August 5, 2019
In large part,three magic words drive decision-making when looking at which potential new ventures to enter: return on investment (ROI). One business concept in particular gets customers coming and going — literally — and the return can be quite fruitful.
A moving and portable storage business is geared toward customers who are making local moves within a 50-60 mile radius, as opposed to people within a small radius of a traditional fixed-location storage-unit facility.
The typical initial investment to own and operate a UNITS® Moving and Portable Storage franchise ranges from $460,022 to $1,008,322. That investment includes the franchise fee of $55,500 for a territory with a minimum of 300,000 population and gets the franchise partner 90 containers, use of the UNITS ROBO Delivery System, and a leased, secured warehouse for operations. UNITS collects 8 percent royalty and 2 percent marketing on a monthly basis.
Once they’ve entered the world of portable storage, local entrepreneurs love the ROI they are able to achieve and the potential to keep increasing it.
A Downturn is Unlikely
The business of storage is decidedly unexciting, and that’s one of the great things about it — though arguably portable storage, that actually travels around, might be a little more interesting than fixed self-storage units. At any rate, it’s also true that economically speaking, scary periods of recession are not much of a threat to the portable storage industry. The only excitement a franchise partner is likely to experience is the positive kind, at the bottom line, from making money and growing the business, regardless of the stormy seas around them. And they can rest easy that their investment isn’t likely to wash away.
Storage, in general, remains profitable in a downturn. People buy lots of belongings when times are good, and when things go sour, they need a place to keep them if they downsize to a smaller home. It’s no fun for the consumer, but a portable storage business provides an important service, and that service makes money. And if they have to move out of town, the portable storage business is there for them, too.
It’s Scalable
Another reason a UNITS Moving and Portable Storage operation appeals to a local entrepreneur is that most of the customers will come from within a few miles of the franchise partner — even those shipping their belongings a long distance from there. The reach of the business is much farther than its immediate halo.
And a key trait of the franchise operation that enables it to deliver a satisfying ROI is its ease of scalability. Not only can a franchise partner incrementally grow the business by adding more containers, for example, to accommodate more customers as needed, he or she also can look forward to expanding into other territories. Scalability opens the door for a franchise partner to increase sales volume and profit margins.
The Industry as a Whole Continues to Grow
The bigger picture is proof of just how scalable such a venture can be. A moving and portable storage business is a model that is in a growth industry. In the past few years, residential downsizing and cross-state moves have been a boon for the moving and portable storage industry. One out of 10 people will use self-storage in their lifetimes, according to the Self Storage Association, and the demand keeps growing. The U.S. storage industry is on pace to achieve $32.7 billion in revenues in 2019.
For entrepreneurs, a moving and portable storage business is the best of both worlds for ROI: for a relatively low cost of entry, it’s a venture operated very locally in a fairly small area, with an extended reach that can keep extending.
Founded by Michael McAlhany in 2004, the mission of UNITS Moving and Portable Storage is to provide personal customer service while supplying the most innovative equipment in order to eliminate frustrations associated with moving and storage space issues.
UNITS Moving and Portable Storage currently has 24 franchised and three corporate territories across the United States. With a presence in more than 40 markets, and growing, the brand is looking to expand with the right people in the right markets.
For more information on how to take advantage of this opportunity, or simply to learn more about the moving and portable storage industry, visit https://www.unitsfranchisegroup.com/ and fill out the inquiry form. We will reach out to you to talk more about your interest in our brand, and how UNITS Moving and Portable Storage can help you reach your personal and financial goals.
