Resources to help keep your world moving

It’s no secret that most Americans have more stuff than space. An average household in the United States has 300,000 things, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Times also reports that more than 25 percent of families with two-car garages use them for storage, not cars. Every home represents a lifetime’s worth of belongings. When moving to a new home, most people need extra time and room to get all their belongings from one destination to another. That’s where storage in transit (SIT) comes in handy. Here’s what you need to know about this value-add service before your next relocation. What is storage in transit? Moving companies offer storage in transit as a short-term option for people who need to clear their current home of belongings but aren’t yet prepared to settle into their new residence. Rather than racking up charges with a self-storage unit, you can ask your...

The retail industry is proving its resilience by reporting solid earnings and optimistic outlooks for 2022. Despite supply-chain and inflationary pressures, big-box, wholesale and e-commerce retailers have announced new store openings, growth strategies and shopping experiences. Here are four trends experts are watching in the retail landscape. Brick-and-Mortar Shopping Bounces Back After the pandemic upended the global brick-and-mortar sector, physical stores appear to be making a comeback. Fueled by a seven percent year-over-year rise in retail sales, brick-and-mortar retailers performed better than their online competitors in March 2022 — the first time since COVID-19 emerged, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). The NRF reported that U.S.-based retailers announced plans to open more than 4,000 brick-and-mortar stores in the first quarter of 2022 and close only 635 locations, compared to the 2,100 store closings in the first quarter of 2021. Experts predict a sunny forecast for clothing and apparel stores...

When a commercial-printing company decided to consolidate two locations into a single facility, they knew they needed a moving partner with full-service capabilities, wide-ranging expertise and experienced project managers to stay on time and on budget. They partnered with Armstrong for a more effortless, efficient relocation experience from start to finish. Project Challenges This client has office and warehousing locations around the globe, two of which were only hours apart from each other. The printer wanted to consolidate the two facilities by moving the personnel, storage, equipment, materials and products from one regional site to the other. With extensive experience moving both offices and warehouses, Armstrong was the ideal partner for this undertaking. The project required end-to-end services, from packing desks and pallets to decommissioning the old office and warehouse location. Faced with ongoing supply-chain disruptions, Armstrong leveraged a nationwide network of owned agencies and vetted partners to ensure the...

Key Takeaways Retail storage solutions help retailers manage inventory more efficiently and reduce operational costs Outsourcing to a 3PL provides flexible storage capacity during seasonal or unexpected demand shifts Armstrong offers advanced security measures to protect inventory and reduce risk A national 3PL network helps minimize delays and improve fulfillment speed Partnering with Armstrong strengthens customer satisfaction and frees retailers to focus on growth Delays at factories, shipping yards and ports are contributing to rising prices and product shortages, forcing the retail industry to get creative to keep up with orders. Brick-and-mortar and e-commerce retailers have fought to maintain some semblance of normalcy in the supply chain by expanding their warehousing footprints. However, today’s tight industrial market makes building, buying and leasing new warehousing space expensive, inefficient and unproductive. Instead, retailers are increasingly turning to third-party logistics providers (3PL) to deliver short- and long-term storage solutions that reduce overhead costs...

Amid global supply-chain disruptions, the warehousing market is growing fast, dropping national vacancy rates to an all-time low.  The increased demand for industrial space is pushing companies across the country to relocate to larger facilities to accommodate new trends. However, relocating a warehouse can seem needlessly complex, requiring months to years of careful planning. Thinking about joining the hordes of warehouses relocating to and within the Atlanta market? Here are five tips to ensure your move is smooth and your downtime is minimal. Know the local regulations and exemptions. Start by familiarizing yourself with the Department of City Planning’s rack storage permitting requirements. Before placing anything on racks in the new warehouse, you’ll have to complete commodity affidavit and racking permit forms, provide floor plans of the new facility and complete an inventory sheet for any hazardous materials. Prevent wasted hours and unnecessary headaches down the line by considering these...

