Bruynzeel equips the new National Collection Centre of the world-famous Science Museum

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Nov 15, 2021, 04:00 ET

PANNINGEN, Netherlands, Nov. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bruynzeel Storage Systems, the European market leader in space-saving storage systems, has equipped the new storage facility of the famous British Science Museum with its storage systems. The contract for the new National Collection Centre in Swindon is worth more than €1.5M. Bruynzeel is the world's leading supplier of storage systems for museums. The company is a supplier to Boijmans Van Beuningen, Centre Pompidou, Louvre, Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum, Van Gogh Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum. Bruynzeel has its head office and factory in Panningen, The Netherlands.

New depot Science Museum

Founded in 1857, the Science Museum is one of the largest science and technology museums in the world. The collection includes an important part of scientific, technological and medical achievements from across the globe. The Science Museum shared their former Blythe House depot in West London with the Victoria & Albert Museum and the British Museum. However, the government decided to change the purpose of the building a few years ago and this meant that the collections had to be moved.

Storage of 300,000 objects

A total of 300,000 objects will be stored in the new depot, the National Collection Centre in Swindon. To house this extensive collection, Bruynzeel has supplied fixed storage systems from its product range. This involves a total length of 33 kilometres shelving. The Bruynzeel systems store, among other things, small and large objects, small samples, paintings, large collections of plans and drawings. The building has an area of 27,000m².

Sustainability is at the heart of the new depot, which is the Group's most energy efficient building of the Science Museum Group. In addition, the energy generation largely takes place by means of solar energy, one of the largest solar parks in the country has been built on the site. By opting for a highly insulated and airtight building, there are optimal environmental conditions for the valuable and partly centuries-old collection.

Opening in 2024

The new facility is due to open for public tours, school and research visits from early 2024. Relocation of the 300,000 objects of the Science Museum has already started.

Publicly accessible depots

Bruynzeel strives to open up museum depots to the public - increasingly with the aid of its smart mobile systems. On average 90-95% of the collection is located in depots and until recently these were almost without exception hardly accessible to the public.

Museum aan de Stroom in Antwerp and Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam are at the forefront of this development worldwide. Bruynzeel has contributed to the development of publicly accessible depots for both museums. Numerous international museums have already shown an interest in this concept at Bruynzeel.

About Bruynzeel Storage Systems

Bruynzeel Storage Systems is the market leader in the European market for intelligent and space saving storage systems in the archive, library and museum segments. The company from the Netherlands is also growing rapidly in storage solutions in pharma, horticulture, industry, retail, urban farming and hospitals. Space is becoming increasingly scarce and expensive internationally and with the help of space-saving, mobile storage systems, usage of space can be realized much cheaper, faster and more sustainably than, for example, new construction.

Bruynzeel Storage Systems was founded in 1953 as part of the Bruynzeel group that grew into bathrooms, doors, cabinets, kitchens, floors and pencils. Bruynzeel Storage Systems has been privatized since the 1980s. With its 'best-in-class' production process, it is able to realize storage systems with high-quality design and quality within the fastest production and delivery times.

In addition to its own offices in Europe and the United States, the company operates through an extensive network of distributors in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, North America, Australia and Asia. All systems are produced in the factory in Panningen, the Netherlands. The company has more than 200 employees and often collaborates with architects and designers to design custom-made mobile and fixed storage systems for each application.

Since August 2021, the Dutch private equity firm Gilde Equity Management (GEM) has a majority stake in the company. With roots dating back to 1982, GEM is a leading investor in medium-sized companies in the Benelux with € 1.5 billion in committed capital.

With the support of Gilde Bruynzeel will accelerate the execution of its international growth strategy by further gaining market share, growing through geographical expansion, by developing new promising segments and by leading in sustainability. Besides autonomous growth, acquisitions in key geographies and segments are part of the growth strategy.

SOURCE Bruynzeel