Sissy on ice: film archive placed in the hands of Loxxess

Beta Film GmbH, an international distribution company for TV, new media and cinema licenses, has placed the operation of its extensive film archive in the hands of an external service provider. The Munich-based company, which has been part of Jan Mojto's group of companies since 2003, has a unique program catalog with over 15,000 hours of film or 4,000 titles of every format and genre.

"We use the latest technical possibilities for material storage here. We have become much more efficient and at the same time permanently reduced our high warehousing costs."

David Kratz, Beta Film Managing Director - Photo: Beta Film

There were many reasons for the decision to outsource. The tapes were stored at different locations and under different conditions. The power consumption for temperature-controlled storage was extremely high. The decisive factor in the decision to develop a new solution for archiving was the fact that the valuable original reels and film tapes needed to be better protected against the threat of decay. The original tapes are still crucial for the creation of a digital version. Beta Film commissioned the logistics service provider Loxxess to store and manage the films in an optimally equipped central location.

Two million euros invested in warehouse equipment

Loxxess developed a customized concept for archiving and handling the film rolls and magnetic tapes and invested around two million euros in the conversion of the site in Dieburg. The logistics service provider attached great importance to sustainability and resource conservation. Among other things, the outer walls of the hall were provided with a twelve-centimeter-thick layer of insulation to keep energy consumption low. The airtightness was then checked using so-called 'door blower tests' in accordance with DIN EN 13829. This involves using a fan to push air into the building or suck it out. In this way, leaks are detected and the optimum insulating effect for buildings is achieved. The result is a warehouse which, in addition to energy optimization, meets all quality and safety requirements according to the current state of the art.

Protecting original film material from decay

Low humidity, low temperature, CO2 as an extinguishing agent - with these measures, original film tapes are optimally protected in the Loxxess warehouse. Photo: Loxxess

There are three main conditions that promote the chemical deterioration of the original film material. Patrick Mense, Member of the Management Board: "Above all, the humidity affects the films. Generally speaking, the lower the humidity, the better." The lowest possible temperature is also conducive to durability. However, this only applies to material that is rarely borrowed and therefore needs to be defrosted. This is why the majority of the films in Dieburg are stored at a temperature of around 13 degrees. Only particularly valuable film negatives such as the "Sissi" films with Romy Schneider or the "Feuerzangenbowle" with Heinz Rühmann are stored at minus four degrees. The temperature and humidity values are recorded every 15 minutes, 365 days a year.

The third aspect is that of a fire. Extinguishing water is not an option for obvious reasons. "We use CO2 as an extinguishing agent and keep around 30,000 liters in the system," reports Mense.

But there are other dangers against which the material must be protected. Site manager Thomas Lewis explains: "We also operate a kind of early warning system with regular four-stage checks. This enables us to detect chemical changes such as the so-called vinegar syndrome at an early stage. Before major damage can occur and spread to other belts, we remove the affected film."

Complete transparency and access to inventories

In addition to the physical integrity of the films, it is important for Beta Film to be able to access the tapes at any time. The warehouse management system, which Loxxess has tailored specifically to the requirements of the film industry, ensures complete transparency. "Every reel stored in Dieburg is meticulously recorded and categorized. Beta Film can also search the stock for specific keywords," explains Lewis. Incoming goods are stored 98 percent of the time on the same day. Orders that are transmitted by 2 p.m. leave the warehouse on the same day and are delivered to the recipient anywhere in Germany the next day.

Outsourcing sets standards

Beta-Film Managing Director David Kratz summarizes: "We use the latest technical possibilities for material storage and have permanently reduced the high storage costs."

The warehouse in Dieburg, with a total storage area of around 4,000 square meters, currently still has space for around 200,000 35-millimeter film reels. "The problem in the film sector is that the clock is constantly ticking for the old treasures. We have a tried and tested solution here," says Mense.

Jens Tosse