UNITS Moving and Portable Storage

What UNITS Moving and Portable Storage does

UNITS Moving and Portable Storage is a privately held franchise company founded in 2004 by Michael McAlhany and headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina. It operates a network of 76+ locally owned and operated franchise locations serving more than 3,000 cities across 36 states, delivering portable storage and moving services to both residential and commercial customers. The core product is a fleet of 12-foot and 16-foot all-steel, weather-resistant portable storage containers delivered via the proprietary ROBO-UNIT® system, which lifts 7,000 lbs and moves up to 10,000 lbs to enable placement in tight spaces with level loading. The company monetizes through monthly container rental (on-site and off-site warehouse storage, including climate-controlled facilities), long-distance container moving services, a National Accounts enterprise program with dedicated account management and guaranteed pre-noon delivery, and ancillary sales of packing materials and supplies. Differentiation rests on the proprietary delivery hardware, the ETRACK securing system, the StoreSmart franchise operations software, and a locally owned service model that contrasts with national call-center competitors such as U-Haul and PACK-RAT. The customer base spans individual homeowners, multi-location commercial accounts, and a broad set of vertical-specific use cases (contractors, restoration companies, hospitals, production companies, restaurants, realtors, colleges, and senior living), with brand-building executed through motorsports sponsorships (NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series), an HGTV Property Brothers partnership, influencer marketing, and community initiatives (Toys for Tots, Wounded Warrior Project). The company has been recognized on the Franchise Times Top 400 (No. 383), Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 (four consecutive years), Inc. 5000, and as a 2026 Top International Franchise.

Name

UNITS Moving and Portable Storage

Legal name

UNITS Moving and Portable Storage

Website

https://unitsstorage.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UNITS Moving and Portable Storage is a franchise-based portable storage and moving company with 76+ locations across 36 states, serving residential customers and commercial accounts with 12' and 16' steel containers delivered via its proprietary ROBO-UNIT system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Portable Storage and Moving Services

NAICS

General Warehousing and Storage (493110), Other Warehousing and Storage (49319), Used Household and Office Goods Moving (484210)

SIC

Public Warehousing & Storage (4220)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Portable Storage Container Rental & Moving (HSAKAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

On-Site Portable Storage (Driveway/Jobsite) Container Placement (HSAKAIAC), Residential Full-Service Storage (HSAKAHAA), Portable Storage Container Delivery, Pickup & Repositioning Services (HSAKAIAE)

Keywords

• Portable storage containers
• Moving services
• Warehouse storage solutions
• Portable storage rental
• Long distance moving

Headquarters

HQ city

Johns Island

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Container Rental - On-Site Storage: Monthly rental of portable storage containers kept at customer location. Customers pack at their own pace with no time constraints. Month-to-month agreements with no long-term contracts.
2. Warehouse Storage: Transport of loaded containers to secure climate-controlled warehouse facilities. Containers stored off-site until customer requests delivery.
3. Long-Distance Moving Services: Transportation of loaded containers across town or across the country to new destination. Combines storage and moving services for relocations.
4. National Accounts Program: Volume-based commercial accounts with negotiated national pricing, dedicated account management, priority service, and guaranteed delivery times for large B2B clients.
5. Moving Supplies and Ancillary Services: Sale or rental of packing materials, locks, furniture pads, boxes, and tape. Professional mover referrals available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

UNITS Moving and Portable Storage delivers weather-resistant steel-frame portable storage containers (12-foot and 16-foot sizes) directly to customer locations for self-paced packing, on-site storage, off-site climate-controlled warehouse storage, and local or long-distance moving across the United States. The company differentiates with its proprietary ROBO-UNIT delivery system that places containers in tight spaces with level loading, and operates through a franchise network of 76+ locations serving residential homeowners and commercial business accounts.

Product overview

UNITS Moving and Portable Storage operates as a franchise-based portable storage and moving company offering physical container-based services rather than a software platform. The core product portfolio centers on portable steel-frame storage containers in two sizes (12' and 16'), complemented by local and long-distance moving services, and off-site warehouse storage (including climate-controlled options). The company differentiates through its proprietary ROBO-UNIT delivery system for tight-space placement. The National Accounts Program provides enterprise-tier business solutions with priority service and dedicated account management. Vertical-specific solutions target apartment complexes, contractors, restoration companies, interior designers, production companies, restaurants, realtors, hospitals, colleges, convention centers, and senior living communities. StoreSmart software supports franchise operations. Supporting features include a 3D storage calculator and contactless delivery services. The company operates a franchise model with over 76 locations across the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• StoreSmart™: Proprietary software system used to support franchise operations, providing technology, operational support, and marketing resources to franchise owners.
• ROBO-UNIT®

Products and services

• Portable Storage Containers (12-foot and 16-foot) Steel-frame, weather-resistant portable storage containers available in 12-foot (8'x8'x12') and 16-foot (8'x8'x16') sizes, delivered to customer locations for on-site storage, moving, or transport to off-site warehouse. Each container features corrugated roofs, waterproof non-slip floors, ETRACK securing system, vents, lockable doors, and ground-level loading. Containers hold up to 8,000 lbs and are rented on a month-to-month basis with no long-term contracts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% growth in long-distance move job volume and revenue in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.

