Boxman Ltd., a London-based startup business specializing in valet-style self-storage, recently re-launched services after an initial proof-of-concept phase. The company offers a by-the-bin pay model and an online platform that allows customers to schedule free item pickup, maintain a photo catalog of belongings, and schedule home delivery of boxes.
Similar to other valet-style storage businesses in the United States and abroad, Boxman customers can schedule pickup and delivery services through the company website. Items are stored in a secure warehouse, which is off limits to customers. Pricing runs £5 per box, per month. Return deliveries are also £5 per bin within the London Orbital Motorway, a 117-mile highway known as M25 that circles Greater London.
During the initial phase of the startup, the company partnered with records-storage firm Secure Data Management Ltd., which provided investment and consultation services, according to the source. After proof-of-concept, Boxman raised an additional £200,000 in investment through CrowdBnk, a crowdfunding platform. The money was used to fund the company’s full launch last fall.
“Most of the money has been spent on our technology, which is bespoke, enabling us to dovetail into Secure Data’s system,” Paul Stricker, co-founder and managing director, told the source. “On the customer side, we improved our service by offering same-day turnarounds and Saturdays at no extra cost. Customers want simplicity and reliability. We saw that after our rebranding, when in the next three months we stored more boxes than in the previous 15.”
Boxman has seen business double month to month and has projected second-year revenue of £720,000 and £2 million in 2016, the source reported. The company currently has nine employees.
London is among the most crowded markets for valet-storage operators. Additional startups offering services in the city include LoveSpace, SpaceWays and WeStore Boxes Ltd. As it gains traction locally, Boxman intends to expand services across the United Kingdom and eventually to Asia and Europe, according to the source.
