PODS (company)
 |
|
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Moving & Storage |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Headquarters | Clearwater, Florida, USA |
| Key people | Tom Ryan, President and CEO |
| Website | www.pods.com |
PODS, or Portable On Demand Storage is a moving and storage company. It was founded in 1998 and is based in Clearwater, Florida.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Business
PODS operates by delivering a storage container to the customer's house.[1] The containers are constructed of plywood over steel frames,[1] are available in three sizes.[2] The customer can pack their items in it, lock it themselves with their own padlock,[3] then have the unit stored at a warehouse, or it can be delivered to another location.[1] The units and warehouse are owned by local franchises.[4] PODS is working with Sprint Nextel to use wireless GPS that can be used to track trucks in the fleet and to give directions to drivers making deliveries.[5]
[edit] History
PODS was founded in 1998 by Peter Warhurst who was looking to expand his family's storage business. He invented the PODS, as well as a hydraulic lift system that enables operators to easily deliver and transport the units, which he named PODZILLA.[6] In 2005, PODS grossed over $200 million in revenue.[1] In addition, as of 2005, PODS was still privately owned, however, PODS is now franchised in 45 states, and logs 2,500 pickups and deliveries a day.[1] Between 2005 and August 2009, PODS service expanded to include 48 states, as well as Australia and Canada.[7]
In February 2007, PODS was acquired by Atlanta-based Arcapita for $451.4 million.[8] In June 2008, PODS and the Real Estate Staging Association reached an agreement to form a strategic partnership.[9] In September 2008, PODS and Mobility Services International (MSI) announced a partnership where PODS would be providing services for MSI client transferees and assignees.[10] In December 2008, PODS and Wabash National announced they have signed a multi-year agreement to build and service all of PODS' portable storage container requirements.[11] In August 2009, PODS and UniGroup reached an agreement to share services. Under the agreement, PODS will have access the packing and loading services of United Van Lines and Mayflower Transit while UniGroup can access 138,000 PODS moving and storage containers.[7] In November 2009, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and PODS formed a strategic alliance offering discounts and special services.[12] In June 2010, PODS announced the sale of the first franchise in the United Kingdom.[13] In October 2010, PODS announced their continued expansion into Canada with the sale of the Halifax Territory.[14]
[edit] Products
The new PODS containers built by Wabash have a steel frame construction with completely recyclable panels made of steel skins and a high-density polyethylene core and are produced in three sizes: approximately 8-by-7-by-7 feet, 8-by-8-by-12 feet and 8-by-8-by-16 feet. The 12-foot and 16-foot containers have been tested to withstand winds of more than 110-mph when partially loaded.[15] The top is a translucent durable polymer material that allows ambient light to pass through and illuminate the inside of the container. The entry is a light-weight steel roll up door.[16]
[edit] Disaster Recovery
PODS franchises around the country provided units for collection of donations as well as providing units for storm victims of Hurricane Katrina.[1] PODS has also served in many situations that are less conventional than moving, assisting in recovery efforts during the Malibu fires and the recent Midwest flooding in Iowa, and routinely delivers PODS containers around the nation to communities experiencing emergency situations.[17]
[edit] Activity
PODS has delivered more than one million units, and there are more than 141,000 containers in service.[18]
PODS containers are left either in the customers driveway, or in certain areas, on the street, which some local governments require permits or charge fees.[19] Other towns have passed ordinances stating where the storage units can be placed.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "PODS taking a chunk out of moving and storage market". USA Today. 2006-08-04. http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/2006-08-04-pods_x.htm. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ "PODS and UniGroup Create Alliance to Better Serve Customers". Reuters. 2009-08-04. http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS185525+04-Aug-2009+MW20090804. Retrieved 2009-09-10.
- ^ www.mobilemini.com/pods-storage-comparison.php
- ^ Fowler, Melissa (2003-06-27). "Packing in the PODS". bizjournals.com. http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2003/06/30/smallb1.html. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ . ComputerWorld. 2007-03-17. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9013399/PODS_picks_GPS_for_tracking_workers_storage_containers_. Retrieved 2009-09-10.
- ^ "Invasion of the PODS". BusinessReport.com. http://www.businessreport.com/news/2002/may/06/invasion-of-the-pods/. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ a b "PODS allies with UniGroup’s United Van Lines, Mayflower Transit". Tampa Bay Business Journal. 2009-08-04. http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2009/08/03/daily36.html. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ "Arcapita acquires US company for $451m". Gulf Daily News. 2008-02-27. http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=209896. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
- ^ "Real Estate Staging Association and PODS Form Strategic Partnership". PR.com. 2008-06-15. http://www.pr.com/press-release/90417. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
- ^ "MSI and PODS Announce Partnership". MSI. 2008-09-17. http://www.msimobility.com/news/article.aspx?id=63. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
- ^ "Wabash National(R) and PODS(R) Announce Partnership Agreement". Reuters. 2008-12-16. http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS165836+16-Dec-2008+MW20081216. Retrieved 2009-09-21.
- ^ "PODS, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? Form Strategic Alliance". Forbes.com. 2009-11-04. http://www.forbes.com/feeds/businesswire/2009/11/04/businesswire131090802.html. Retrieved 2009-11-06.[dead link]
- ^ . Inside Self-Storage. 2010-06-28. http://www.insideselfstorage.com/news/2010/06/pods-portable-storage-opens-first-u-k-franchise.aspx, PODS Portable Storage Opens First U.K. Franchise. Retrieved 2010-10-11.[dead link]
- ^ . DigitalJournal.com. 2010-10-06. http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/131287?tp=1, PODS continues expansion in Canada. Retrieved 2010-10-11.
- ^ . American Chronicle. 2009-05-08. http://americanchronicle.com/articles/view/101843, Central Coast PODS franchises use new eco-friendly moving, storage containers in local markets. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
- ^ Template:Url=http://www.pods.com/About-PODS/FAQs.aspx, Frequently Asked Moving and Storage Questions About PODS Portable Storage Containers
- ^ Vervoorn, Tina (2008-08-15). "Moving and storage firm PODS, Inc. celebrates millionth delivery". California Chronicle. http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/view/71514. Retrieved 2009-09-10.
- ^ Vervoorn, Tina (2008-09-18). "Tri-County PODS franchises celebrate millionth delivery". California Chronicle. http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/view/74666. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ Razzi, Elizabeth (2006-11-26). "Neighbors' revenge: Counties crack down on storage pods". Honolulu Advertiser. http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Nov/26/bz/hawaii711260340.html. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
[edit] External links
|
|||||||||||
