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Big box store: a unique storage solution for businesses is born out of old cargo containers and an eco-conscious attitude

Entrepreneur, August, 2005 by Lori Kozlowski

WHAT: Portable storage units made from recycled and restored cargo containers

WHO: Rich Whelan of Moveable Cubicle

WHERE: Raleigh, North Carolina

WHEN: Started in 2000

When Rich Whelan lived in Arizona, he frequently noticed large containers behind retail stores. Upon moving to North Carolina in 1999, Whelan, 40, noted that these same giant steel containers were piling up on the shoreline near U.S. shipping ports.

Historic trade imbalances between the United States and other countries caused the cargo-carrying cubes to stack up at ports, wasting space. This observation, paired with an eco-friendly idea--to purchase retired crates from ports and then lease them, cleaned, painted and restored, to other businesses for their temporary storage needs--inspired Whelan to start his business.

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"I wanted to build something on concrete, not sand," Whelan says. Since the containers last between 20 and 30 years, Whelan knew they could be used many times over. After persuading investors that his idea made sense from both a business and an environmental perspective, Whelan set out to become the global leader in portable storage.

Today, Moveable Cubicle has more than 40 locations across the nation. The 20- and 40-foot-long storage units are used by the retail and construction industries, as well as by individuals and institutions, such as hospitals and Churches.

In 2004, Moveable Cubicle grossed $4.8 million, and the company expects to grow by 70 percent in 2005. In addition to being earth-friendly, the company is philanthropic, donating part of its proceeds to children's charities. Whelan is proud of his employees and the company's all-around success, saying, "We are very good for the economy. We are good for the end customer. We are good for the country."

Business Services Industry

Big box store: a unique storage solution for businesses is born out of old cargo containers and an eco-conscious attitude

Entrepreneur, August, 2005 by Lori Kozlowski

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