Chatham Archive

What Chatham Archive does

Chatham Archive is an independent UK records management company, founded in 1994 and headquartered at the historic Chatham Dockyard in Kent, with a secondary operational hub in Battersea, London. The company provides secure offsite document storage, scanning, secure shredding, fireproof vault storage, data tape rotation, and specialist container storage for a customer base spanning law firms, financial institutions, NHS Trusts, government bodies, architecture firms, charitable organisations, and — via a self-service Essential tier — small businesses and individuals. Its service portfolio is delivered through seven purpose-built facilities across South East England supported by a GPS-tracked own fleet that enables next-day standard delivery and four-hour emergency retrieval.

The underlying technology stack centres on a comprehensive barcode tracking system that registers and monitors every box movement from collection through storage to retrieval or destruction, a bespoke customer-facing web portal (SDM Orders) that lets clients manage inventory, retention policies, retrieval, and shredding orders online, and Durasteel fireproof vault infrastructure providing four-hour fire resistance, blast protection, and humidity control. Chatham holds UKAS-accredited ISO 9001, 14001, 22301, and 27001 certifications — described as a unique combination among independent UK records management firms — qualifying the business for regulated and public-sector procurement.

Chatham Archive generates revenue primarily through recurring monthly subscription storage fees (tiered from £15/month for up to 10 boxes under the Essential self-service offering, to bespoke enterprise quotes for 100+ box accounts), supplemented by project-based professional services revenue from scanning, secure shredding, and specialist vault or container storage. Go-to-market is sales-led with dedicated account managers for enterprise clients, a self-serve web channel for the SMB/individual segment, and free competitor-transition support — a model the company reports has converted 70% of new clients from incumbent multinational providers at 30–60% lower pricing. The business is privately held under SDM Holdings Group Ltd, an independently owned holding company led by owner-manager Marc Chauveau.

Name

Chatham Archive

Legal name

The Chatham Archive & Document Storage Company Ltd

Website

https://chathamarchive.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Chatham Archive is an independent UK records management company providing secure offsite document storage, scanning, shredding, and fireproof vault services to law firms, financial institutions, NHS Trusts, government bodies, and SMBs across South East England via seven purpose-built facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Records Management Services

NAICS

General Warehousing and Storage (493110), Libraries and Archives (519210)

SIC

Public Warehousing & Storage (4220), Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTLALAAAK

Document & Records Storage (Physical Archives)

Transportation & Logistics/Warehousing & Storage (Cold Chain, Fulfillment, Depots)/General Warehousing & Storage (Dry/Non-Temperature Controlled)

SECONDARYTLALALAI

Secure & Vital Records Storage (Fireproof, Disaster-Recovery, Chain-of-Custody)

Transportation & Logistics/Warehousing & Storage (Cold Chain, Fulfillment, Depots)/Document & Records Storage (Physical Archives)

SECONDARYTLALALAB

Legal & Compliance Records Storage (Law Firms, Courts, eDiscovery Physical)

Transportation & Logistics/Warehousing & Storage (Cold Chain, Fulfillment, Depots)/Document & Records Storage (Physical Archives)

SECONDARYTLALALAC

Financial Records Storage (Banking, Insurance, Accounting)

Transportation & Logistics/Warehousing & Storage (Cold Chain, Fulfillment, Depots)/Document & Records Storage (Physical Archives)

SECONDARYTLALALAE

Government & Public Sector Archives Storage (Municipal/State/Federal)

Transportation & Logistics/Warehousing & Storage (Cold Chain, Fulfillment, Depots)/Document & Records Storage (Physical Archives)

SECONDARYBPAAAKAG

Records Digitization & Archiving (Legacy Files, Retention Support)

Business & Public Services/Administrative & Support Services (BPO, Call Centers, Back Office)/Data Entry, Data Processing & Document Digitization

Keywords

• Records management services
• Offsite document storage
• Secure shredding services
• Document scanning services
• Archive storage solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Document Storage Services: Monthly subscription-based storage services for archive boxes with tiered pricing based on volume. Includes collection, barcode registration, offsite storage, and retrieval services.
2. Scanning Services: Document digitisation services including bulk scanning, scan-on-demand, books and catalogue scanning, and large format document scanning
3. Secure Shredding Services: Confidential document destruction services to BS EN 15713 standards with security consoles, collection services, and destruction certificates
4. Fireproof Vault Storage: Premium Durasteel vault storage for critical documents, deeds, wills, and data tapes with climate control and humidity management
5. Data Tape Storage and Rotation: Specialist LTO and media tape storage with scheduled rotation services, secure transportation, and climate-controlled vaults
6. Container and Specialist Storage: 20ft and 40ft container storage options plus ad hoc storage for office furniture, equipment, and business assets

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Chatham Archive provides secure offsite document storage and records management services to UK businesses and public sector organisations, including archive box storage with barcode tracking and GPS-tracked next-day retrieval, confidential shredding to BS EN 15713 standards, document scanning and digitisation, fireproof Durasteel vault storage, and data tape storage and rotation. Services are delivered through seven purpose-built facilities across England, managed via the bespoke SDM Orders customer portal, and supported by UKAS-accredited ISO 9001, 14001, 22301, and 27001 certifications.

