Work Van Shelving - Getting Organized and More Efficient

Bott SMARTVAN Van | Work Van Upfit

FULL ARTICLE: https://www.aconcordcarpenter.com/wor...

Last year, I installed and reviewed the bott Smartvan racking and storage system in my Sprinter van. One year later we’re still enjoying it, and I decided to outfit my new Pro Master van with the same system.
Why I like the bott Smartvan System
My decision to use the bott Smartvan racking, and storage system in this van is based on seven things:
1. It’s a DIY with no drilling required.
2. The system is lighter, more compact and takes up way less room than competitor shelves or homemade plywood shelves.
3. Its all-metal frames are strong, robust, and crash tested.
4. The organization is FLEXIBLE. By flexible I mean I can move, relocate, switch out or change anything I want to suit my storage needs, and workflow.
5. The smaller-sized, lighter bott Systainer3 boxes have forced me to focus on the efficiency of design and space. I keep those boxes tight!
6. I’m now more organized.
7. The system is eye-catching! It looks neat, organized, and professional to my clients.
Bott Smartvan is a German company that is now available in the US market. They design and manufacture a wide range of storage and mobile working options and you can design your own custom system with their online configurator on their website. They’ve recently got into making van partitions and partition wall storage systems – something I’d like to learn more about.

Easy Installation
The bott Smartvan shelf rack system is a fully customizable storage system that comes with vehicle-specific mounting brackets. It is designed to be installed as a DIY project and doesn’t require drilling into the vehicle frame.
This no-drill mounting means you are causing zero damage to your vehicle. Once the frame is installed you simply mount the drawer or toolbox shelf rails into the frame at the different heights and depths within the frames in a configuration of your choice. The shelving system is compatible with the bott Systainer3 storage boxes, but also has shelves that fit other manufacturer toolboxes if you choose to go that route.
Typically, the first month or so after I mount the bott Smartvan system I find myself moving things around to suit a particular workflow. For example, I placed many of my “most-used,” tools closer to the rear door so I could grab them without having to step up into the van.
Crash Tested
The bott Smartvan has been crash tested to comply with Regulation No 17 of the Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations (EU ECE R17) This regulation concerns the approval of vehicles regarding the seats, their anchorages, and any head restraints.
Labeling Tool and Accessories
It sems silly but labeling my drawers and boxes have allowed my crew and I faster access to tools and supplies. I’d love to know how much time is saved over a year because we no longer must open and investigate 10 drawers to find a particular item, I have a simple label maker and made labels for all the bott Smartvan drawers, boxes and shelves effectively creating a 100% labeled tool storage system.
For most projects, I end up bringing the entire toolbox into the job site either carrying it, or by using the 4-wheel bott dolly. The dolly works great for rolling a tower of tools clicked together.
Building A Charging Station
I installed a shoreline plug on the rear, external van wall, this plug feeds an internal power strip that allows me to plug into power and charge my batteries at night. It also allows me to keep a hot box in my truck in the winter to prevent caulking and glues from freezing.
Bott Smartvan offers an accessory end panel they call a Perfo panel. To mount ALL my chargers to the Perfo panel. I found the Perfo panel a bit small and would like to see it offered in a larger, longer configuration. Bott Smartvan does make Perfo panels that mount inside the shelf racks, and I was thinking of using a non-ferrous blade to cut and modify them to fit on the end of my shelf rack.
I will note that bott Smartvan does not approve of field modifications like this because it is not crash test certified. I do know they’re looking into the perfo panels compatibility with mounting chargers.
Bott Smartvan | Cost
So, how much does the bott Smartvan system cost? This is one of the most asked questions on the item I review. Which makes sense. If you’re going to invest in a van racking system, it’s crucial to understand what you’re getting for your money, what costs extra, and what the ongoing costs and savings might look like.
The average cost starts around $4000 and goes up depending on what you purchase, remember this is a 100% custom and flexible system. You certainly get what you pay for, which is a smartly, well-designed tool storage system.
The system was easy to install and goes together like an erector set, for adults! Plus, it's safer and way more secure than plywood shelves, some bolts, and self-tappers!