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Volume 10, No. 1  "Celebrating Our 10th Year of Publication" January/2008
 
Dear HHG and Relocation Industry-Related Professionals:
 
As a recruiter (Headhunter, if you prefer) who serves the Moving Industry exclusively, it has always been part of my job to ask you, the HHG industry professional, what you are hearing out there.  This is the way I gather market intelligence to help my practice and the clients I serve.
 
As we enter the new year, I have sensed a role reversal:  It is you who are asking me what I am hearing out there....specifically, what am I hearing about the economic state of the moving industry as a whole. 
 
Generally speaking, pessimism outweighs optimism at the present time.  However, feelings of gloom and doom are not universal:  Many of you experienced better than expected November/Decembers and have adopted a wait-and-see approach for 2008.
 
It is undeniable that the HHG Industry is a leading barometer of what effect the mortgage/housing industry will have along the economic chain.  If home mortgage availability declines people don't move.  If people don't move, you-know-who doesn't move them. 
 
We're continuing to hear about some cutbacks, some position eliminations and many belt-tightening maneuvers....But hey, isn't it always like this to some extent during the last quarter/first quarter time frame for the moving industry?
 
We are inspired by our clients who have asked us to continue to search for the best possible sales, operations and management talent that we can find.  Like those clients, we too will endeavor to work harder during these slower economic times and hopefully position ourselves to continue to lead the market once things pick up.  It is our sincere hope that you take this approach into 2008 as well.
 
Here's to a Happy and Prosperous New Year for you all!
 
Mark Gray
Movers Search Group
"Moving Companies and Careers Forward"
 
HEARD ON THE STREET
 
 
Again, Happy New Year to you all.......Here's what we're hearing "on the street": 
 
THIS JUST IN.....O'NEIL RELOCATION (United Van Lines) and their Mayflower brand CORPORATE RELOCATION SERVICES, with offices in CA and TX have been purchased by GMJ COMPANY, INC. of Topeka, KS.  DENNIS ALLSOPP, having served as Executive VP of O'Neil for some 25 years, has been named President of the company that will retain the O'Neil and Corporate Relocation names.....GMJ has added the O'Neil/Corporate Relocation entities to it's stable of existing companies which includes CAPITOL CITY MOVING & STORAGE, INC., PROFESSIONAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT, TOPEKA TRANSFER & STORAGE, INC., TAI and EXECUTIVE AIRCRAFT LEASING........
 
LOSS OF INDUSTRY TALENT....that's the lament from many of our best clients....Many wonder where all the good candidates are....The answer?  We do see a trend where many professionals are opting for positions outside of the moving and storage industry....this is particularly true in the areas of Sales, Operations and General Management......(not to mention Drivers!...but that's a whole other story)....
 
There's a new franchise opportunity available out there:  MOVE IT NOW ( www.moveitnowusa.com )....Move It Now was founded in 2004...conducts mostly COD business with multiple revenue centers ( Moving and Storage, Packing and Packing Materials)...professing this to be a ground floor opportunity, the company currently has 10 or so franchises in operation, so the apparent upside is unlimited....this appears to be a viable opportunity for industry professionals who want to break out and do something on their own....For more information, contact NEAL BAKER at (216)524-6683).....or go to their website listed above.....
 
Glad to hear that old friend BOB LONEK has been named general manager of STEVENS WORLDWIDE's Lansing, MI office.........
 
VISION ALLIED, of Jacksonville, FL has confirmed to us that they will be closing their doors.........
 
Another entrant into the moving and storage market:  MOVEAMERICA.COM (go to www.moveamerica.com ) ....Like ARKANSAS BEST FREIGHT (ABF's) UPACK division, MoveAmerica, a division of UPS, is offering the "you pack - we drive" business model for shippers........Like we have said all along:  You movers out there should start hauling general commodities if common carriers continue to horn in on your market share.......
 
PODS (Portable On Demand Storage) has supposedly been purchased by a transportation-savvy group out of Atlanta....look for more competition from PODS in the near future.  We'll keep you posted on this.....
 
GOOD TO SEE A MOVER CHALLENGE PODS and their ilk.......BEKINS A-1 has partnered with SMART MOVE, INC. to announce a strategic alliance for a new service product offered by Bekins' new CHRONOS division...The  CHRONOS division is an innovative alternative method available to shippers utilizing Smart Move's proprietary GPS-enabled shipping container, the SmartVault (tm).....this containerized shipping program is designed to help customers move faster...coast to coast in 7 days...utilizes Bekins A-1 loading crews...self move option available...customer locks the unit and keeps the key....for info, email sales@movechronos.com ......
 
What with the downturn in COD and National Account business of late, it appears that more and more movers are turning towards O&I work to maintain cash flow.....CAVEAT:  You had better be prepared for your entry into the O&I market or the results could be disastrous......
 