Product overview

Chatham Archive operates as a records management company offering a unified platform of document storage and related services. The core offerings are Document Storage (for over 100 boxes) and Essential Archive Storage (for up to 100 boxes), supported by scanning and secure shredding add-on modules. Specialist services include Fireproof Vault Storage with Durasteel protection, Specialist Storage Solutions for containers and business assets, and Data Tape Storage and Rotation. All services are managed through the SDM Orders web portal, with three standard archive box sizes available. The company holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22301, and ISO 27001 certifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Document Storage Secure offsite document storage service for businesses with over 100 boxes, featuring GPS-tracked next-day retrieval, individual barcode tracking, and dedicated account management. Designed for law firms, financial institutions, NHS Trusts, and government bodies needing high-volume storage with audit-compliant retrieval and destruction.
• Essential Archive Storage Self-managed archive storage service for up to 100 boxes, designed for SMEs and individuals with monthly subscriptions starting at £15 (ex-VAT), tiered by box volume, with free first collection and no exit fees. Includes barcode registration, offsite storage, and access via the Essential self-service platform.
• Scanning Services Document digitisation service offering bulk scanning, scan-on-demand retrieval within four hours, and conversion of various formats including bound volumes, large format documents, and microfilm/microfiche. Designed for businesses needing to convert physical archives into digital records.
• Secure Shredding Confidential document destruction service meeting BS EN 15713 standards, featuring shredding bags, executive consoles, and industrial shredding bins with security seals and destruction certificates. Available to businesses needing GDPR-compliant document destruction with chain-of-custody documentation.
• Fireproof Vault Storage Premium Durasteel fireproof vault storage providing 4-hour fire resistance, blast protection, and humidity control for critical documents, wills, deeds, and sensitive data tapes. Designed for law firms, banking industry, and architecture firms needing to preserve high-value or irreplaceable documents.
• Specialist Storage Solutions Flexible business storage solutions including 20ft and 40ft container storage and ad hoc storage for office furniture, equipment, and archived documents with next working day access. Designed for businesses needing secure container storage for equipment, inventory, and business assets beyond documents.
• Data Tape Storage and Rotation Secure offsite backup and retrieval service for LTO and media tapes, featuring fire-proof vault storage, scheduled tape rotation, and GPS-tracked secure transportation with 3-hour delivery to London offices. Designed for banks, law firms, and other organisations with backup tape storage and disaster recovery requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% annual savings compared to previous storage providers
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SDM Holdings Group LtdcoreOthersParent company and ultimate owner of The Chatham Archive & Document Storage Company Ltd. SDM Holdings is an independent, privately owned holding company also owning Secure Data Management Ltd and Broughton Poggs Business Park. Core business is records data management with involvement in business support services.
• Secure Data Management LtdcoreOthersSister company under SDM Holdings Group. Provides related records management services and shared operational infrastructure including SDM Orders portal.
• UK ArchivingminorOthersIndustry association membership providing credibility and industry network access.
• Action for ChildrenminorOthersCharitable partner for Byte Night sleep out event supporting youth homelessness. Chatham Archive provides logistical support including repackaging and redistributing food and resources for events.
• Battersea Dogs & Cats HomeminorOthersRegular sponsors of Battersea animal shelter charity. Support through fundraising events and sponsorship.
• Humanity & InclusionminorOthersCharity partnership where Chatham Archive manages and stores prosthetics (artificial limbs) free of cost for individuals re-learning movements after war or natural disasters.
• The Lady Garden FoundationminorOthersPartnership supporting women's health charity raising awareness and funding for gynaecological cancer research. Chatham Archive provides logistical support for fundraising events and campaigns.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Iron Mountain Incorporated: Global market leader in physical records storage, shredding, and information management. Directly comparable service portfolio (storage, scanning, shredding, vault) at much larger scale; Chatham explicitly positions against Iron Mountain's pricing on its website.
• Restore plc: UK-headquartered information management group offering document storage, secure shredding, and digital services. Closest large UK competitor with overlapping enterprise customer base (legal, financial, public sector).
• Shred-it (Stericycle): Global secure information destruction service with a strong UK presence; competes directly with Chatham's BS EN 15713 shredding offering and is frequently one of the incumbents being displaced.

Direct peers

• Crown Records Management: UK independent records management company providing offsite document storage, scanning, shredding, and tape rotation. Direct competitor serving similar regulated verticals in overlapping geographies.
• Russell Richardson Records Management: UK-based independent records management company offering secure document storage, scanning, and shredding services. Direct niche peer with comparable independent positioning and service-led model.
• Astley Smith Archive Services: UK-based independent records storage company offering offsite document storage, scanning, and shredding to professional services clients. Comparable independent operator in overlapping UK regions.
• Stor-a-file Document Management: Independent UK records management company offering offsite document storage, scanning, and shredding services. Comparable scale and service mix to Chatham Archive in the South East / London market.
• Archive Document Solutions: UK independent providing offsite document storage, scan-on-demand, and secure shredding. Comparable offering and target market of law firms, financial services, and SMEs.

Others

• Secure Data Management Ltd: Sister company under SDM Holdings Group, providing related records management services and shared operational infrastructure including the SDM Orders portal. Sister entity, not a competitor.

Regional players

• Titan Storage (UK): UK self-storage and document storage operator providing archive box storage and business storage solutions. Adjacent competitor in the SMB tier where Chatham's Essential offering (£15-£45/month) is positioned.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chatham Archive