Rotary Office Cabinets: Datum Ez2® & Aurora Times-2™

360-degree rotating file and storage cabinets that store roughly double to triple the files of a standard cabinet in the same floor footprint — accessible from both sides, with locking security for confidential records.

Datum Ez2 rotary action file open, showing color-coded hanging files on 360-degree rotating shelves

Up to 3x

The files of a lateral cabinet, in one footprint

2 – 8

Shelf openings per rotary unit

100–110 lb

Published shelf capacity, letter/legal

360°

Rotation, accessible from both sides

A Cabinet That Doubles as Its Own Aisle

How It WorksDatum Ez2Aurora Times-2Rotary vs. LateralApplicationsAccessoriesSpecificationsFAQs
A seven-shelf Datum Ez2 rotary file cabinet opened to show hanging files, binders and reference materials
A seven-shelf Datum Ez2 rotary action file opened to show hanging files, binders and reference materials on its rotating shelves

A rotary office cabinet (also called a rotating file cabinet or rotary action file) is an enclosed steel cabinet built around a central pivot. The shelves inside spin a full 360 degrees, so the front and back of the unit can both be loaded and reached from one spot in the room. That is the whole idea: instead of a row of lateral cabinets that each need open floor space for a drawer to swing out, a rotary cabinet turns in place.

Material Handling USA supplies two established rotary lines — the Datum Ez2® Rotary Action File, built by Datum Storage Solutions in York, Pennsylvania, and the Aurora Times-2™ Rotary Cabinet, built by Aurora Storage Products in Aurora, Illinois. Both are enclosed, lockable, double-sided systems; which one fits your project depends on the operation style, colors and accessories you need, which we cover section by section below.

Know roughly how many linear feet of files you have?

Tell us letter or legal, your ceiling height, and single- or double-sided access, and we will size a Datum or Aurora unit and quote it.

Request a Quote View Datum Rotary Files Call (800) 326-4403

How Rotary Storage Works

Every rotary cabinet on this page shares the same basic mechanics: an enclosed outer cabinet, a rotating inner shelf assembly on a lubricated base, and a locking door that seals the unit when it is not in use.

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360° Rotation

The shelf assembly spins in place inside the outer cabinet, exposing the opposite face of the unit instead of requiring a drawer or door to swing outward.

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Lockable Stop Positions

Datum’s Ez2 locks at 4 rotation positions; Aurora’s Times-2 uses Positive Position Control to stop squarely every quarter turn, on foot-pedal or hand-release bases.

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Stackable Capacity

Add-on units bolt to a starter unit side by side, adding storage width without adding new floor footprint beyond the add-on unit itself.

Datum Ez2® Rotary Action File

Datum Storage Solutions has been family-owned by the Potter family since 1968 and manufactures the Ez2® line in York, Pennsylvania. The defining feature of the Ez2 is that it has no foot pedal — the rotating shelf spins by hand, which Datum designed specifically to reduce the footprint and remove a trip hazard from the floor in front of the unit.

Two Datum Ez2 rotary file cabinets side by side, one open showing hanging files and one closedDouble Unit, One OpenTwo Ez2 units installed side by side — a starter unit plus an add-on adds width without adding new floor depth.
Two full-height Datum Ez2 rotary units installed in a row, each opened to show hanging file storageUnits in a Row, Both OpenAdd-on units join a starter unit to grow letter or legal storage capacity without adding new floor footprint.
Closed Datum Ez2 rotary action file cabinet with locking door and key lockLocked and ClosedThe Ez2 is fully enclosed when closed, with a keyed lock across the door for confidential-record security.
Desk-height Datum Ez2 rotary file cabinet with three shelves open for binder and file storage
A desk-height, 3-shelf Ez2 unit sized for counter-level storage next to a workstation

Because the Ez2 is a cabinet-in-cabinet design, it also works as a room divider: installed with double-sided access it separates two work areas while giving both sides their own storage face, or it can be installed against a wall for single-sided in-wall access when floor space is tight.

Every Ez2 ships with a Datum Lifetime Warranty on the cabinet plus a 2-year labor warranty, and is offered in 15 paint colors and 12 laminate finishes.

Datum Ez2 Specification Published Value
Rotation 360 degrees, double-sided access, 4 lockable stop positions
Shelf openings 2 to 8 shelves per unit, adjustable on 1/2″ centers
Width — letter 36-1/2″ starter unit, 30-3/4″ each add-on unit
Width — legal 45-1/2″ starter unit, 38-3/4″ each add-on unit
Heights available 30″, 42″, 51″, 61-1/2″, 72″, 82-1/2″, 93″
Depth 25″ letter-size, 31″ legal-size
Operation No foot pedal — spins by hand, reducing trip hazard and footprint
Installation Freestanding for double-sided access, or in-wall for single-sided access
Finish options 15 paint colors, 12 laminate selections, powder-coated steel
Warranty Lifetime warranty on the unit, 2-year labor warranty (Datum-published)

Aurora Times-2™ Rotary Cabinet

Aurora Storage Products, based in Aurora, Illinois, markets Times-2 as the original patented rotary cabinet design, still updated with the same base engineering: a factory-lubricated, columnar-supported base that balances an unevenly loaded unit and stops squarely every quarter turn (Positive Position Control), whether the unit is ordered with a foot pedal or a hand-release.