Speaking about the trend of many getting involved in the O&I business, THE KATZ IS OUT OF THE BAG.....In the recent issue of the AMSA's Direction Magazine, there was an article entitled "Holding Up Revenues in the Wake of the HHG Slowdown".....This article apparently got a lot of movers talking-and asking-who trained all of the GRAEBEL O&I personnel featured in the article?  Well, the cat's - or KATZ- is now out of the bag....It was ED KATZ, principal of the International Office Moving Institute (IOMI)....Graebel, having made a commitment to growing local office moving revenue, became the first national company to retain Katz to train every key employee at every office of the Aurora, CO based mover......
 
The INDIANA HOUSEHOLD GOODS MOVERS & WAREHOUSEMEN'S ASSOCIATION at its December 2007 Convention has elected the following Board members and officers:  BOB SHETLER (re-elected for the 18th year as President!), JAMES CALLAN, Board Member MARK RUSSELL, Treasurer and Board Member, FRED SCHLEICHER, VP and Board Member....
 
HERE THEY GROW AGAIN.......We're hearing that good guy CHUCK KUHN of JK MOVING AND STORAGE is adding another DC area mover as part of his strong moving operation......
 
In the business since 1954, we want to wish an early Happy Birthday to industry veteran LORRAINE SIMS.  Mr. Sims will be 80 years old in March and is still going strong in his role with ROADRUNNER ATLAS in Houston.....
 
LINDA DARR, President and CEO of the AMSA, has been appointed to serve on the U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE's Association Committee of 100 (C100). The C100 is comprised of the country's leading association chief staff executives and the group provides advice to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, enhances Chamber lobbying and coalition work, recommends programming and strengthens outreach to the business and association community....
 
Congrats to BLUE BIRD TRANSFER, INC. on their 80th Year Anniversary....From Lyon Van lines to Global to their present affiliation with ALLIED, Blue Bird has served the Pacific NW with pride and professionalism for eight decades......
 
GRAEBEL ATLANTA MOVERS has moved from one beautiful facility into an even more beautiful one in Alpharetta, GA....Now with A.C. WHITE UNITED and GRAEBEL ATLANTA, the Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta has become a hotbed of Moving and Storage activity!........
 
Speaking of metro Atlanta, DOUG HOLMES, a well-known industry veteran who resides and operates out of the area, has developed a unique quality control management program for movers nationwide.....This service will be featured on our website this month at www.MoverRecruiter.com ......Check our "links" page soon.....
 
Both ATLAS VAN LINES and UNIGROUP have published their ANNUAL MIGRATION STUDIES....go to their respective websites for the results.......
 
CONGRATULATIONS to BOB SULLIVAN (Sr. VP) and ARPIN INTERNATIONAL GROUP on receiving the 2007 Vendor of the Year Award from BP, awarded at the BP supplier conference held in Denver on October 27th.......
 
BUDD VAN LINES has announced the promotion of RAY GUNST to the position of COO.........
 
ROBERT ZIMMERMAN has joined ATLAS VL as Senior VP and GM of Operations......Zimmerman came from outside of the industry (CEO of USF Holland)......
 
WHEW!, that's enough info to start the new year.  REMEMBER, this part of our Newsletter is only as good as the information YOU, the readership, provides.  Please email us with you industry gossip, news and the like to markgray@MoverRecruiter.com .....As always, your inquiries and correspondence will be kept in the strictest of confidence......
www.MoverRecruiter.com ; Misc.
 
 
 
 
 
"Moving Companies and Careers Forward"
 
LOOKING TO HIRE?  Let us recruit your next star performer.
 
LOOKING FOR A NEW OPPORTUNITY?  Visit our HOT JOB OF THE DAY web page for our latest candidate search assignment.
 
Click on our CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES page for a complete list of job openings in the Moving and Storage Industry.
 
MOVERS SEARCH GROUP is the country's leading and most recognized name in professional staffing and recruitment exclusively for the HHG Industy.  We grew up in the business.  We're here to serve the industry, not fleece it.  REASONABLE FEES...stop paying recruiters 20 to 30% fees.....EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATE GUARANTEES. 
 
This is our 14th year of serving the staffing needs of the moving industry.  No other HHG recruiter can match our staying power and experience.
 
Our website www.MoverRecruiter.com has a "SURVEY OF THE WEEK" page (we should change this to Survey of the Month).....Our last survey question asked whether the U.S. Government should re-regulate the Moving and Storage Industry (bring back the good old Interstate Commerce Commission!?!?!?!?!)....Well, the survey results are in....go to our website to see what your peers have voted.........While you are on our survey page, answer the current survey question and we will publish the results next month......
 
AND THE WINNER IS......
Last month we ran a contest (what van line was Hills Van Service In Gainesville, FL associated with in 1976---when yours truly worked for Hills as a struggling University of FL college student)...WELL, WE HAD HUNDREDS of entries, but only FOUR CORRECT ANSWERS!....Go now to our "HHG History" page of our website at www.MoverRecruiter.com to see who won and what the correct answer was....
 
 
UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS:
 
Florida Movers and Warehouseman's Assn.
Orlando, FL
Mid January (go to www.fmwa.org for details)....I will be there!
 
AMSA Annual Education Conference
Orlando, FL
April 1-5
 
UNTIL NEXT TIME...........
 
Mark Gray
Movers Search Group
678.373.3634