Merger Shows Growing Global Demand for Self Storage, Says Flexistore

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire - Mar 6, 2013) - The growth in demand for self storage in America was demonstrated recently by the merger of two of the industry''s leading companies.

Universal Management Company (UMC), provider of third-party management services for the self storage industry, has joined forces with fellow management company RES Management to form Universal Storage Group (USG).

The new company will provide the complete package for self storage industry professionals, including fee management, consulting, training and developmental services.

The merger creates a much larger business and is an indicator of the growing demand for self storage industry professionals in the US to cater for the numbers who are now choosing to keep their belongings safe in self storage.

The self storage industry is recognised as one of the fastest-growing sectors in the United States'' commercial real estate industry over the last 30 years.

According to the Self Storage Association, there are now over 50,000 self-storage facilities in the States, with one in 10 US households currently renting a self storage unit - up from 1 in 17 households in 1995.

And according to Flexistore, the UK and Europe''s first mobile self storage operator, the trend is being mirrored on this side of the Atlantic.

A spokesperson said: "This merger is a further sign of the growing competitiveness of the US self storage market, with companies seeking ways to make themselves a more attractive proposition for the customer.

"It''s a very comparable situation in the UK market, with the boom in both demand and supply over the past few years meaning that companies can only achieve standout by providing an innovative solution that sets them apart from the market."

Flexistore has already successfully differentiated itself from its UK and European rivals by becoming the first company to offer mobile self storage solutions.

In doing so, Flexistore instantly solved a problem for customers who previously had been forced to use a local removal or van rental company to drop off or pick up their goods.

Another example of Flexistore''s innovation is its online ''vault estimator'', which allows it to give customers the most cost-effective and efficient storage solution possible.

The Edinburgh-based company now has facilities all over the country, with Flexistore Self Storage in London, Cardiff and Manchester among many places.

For more information about Flexistore and its innovative services, visit www.flexistore.co.uk.