Transportation & Logistics for Archival Collections

The challenge

Archival materials are diverse, delicate, and often irreplaceable. Whether it’s historical film, vintage paper documents, legacy hard drives, or one-of-a-kind artifacts, these assets require more than basic packing and shipping. Without the right expertise, every move introduces risk—environmental exposure, physical damage, or even loss of provenance.

The impact

Relocating a collection without the right planning and handling can compromise the very assets you're trying to protect. Each format brings unique vulnerabilities, and generic logistics providers are rarely equipped to account for them. When stakes are high and collections are complex, expert logistics are not a luxury—they are a necessity.

What if you could...

• Move your entire archival collection with full confidence, knowing each asset is managed by specialists?
• Prevent degradation or mishandling during transit through custom packaging and climate-aware planning?
• Seamlessly connect transportation with preservation, digitization, or storage without breaking chain of custody?

Logistics for Archival Collections

Iron Mountain Media & Archival Services offers transportation and logistics designed specifically for archives. Every move is tailored to the collection’s format, condition, and preservation requirements. From oversized artwork to legacy video tapes or hand-labeled hard drives, we handle materials with expertise informed by decades of preservation experience.

Your assets are packed using archival-grade materials, tracked with barcode and GPS systems, and transported in secure, climate-controlled vehicles. Our teams include specialists who understand not just how to move archival items, but why they matter.

Why climate isn't one-size-fits all

Different formats demand different environmental conditions. Paper records may require stable humidity, while magnetic tape is highly sensitive to temperature shifts. Digital assets, like drives and disks, can fail due to heat, static, or shock. We tailor every transport to your collection’s specific needs, providing both protection and peace of mind.

Integrate with preservation services

Transportation is just one part of the archival journey. We offer a full range of preservation capabilities, including digitization, restoration, and secure archival storage. When needed, transportation can be directly connected to these services, reducing unnecessary transfers and minimizing risk. This creates a streamlined, end-to-end workflow that keeps your collection protected every step of the way.