User:Mrzaius/sandbox/PODS

Portable On Demand Storage (abbreviated to PODS) is a company founded in January, 1998 in Clearwater, Florida by Peter Warhurst, Roy Courtney, David Revelia and Bill Ash.

PODS pioneered the concept of a portable storage container. The container is brought empty to the customer's home, where the customer loads it with their belongings and lock it themselves with their own padlock. Then, PODS either takes the container to the local warehouse for storage until it is delivered to the customer again, or the customer can choose to keep the container onsite. PODS also provides packing and moving options for both short and long distance moves.

History
Peter Warhurst and Roy Courtney launched a mini-storage business in 1996. They then conceived of a pick-up-and-delivery service using less expensive land for the actual storage. Though some competitors used wooden crates, they wanted a more weather-resistant box. New partners, David Revelia and Bill Ash, came on board and a new kind of storage industry was born. The founders designed a portable weather-resistant container for delivery and placement at ground level in order to ease loading. They also created and patented a hydraulic lift system, referred to within the company as "Podzilla", designed to significantly reduce shift of contents and securely transport the container. Within the first two years, the company grew well beyond the Tampa Bay Area with 14 locations in Florida, half of them franchised.

In July 2007, the company introduced "portable shelter" versions of its PODS which includes a generator, bathroom, and kitchen. The shelter can house a family of five for up to a month. PODS is in talks with FEMA and emergency management officials in Florida about ordering these special shelters. 

Franchises
The original franchise agreements were for markets with populations of 400,000 requiring an investment of up to $1.5 million. PODS receives a fee of $75,000 and 10% of revenues for billing, marketing, and call center support from the Clearwater corporate headquarters. Newer franchises are smaller, for markets of 200,000 or fewer.

The company has now gone international, with operations now in Canada (Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Ottawa) and Australia.

Other Franchised Locations Include:

Tallahassee, FL

The PODS Brand Container
There are over 121,600 PODS containers in use as per a press release from the company July 10th, 2007.

PODS containers come in two sizes:

1) Approximately 8 feet high, approximately 8 feet wide, 12 feet long. This size may accommodate 1-2 rooms. 2) Approximately 8 feet high, approximately 8 feet wide, 16 feet long. This size may accommodate 3-4 rooms. They are manufactured by PODS with a steel frame construction and marine grade wood interior. The sturdy, weather-resistant container can withstand speeds of up to 110 miles per hour while partially full. The floor of the container is 4 inches off the ground, and is equipped with a roll-up door at one end. The roof is made from a translucent plastic to allow light to enter the container from above. They are manufactured at several company factories nationwide at a rate of one about every 20 minutes.