• Wounded Warrior ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 January 2026UNITS CEO presented $5,000 donation at 2025 Leadership Conference in Charleston, SC. Partnership marks more than a decade of continuous support from company to veteran assistance organization. UNITS is described as veteran-led company.
• Toys for TotsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 January 2026UNITS franchise locations across the U.S. donated over 100 portable storage containers to support Toys for Tots holiday toy collection and distribution. Donations included containers, transportation, and logistical support for children and families. Partnership described as grassroots and community-driven with franchise owners volunteering time, equipment, and resources.
• Toys for Tots of SarasotaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 January 2026UNITS Moving and Portable Storage of Southwest Florida donated 13 portable storage units to Toys for Tots of Sarasota for holiday toy distribution and year-round storage needs across multiple locations in Sarasota County.
• HGTV Property BrothersmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 December 2025Ongoing partnership providing portable storage solutions for homeowners featured on the Property Brothers show in Los Angeles during major home renovations. UNITS Los Angeles franchise delivers and manages on-site storage containers to protect homeowners' belongings during filming.
• Marine Corps Toys for Tots (NASCAR)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 October 2025UNITS featured Toys for Tots logo on #56 NASCAR Truck driven by Timmy Hill at Martinsville Speedway race as part of national partnership to promote Marine Corps Toys for Tots program.
• Hill Motorsports / Timmy HillmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 August 2025Fifth year of partnership in 2025. UNITS serves as primary sponsor for Timmy Hill's #56 Toyota in NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races. Leverages motorsports marketing to expand brand recognition and deepen customer connections nationwide.
• Lime Rock ParkminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 June 2025UNITS served as primary sponsor of LIUNA 150 NASCAR Truck Series race at Lime Rock Park, Connecticut - first NASCAR national touring series at the track, broadcast live on FOX.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• PODS: PODS is the category-defining portable storage container company offering local and long-distance moving, on-site storage, and warehouse storage with a national franchise and corporate network. Most directly comparable to UNITS across product offering, customer base (residential + B2B), and delivery-based service model.
• 1-800-PACK-RAT: 1-800-PACK-RAT (now part of Zippy Shell) operates portable storage container rental and moving services across multiple U.S. markets with a comparable container-based service model targeting residential and commercial customers. Directly comparable to UNITS in container sizes, storage and moving bundles, and franchise/operator structure.
• Two Men and a Truck: Two Men and a Truck is a national franchised moving company offering local and long-distance moving, packing services, and storage solutions. Directly comparable to UNITS as a franchise-based moving service provider, though its core product is labor-driven moving rather than portable containers.
• Zippy Shell: Zippy Shell is a portable storage and moving company offering container-based services for residential and commercial customers. Directly comparable to UNITS in portable storage container rental, local and long-distance moving, and warehouse storage offerings.

Broad incumbents

• U-Haul: U-Haul is the dominant do-it-yourself moving company offering truck/trailer rentals, U-Box portable containers, and self-storage across North America. Broad incumbent with overlapping U-Box portable storage offering that competes with UNITS on container-based moves, though U-Haul's core business is DIY truck rental at much larger scale.
• Public Storage: Public Storage operates the largest network of self-storage facilities in the U.S., competing with UNITS' warehouse-hosted and on-site storage services. Broad incumbent in the storage category that overlaps with UNITS on temporary storage demand but does not offer portable container delivery or moving.
• Extra Space Storage: Extra Space Storage is a major self-storage REIT with thousands of facilities across the U.S. Competes with UNITS on the off-site storage element of the offering, particularly for customers needing longer-term storage without portable delivery.
• CubeSmart: CubeSmart is a self-storage REIT operating climate-controlled and conventional self-storage facilities nationwide. Comparable to UNITS for off-site warehouse storage demand but lacks portable container delivery and moving services.
• Penske Truck Rental: Penske is a leading commercial and consumer truck rental company that competes with UNITS for moving and relocation demand, particularly one-way long-distance moves. Broad incumbent in the moving logistics space but without portable container delivery.
• Allied Van Lines: Allied Van Lines is a major national moving company offering long-distance household goods transportation and corporate relocations. Broad incumbent that competes with UNITS in the long-distance moving category, particularly for cross-country residential and corporate relocations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/unitsstorage
• Facebookfacebook.com/unitsmovingandstorage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/units-moving-and-portable-storage-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 UNITS Moving and Portable Storage