The Latest Industry News From Movers Search Group

HEARD ON THE STREET

Watch this space for the big announcement regarding the shake-up at BEKINS VAN LINES.....we'll publish a separate special edition when the news becomes final.......

BAD NEWS....We will miss you: TROWBRIDGE MOVING, a fixture in the Columbus OH market since 1892, is closing shop........

As stated in our opening, even though many movers are seeing solid advanced bookings for this month, one of our industry "ears" has told us that most of his mover customers are reporting June bookings being down 20% compared to last year......Our source also states that the worst part is that many movers aren't venturing a guess as to what July, August and September may (or may not) bring.......On the brighter side, there is activity on the military moving side (with the exception of those who handle Naval Bases as the Navy has put a moratorium on 12,0000 of their moves for this year)....International business seems to be holding its own.....

GOOD NEWS: We know of an investor who wants to buy a small to medium sized agency in So. Florida....any potential sellers down there?????.......

ADAMS MOVING & STORAGE has expanded their facility in Columbia SC and has relocated their Sumter SC operation to bigger and better digs....good to hear about someone in this industry that's expanding........

MORE GOOD NEWS: BILL ARVIDSON, who already runs a successful NATIONAL VAN LINES agency in the Los Angeles Area, has now opened a brand new ARPIN VAN LINES agency in the San Diego area, named Sav On Moving & Storage, Inc.........

In Rochester, MN, ACE WORLD WIDE MOVING INC., an ATLAS VAN LINES agent has announced a change in ownership....SCOTT COYLE has purchased the agency from JOHN ERICKSON..........

We forgot to mention a while back that SALLYANN AVERSANO has rejoined forces with ARMSTRONG RELOCATION OF FLORIDA.......

CLARK & REID COMPANY, INC. received the Top Recognition Award in ALAN TRIPPEL's 2009 Relocation Program Managers' Survey on the HHG Industry.......

RETIRED: FRANK ADAMS, General Manager at ADVANCE
TRANSPORTATION CO., INC., agent for ALLIED VAN LINES in Philadelphia. Frank was with the company for FIFTY (50) YEARS!!!!!!

JOHN FAIR with PEASLEY TRANSFER AND STORAGE was awarded the Allied Van Lines Driver of the Year....

JEFF JARVIS has joined the UNIVERSITY MOVING & STORAGE group.......

FEDERAL WAREHOUSE COMPANY of East Peoria IL has been purchased by four members of the Senior Management team from the ULLMAN FAMILY. The 96 year old firm is a charter member of Allied Van Lines.......

West Chester, PA based WAYNE MOVING AND STORAGE has switched flags and is now a member of the ATLAS VAN LINES agency network.......

Also joining ATLAS is SITTERLY MOVERS, with offices in Springfield and South Deerfield MA..........

On March 16th (we told you we haven't sent out a newsletter for a few months!) the AMSA announced the very first publication of its' QUARTERLY DATA REPORT ON THE U.S. MOVING INDUSTRY....this report will feature and will provide an overview of current trends and business activity within the HHG sector. Data will be provided on shipment volume, demand factors, timing, inbound/outbound figures and market-specific trends and outlooks.......For more info contact STEVE MCKENNA at the AMSA.....

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is getting recognition for its' electronic newsletter....the marketing department at TMAAT recently received an award from the Central Michigan chapter of the PUBLIC RELATIONS SOCiETY OF AMERICA as the top production in the 2009 newsletters category....for more info, check out TWO MEN AND A TRUCK at www.twomen.com

Again, we are a little late with this news but we need to mention that ATLAS WORLD GROUP named GLEN DUNKERSON CEO/CHAIRMAN and GREG HOOVER as PRESIDENT/COO.....congratulations to both gentlemen......

HOME MVOING AND STORAGE CO., INC. of Columbus OH has announced a recent change in ownership....JAY FUSON, owner of Indianapolis based GUARDIAN RELOCATION bought the agency from former owner JACK HERRING. Home M&S will become the third branch for Guardian......

BOB EWING has joined ATLAS VAN LINES as Senior Director of Government Business....

RICH MCKEE, formerly of MCKEE'S BEKINS has joined RAINBOW MOVERS in Franklin, MA......

DAVE LAMB (the elder), has joined CROWN WORLDWIDE MOVING AND STORAGE in Southern CA as GM....and Dave Lamb (the younger) has been promoted to GM at BEKINS MOVING SOLUTIONS' Palm Desert agency.......

2009 marks TECHMATE's 20th Anniversary......

BILL DEVRIES has just celebrated the 40th Year Anniversary of service in the moving industry....Bill started a s driver for WHEATON VAN Lines in the 60's and with his son, MIKE DEVRIES, purchased an ATLAS agency (DEVRIES MOVING in Spokane, WA) in 1981. At 81 years of age, Bill still comes to work every day.......

HANSEN BROS. TRANSER & STORAGE CO., INC., the oldest moving company in the State of Washington, has become an ALLIED VAN LINES agent........

Atlanta, GA based NETMOVE is making waves, having again been recognized by WHEATON VAN LINES as one of its' top 4 agents nationally.......also recognized as a Driver of the month for WHEATON was NETMOVE's DUANE MCCLEAN.....