While unforeseen supply chain issues have slowed down many industries, the relocation market is moving more than ever. Last year alone, the United States Postal Service tracked 36 million address changes. And as a result of the ongoing “Great Resignation,” long-distance relocations are becoming intriguing possibilities for even more Americans. A LendingTree survey found that 40 percent of consumers are considering a move in 2022. As the pandemic’s economic effects linger, prices for everything from housing and gas to packing materials and labor are on the rise. If you’re one of the millions of individuals making a move this year, staying on time and on budget may require some extra preparation. Here are six tips for relocating during a peak year or season. 1. Be smart during the home-buying and -selling process. Selling a home should be a sinch in today’s market, but homebuyers should expect steep competition. Fortune reported...

BBF Global Logistics, LLC ("BBF"), a Memphis-based transportation brokerage company, has joined Armstrong Relocation & Companies ("Armstrong")—an industry-leading provider of moving, relocation and supply chain solutions. This transaction elevates BBF's portfolio of services through the additional resources Armstrong has to offer. While many businesses were focused on remaining operational through the pandemic, BBF President Alexander Folk launched the logistics firm in June 2020 with co-founders William Melford and Nick Bogdanovic. All three businessmen brought different areas of logistics expertise to the company. "We each have a good pulse of what is going on in the logistics industry and what issues people are experiencing, so we were confident going into this, even during the pandemic," Folk said. Since inception, BBF has experienced significant growth. "We look forward to expanding our transportation management and brokerage model, as well as customer solutions with Armstrong-owned assets," said Folk. Todd Watson, CEO of Armstrong Relocation & Companies commented, "As Armstrong is seeking to...

The Port of Houston is the sixth-largest container port in the United States. Every day, thousands of gate transactions occur at the port’s container terminals. Between Houston’s established port and its growing warehousing presence, the region is becoming a hot spot for national and international deliveries. As truckers connect the port’s incoming containers with buyers across the country, efficient unloading is key to minimizing downtime in the supply chain process. Live unloading can reduce risk to a business’s products and bottom line when effectively managed. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about live unloading. What is live unloading? Live unloading means that the warehousing personnel will empty the container of its contents while the driver waits on site. When the unloading is complete, the trucker will return the now-cleared container to a container yard or continue on to the next route. How long does it...

Houston, Texas — March 1, 2022 ― Armstrong Commercial Services has finished construction on a new 116,000 square-foot warehouse facility on Gulf Bank Road. The move grows the Memphis-based company’s Gulf-Coast presence by more than 25,000 square feet. As the largest asset-based provider of commercial services in the United States, Armstrong has experienced first-hand Houston’s rapid increase in industrial activity over the past decade. This expansion will allow Armstrong to minimize supply-chain disruptions for clients across the West and Midwest while investing in Houston’s future as a national transportation hub. The new facility is a designated pick-and-pack location, complete with: 150,000 square feet of racked space for pallets and loose assets 30 dock doors, two being drive-up 360-degree security with 40 cameras Driver lounge with restrooms and showers Sliding-gate entrance with code-operated, swing-gate exit State-of-the-art tracking technology for incoming and outgoing assets After the port’s record-breaking year in 2021, Houston...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, commercial storage became instrumental to the short-term plans of companies in flux. As businesses adopted remote-friendly workplaces, commercial storage preserved companies’ office equipment, files and furniture. But many companies are not new to commercial-storage — storage solutions have already been foundational to their success for decades. Here are five ways that industries have historically leveraged commercial storage space to stay agile amid changing trends. Fulfilling nationwide e-commerce orders In many industries, e-commerce has replaced brick-and-mortar retail as consumers’ shopping avenue of choice. As a result, e-commerce businesses are snapping up vacant warehousing space to keep up with fulfillment. A recent report by The Business Research Company found that worldwide warehousing usage has accelerated because of a boom in e-commerce orders and an increasing demand for speedy deliveries. E-commerce giants not only rely on commercial storage for available inventory, they also depend on third-party logistics companies (3PLs)...