LEADING THE WAY
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Thinking inside of the box Martell's has quickly adopted and even led removal trends. Part of its warehousing is given over to self-storage cubicles. "Ideal for people who've moved abroad, been repossessed or are having building work done,' says Kessell, who confides that in the long term it's probably no cheaper than conventional storage, but is essentially an emotional purchase. Ironically, the goods stored are often subsequently disposed of, and, says Kessell, Martell's picks up a lot of mainstream removal jobs from self-store clients, as well gaining revenue from associated crate and packing material sales.
Where Martell's differs radically from its competitors (and the industry standard) is in abandoning the ubiquitous side-loading, 5ft-wide, large wooden storage crate in favour of a steel mini container. Although more expensive to buy, Kessell reckons they will endure longer, being fireand damageproof. The twistlock-equipped steel boxes can be stacked up to six high, and when loose-loading on a slope a frequent occurrence on domestic jobs are less likely to distort. For overseas work, Martell's also packs and ships conventional 20ft and 40ft ISO containers, arranging delivery via a network of foreign partners.