Office staff retrieving files from Aurora Times-2 rotary cabinets built into a long countertop run
Office staff pulling binders from a run of Aurora Times-2 rotary cabinets built into a countertop

Times-2 comes in ten heights — from a compact 2-tier, 29-1/2″ unit up to an 8-tier, 92-1/2″ unit — in letter or legal/A4 width, plus Plus-Size options for non-standard ceiling heights. Aurora publishes the widest color range in the category at 31 standard Gloss-Tek powder-coat finishes, with an antimicrobial option for healthcare and education settings, plus Wood-Tek door/end-panel overlays for the higher-end Times-2 Elite line.

The Interconnect configuration (US Patent 7,530,652) links units of different heights in a single run — useful under low windows, along a partition wall, or as a shared printing/copy station with a countertop on the lower units.

Close-up of a rotary cabinet pull-out shelf with adjustable file dividers and hanging folder frame
Close-up of a rotary cabinet pull-out shelf with adjustable file dividers holding hanging folders

Aurora’s own accessory catalog for Times-2 includes rollout drawers configurable in eight ways, adjustable file dividers in eight heights, a magnetic follower for hanging files, reversible shelves, rifle and handgun brackets, and preconfigured Quik-Panel and museum-collection kits.

Aurora Times-2 Specification Published Value
Heights available 2-tier 29-1/2″ up to 8-tier 92-1/2″ (10 heights, plus Plus-Size options)
Width — letter 36-1/2″ starter and add-on units
Width — legal/A4 45-1/4″ starter and add-on units
Inside dimension — letter 24-1/4″ width × 12-1/4″ depth
Inside dimension — legal 30-1/4″ width × 15-1/4″ depth
Shelf capacity 100 lb letter-size, 110 lb legal-size (Aurora-published)
Base safety feature Positive Position Control — a controlled, automatic stop every quarter turn
Operation Foot pedal or hand-release, factory-lubricated base assembly
Colors 31 standard Gloss-Tek powder-coat colors; antimicrobial finish available
Interconnect option Patented run-of-units design (US Patent 7,530,652) saves 6″ of floor space per height change

Rotary Cabinets vs. Standard Lateral Files

The reason to choose a rotary cabinet over a lateral or vertical file almost always comes down to floor space and access pattern, not price. Here is the practical comparison, using the vendors’ own published figures:

What Changes Standard Lateral File Rotary Cabinet (Datum / Aurora)
Files per sq. ft. of floor space Baseline Up to 3x a lateral file in the same footprint (Aurora)
Access One side only, one drawer open at a time Both sides, full shelf face exposed at once
Aisle clearance needed Full drawer-extension depth in front of the cabinet Only the unit’s own footprint — no drawer swing
Security Per-drawer key lock Locking door with 4 lockable rotation positions (Datum) or keypad access (Aurora option)
Media it stores Hanging files, primarily letter/legal folders Hanging files, binders, boxes, tablets, reference books, supplies — same enclosure

Real-world sizing

Aurora’s own space-planning example shows a lateral-file room converted to Times-2 freeing enough space for 6 additional workstations, 10 hoteling stations, or roughly 86 sq. ft. of new collaborative work space — the exact number for your office depends on your current cabinet count and file volume, which we will size with you.

Where Rotary Cabinets Get Used

Datum Ez2 rotary cabinet configuration showing binder shelves, reference materials and a rollout file drawerCorporate & Legal OfficesRecords rooms and departmental filing where staff need fast, double-sided access without giving up a row of drawer-swing clearance in a shared workspace.
Datum Ez2 rotary cabinets shown in locked, closed position alongside an open unit for security comparisonGovernment & Law EnforcementLocking rotary cabinets for personnel files, case files and evidence documentation, with the same enclosed, cabinet-in-cabinet security as a standard filing room.
Datum rotary storage cabinet interior showing labeled binders, supply boxes and hanging foldersHealthcare & Medical RecordsDatum’s Ez2 line is built for HIPAA-compliant chart and record storage, with adjustable shelves that convert between hanging files, binders and supply storage as record formats change.
Aurora rotary storage cabinets configured for general office and classroom supply storageLibraries, Archives & SchoolsReference collections, periodicals and shared department supplies rotated into reach without the long stack aisles a fixed shelving row requires.

Not sure whether Datum or Aurora fits your space?

Send us your room dimensions, file type and access needs, and we will recommend a specific unit and configuration.

Request a Quote Explore Mobile Shelving Call (800) 326-4403

Accessories & Configuration Options

Both lines are shelf systems that reconfigure, not fixed drawer boxes, so the same enclosure can be set up for hanging files today and binders, supplies or weapons storage later without replacing the cabinet.

