference when you’re in the middle of busy Christmas orders.”
For us, this project wasn’t about selling some shelving, it was about helping a local business grow into its next chapter and giving them the practical support they needed to stay focused on what they do best - creating thoughtful gifts that make people smile. Supporting local businesses like Quirky Giraffe is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do. When our equipment helps someone’s hard work, they shine a little brighter and that’s a win for everyone.
If you’re running an online shop or a small warehouse and finding that space is getting tighter as orders pick up, now’s a good time to step back and think about your setup. A few smart changes can make the run-up to the next Christmas season far less stressful. We’re always happy to visit, measure up and help you plan something that fits in with the way that you work.
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