DON'T FORGET that there is a valuable on-line source for current industry topics and discussions to be found at RELO ROW.COM. Relocation Row is a free web and e-mail based community of relocation professionals, agents, independendents, van line folks, sales reps, international experts, drivers and industry vendors where members share opinions, experience and wisdom on topics relating to the industry....CHECK IT OUT at ReloRow.com

FOR THE LATEST HAPPENINGS AT THE AMSA, we strongly suggest that you contact JOHN BISNEY, Director of Public Relations....John can be reached at jbisney@moving.org

THE GREENING OF THE HHG INDUSTRY....became more of a reality this past April when WILLIAM DUGGAN of WILLIAM DUGGAN CO. ( www.wmdugganco.com ) . Bill took delivery of the first diesel/electric hybrid straight truck in the moving industry.....a 2010 Kenworth T37TO 26 footer. It has a Cummins engine and is like a Toyota Prius as it starts in the diesel mode but then switches to electric battery mode in city driving....the hybrid is expected to result in 30% less fuel consumption and 30% fewer emissions. Duggan intends to use the truck between Boston and New York where the stop and go traffic is intense....more to follow on this innovative step by Bill Duggan.......ALSO: Congrats to WM. DUGGAN CO. who will celebrate their 25th Anniversary on June 4th........

Speaking of Anniversaries....Candadian Mover PREMIER VAN LINES is celebrating their 4th year in business in 2009....In four short years thay have grown by 14 branches and 7 Million in line haul.....

BROOKS TRANSFER AND STORAGE is proud to announce that MIKE DENNY has made the UNITED VAN LINES MASTERS CLUB for his outstanding sales production.....this is DENNY'S fourth consecutive year to achieve this honor....

COASTAL MOVING AND STORAGE, a MAYFLOWER agent in Pensacola, FL, was named the 2008 Small Business of the Year by the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce....

STEVENS VAN LINES is growing....in spite of the down economy, Stevens recently announced the addition of HIGHLAND MOVING & STORAGE Fayetteville NC, NORTH PARK TRANSFER & STORAGE San Diego CA, MURRAY MOVING & STORAGE Huntsville AL, SPIRIT RELOCATION Denver CO, COUNTRYWIDE MOVING & STORAGE Dayton OH and A-1 MOVING SYSTEMS in Hardeeville, SC and Savannah GA to their burgeoning agency network.......

STAN LEWIS has been appointed to the position of Deputy Executive Director of UNIGROUP WORLDWIDE UTS Asia Pacific......

RELIABLE VAN AND STORAGE of Elizabeth NJ was awarded the 2008 Top Sales Agent by ALLIED INTERNATIONAL.....NOR-CAL MOVING SERVICES, based in San Leandro CA was named winner of the 2008 Customer Choice Award...

IN MEMORIAM: STEVE AHLEGIAN, GM with ARPIN AMERICA in Houston, passed away in May.....

PETER WAYMAN has joined ATLAS WORLD GROUP as its' Chief Commercial Officer....

GOLD SERVICE MOVERS of NY has been named WHEATON VAN LINES Agent of the Year....

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has opened a new Austin, TX location.....

WAYNE MOVING AND STORAGE has changed from a NORTH AMERICAN VAN LINES agent to ATLAS.....They are retaining their status as an agent for SPECIALIZED TRANSPORTATION, INC. (formerly NORTH AMERICAN HVP).....

ED KATZ, founder and head of the INTERNATIONAL OFFICE MOVING INSTITUTE (IOMI) has made some interesting changes and announcements on his website....for more information and to see what's happening in the world of commercial relocation, simply click here

THERE'S A STRONG RUMOR circling out there that a MAJOR PLAYER in the Southwest has been sold to a UNIGROUP agent out of WI......we checked with the alleged seller and they have unequivocally denied the buzz.......

CAN'T afford to hire a Sales Manager during these difficult times but still need direction and training?.....How about hiring a "VIRTUAL SALES MANAGER?"....Want more information? Email HARRY LAKIN at harrywlakin@gmail.com

The AMSA has established a CERTIFIED PACKER LOADER program....check with MARYSCOTT TUCK, the AMSA Director of Education for more details.....MaryScott can be reached at conference@moving.org

Speaking of the AMSA, their PROMOVER program seems to be catching on.....for more details, go to their website at www.moving.org

GROWING AGAIN.....Chairman DAVID CARUSO of BEKINS A-1 MOVERS/BEKINS MOVING SOLUTIONS has announced the addition of Phoenix and Tucson AZ into the BEKINS A-1 netowrk of moving and storage branch locations. The two new additions bring the total number of this organization's offices to twenty-one (21)...

Speaking of BEKINS......MICHAEL DAMMER has been named as the new Director of Military Services for BEKINS VAN LINES......

SUDDATH RELOCATION SYSTEMS has announced their new corporate realignment. Instead of the traditional pyramid structure of one president who directs the entire organization, the new Suddath model divides the top leadership position into three different areas: Home Office corporate services and two distinct branch operation entities........

If you or your organization has news or items of interest to the Moving and Storage Industry, please drop us a line at markgray@MoverRecruiter.com