The UNITS Moving and Portable Storage franchise combines container rental, delivery, warehouse storage and transportation. It serves residential and commercial customers who need storage at their own location or at a warehouse, as well as customers moving between locations. The June 26, 2026 UNITS FDD explains the equipment, premises, training and management needed to deliver those services.
How portable storage fits customer needs
Item 1 describes rental storage containers delivered to homes, businesses, events, construction sites and other customer locations. A customer can keep a container on site, have it collected for warehouse storage or arrange transportation to another location. The model lets the customer choose among those storage and transport arrangements under the applicable service terms.
The FDD also requires franchisees to offer long-distance moving when a customer moves from one UNITS protected territory to another. That is a network service with its own operating rules, rather than permission to promise delivery to every possible destination.
Equipment, warehouse and operating systems
The system includes branded containers, trucks and robo-lift delivery equipment. A typical operation requires at least 10,000 square feet of property, although the franchisor will consider smaller and larger warehouses. Site suitability, capacity and lease terms therefore deserve attention alongside the container and vehicle requirements.
Ask how the delivery equipment is used at different properties, what access clearances are needed, and how jobs are assessed before a container arrives. The equipment does not justify a blanket promise that every tight space can be served or that no delivery complications will occur.
Item 11 describes StoreSmart, the proprietary operating software used for scheduling, dispatching, revenue and inventory management, accounts receivable and point-of-sale functions. The franchisee must obtain and maintain the required hardware and software and bear applicable upgrade costs. Initial software training may be remote and is provided without an additional training fee.
Franchise history and competitive conditions
Item 1 records incorporation of the franchisor in South Carolina in March 2005 and the start of franchising in August 2006. It describes the moving, transportation and self-storage markets as well-developed and highly competitive, with independent operators, chains and other franchises.
Evaluate local demand, warehouse costs, travel distances and competing storage options when assessing a proposed territory. The FDD notes that economic conditions can affect the industry. Neither the category nor the brand establishes that demand will keep rising or that an individual location will achieve a particular market share.
Initial training and opening support
The Designated Manager, Account Manager, Customer Service Representative and Delivery Specialist must complete the required training. The Designated Manager may also fill one of the other roles. Item 11 describes an initial program of approximately four days in Charleston, South Carolina, or another designated location, completed to the franchisor’s satisfaction at least 30 days before opening.
Subjects include sales and marketing, equipment operation and maintenance, information technology, financial controls, customer service, quality standards, recordkeeping and operational procedures. Initial tuition is included, while travel, meals, lodging and payroll are the franchisee’s responsibility. Replacement personnel and additional training can have separate charges. The franchisee remains responsible for training other employees and managers.
Opening help includes site-selection criteria, review of the site and lease or purchase agreement, standard plans and equipment specifications, access to the operations manual, and up to three days of on-site assistance. These services support preparation; they do not eliminate the owner’s responsibility for acquiring suitable premises, equipment and staff.
Continuing support and management duties
Ongoing guidance may address operations, accounting, sales and marketing through telephone, email, newsletters and other channels. Visits are discretionary. The franchisee must also follow required technology, supplier and advertising rules and fund local marketing under the agreement.
Item 15 requires direct, full-time supervision by a Designated Manager. That person may be the owner or another individual and need not hold an ownership interest. The business must also employ a full-time Account Manager before opening and throughout the franchise term. These requirements are central to assessing the workload and staffing plan.
Is UNITS a suitable business for you?
The model may appeal to a buyer who enjoys coordinating equipment, schedules, customer service and a local team. Examine how you would handle delivery capacity, warehouse organization, maintenance and customer requests during busy periods. Speak with existing operators about those tasks and the resources they needed to open.
Review the UNITS franchise overview, then contact FranchiseTop40 to discuss the territory, budget and management structure you have in mind.