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Storage Drawers

Locking accessory and tub drawers convert a shelf opening into secure small-parts or supply storage.

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Hanging Folder Frames

Full-width frames hold letter or legal hanging folders on any shelf without a separate cabinet.

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Adjustable File Dividers

Keep binders, reference books and file groups upright and organized on open shelves.

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Garment Rod

Converts a shelf opening to hang uniforms, coats or evidence garments.

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Keypad Access (Aurora)

Electronic keypad locking is available on Times-2 units in place of a mechanical key.

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Rifle & Handgun Brackets

Weapons storage brackets are published Aurora and Datum accessories for armory and evidence use.

How We Spec and Install Your Rotary Cabinets

1

Confirm file type and volume

Letter or legal, current linear feet of files or binders, and any items beyond paper — binders, media, weapons, supplies — that need to share the unit.

2

Measure the room

Ceiling height (to pick from the 7 Datum or 10 Aurora heights), wall or between-desk placement, and whether single- or double-sided access is needed.

3

Select the line and accessories

Datum Ez2 for a no-pedal, cabinet-in-cabinet footprint, or Aurora Times-2 for foot-pedal/hand-release operation and the widest color and accessory catalog.

4

Deliver and install

Units ship assembled or crated per vendor spec; add-on units are set and joined to the starter unit on site, leveled, and load-tested before turnover.

Rotary Cabinet FAQs

What is a rotary office cabinet?
A rotary (or “rotating”) file cabinet is an enclosed storage unit built around a central rotation point. Shelves inside spin 360 degrees, so both the front and back of the unit can be loaded with files, binders or supplies and accessed from a single position — roughly twice the storage of a fixed cabinet with the same footprint, according to Datum, or up to three times the files of a lateral cabinet in the same floor space, according to Aurora Storage.
Which rotary cabinet brands does Material Handling USA carry?
We supply the Datum Ez2® Rotary Action File and the Aurora Times-2™ Rotary Cabinet. Both are enclosed, double-sided rotary systems; Datum’s Ez2 line is built without a foot pedal for a smaller footprint and lower trip-hazard risk, while Aurora’s Times-2 offers a foot-pedal or hand-release base with Positive Position Control and the widest published color selection in the category. See our Datum EZ2 rotary file page and our mobile filing systems hub for the full lineup.
How much floor space does a rotary cabinet actually save?
It depends on the comparison. Datum’s published figure is double the storage of a single-sided cabinet in the same footprint. Aurora’s published figure is up to three lateral files’ worth of files in one Times-2 unit, because the rotary design eliminates the open-drawer clearance a lateral or vertical file needs in front of it. We will run the actual math against your file volume and current cabinet count before recommending a size.
Is a rotary cabinet secure enough for confidential records?
Yes. Datum’s Ez2 is an enclosed, cabinet-in-cabinet design with a locking door and four lockable rotation positions, and Datum publishes it as HIPAA-compliant construction. Aurora’s Times-2 offers a locking door plus an optional electronic keypad. Neither is a substitute for your organization’s own records-retention or access-control policy — we can help you match the lock and drawer configuration to your compliance requirements.
What sizes are available?
Datum’s Ez2 comes in seven heights from 30″ to 93″, in letter (36-1/2″ starter, 30-3/4″ add-on) or legal (45-1/2″ starter, 38-3/4″ add-on) widths, 25″ or 31″ deep. Aurora’s Times-2 comes in ten heights from a 2-tier 29-1/2″ unit to an 8-tier 92-1/2″ unit, in the same letter/legal width pattern, plus Plus-Size options for taller ceilings. Units can be added side by side to grow a system without adding new floor footprint beyond the add-on width.
Can a rotary cabinet hold anything besides hanging files?
Yes. Both lines are shelf systems first, not drawer systems, so the same enclosure adjusts between hanging folder frames, flat shelves for binders and reference books, storage/tub drawers for supplies, and accessories such as garment rods, rifle and handgun brackets, and specialty kits for pharmacy, wardrobe or museum collections.
Do rotary cabinets need a foot pedal to turn?
No, and the two lines handle this differently on purpose. Datum’s Ez2 was engineered without a foot pedal specifically to reduce the footprint and remove a trip hazard from the aisle in front of the unit. Aurora’s Times-2 offers a choice of foot pedal or hand-release, both with Positive Position Control so the unit stops squarely every quarter turn instead of free-spinning.
How do I get a quote for rotary file cabinets?
Tell us your file type (letter or legal), roughly how many linear feet of files or binders you need to store, your ceiling height, and whether the unit needs to sit against a wall (single-sided) or between two work areas (double-sided). Call (800) 326-4403, email Sales@MH-USA.com, or use the quote button on this page and we will size a Datum or Aurora unit against your space.

Get Your Rotary Cabinet Sized and Quoted

Call (800) 326-4403, email Sales@MH-USA.com, or request a quote and we will recommend a Datum or Aurora unit for your file type, room and budget.

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