Making Moving & Storage Simple | Mark Kuhns

1-800-PACK-RAT provides both local and long-distance moving services across the continental US. With over 70 locations, they can provide service to most of the country. This allows customers to plan their move according to their own schedule while leaving the stress of driving a large truck across town or across the country.

1-800-PACK-RAT also provides convenient storage solutions. Whether clients are installing new floors in their homes or planning an addition to their storefront, the company offers flexible storage solutions. 1-800-PACK-RAT’s portable storage containers solve the problem of having to load stuff in a car or rented moving truck, renting a storage unit, unloading, then repeating the process when a renovation is complete. “We deliver a container directly to the customer, so they can simply store their stuff on-site for easy 24/7 access or have it picked up and stored in one of our warehouses no driving on the customer’s part,” explains Mark. “The container can remain at the customer location or be brought back to one of our warehouses for easy storage.”

Mark states, “We are focused on being the best part of our customers’ day and ensuring we provide top-notch customer service from start to finish. We work with customers to find solutions that fit their budget.” One of the primary differentiators is that 1-800-PACK-RAT’s portable storage containers are all-steel and weatherproof, reducing the chance of mildew and moisture absorption, something competitors cannot match. Additionally, 1-800-PACK-RAT’s mini mover trucks keep customer belongings steady during pickup and delivery, reducing the chance of swaying and content shifting, unlike in a rented truck or vehicle.

The company has partnered with many commercial customers as well, including a well-known seasonal retail store for many years. “By using our portable storage containers, they can easily and efficiently open their “pop-up” retail stores for a couple of months out of the year,” says Mark. “During the off-season, they store their merchandise in our containers at one of our warehouses across the country. When they are ready to open a storefront, we deliver the container, they unpack it, and at the end of their retail season, they pack their merchandise back into our containers, we pick them up and put them in storage until the following year.”

They also partner with numerous restoration companies across the country. If a customer has a flood or other significant damage to their home, 1-800-PACK-RAT works with the restoration companies to get a container to the site quickly, allowing customers to salvage their belongings and keep them on-site until the restoration process is complete.

Mark and the company are committed to supporting their local communities.  1-800-PACK-RAT has been a corporate partner of Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) for over five years. HFOTis a publicly funded 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives.

1-800-PACK-RAT donates containers for their home builds that allow HFOT’s contractors to store materials and other donations on-site – making the build go much faster and less expensive.

The company has experienced continuous growth over the last 20 years. They recently started offering three container size options 8ft, 12ft, and 16ft to its regional and long-distance moving services, which has allowed 1-800-PACK-RAT to grow rapidly. This is evident as the company made Inc 5000’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America in both 2017 and 2020. “Our network of both Franchised and corporate-owned stores has allowed us to expand nationally with over 170 origin/warehouse locations,” says Mark. “Adding our B2B services in conjunction with our residential services has allowed the company to achieve consistent profitability regardless of the time of year. Remaining agile during difficult economic times and diversifying services has allowed us to grow continuously over the last two decades.

Looking forward, 1-800-PACK-RAT is committed to a multi-million-dollar technology investment that will transform the customer experience by enabling shopping and account servicing directly from a customer’s mobile device. 1-800-PACK-RAT aims to become the one-stop shop for its customers when it comes to moving and storage, enabling all transactions through a simple, easy-to-use interface from your mobile device. In 2020, 1-800-PACK-RAT and Zippy Shell secured $160 Million in Transitional Growth Capital from the Carlyle Group and PNC Bank, allowing the company to make strategic acquisitions, open more storage locations, and invest in technology, and expand its fleet of storage containers and trucks. “This new capital is helping the company to expand more rapidly across the country as we seek to become the best solution to meet all customer needs for moving and storage.”