The company also hosts a seminar for members of the self-storage industry, "Current Issues for the Development of Self-Storage Facilities," which includes information on: selecting the most effective site in your market; market feasibility; understanding your cash-flow requirements and operating-income projections; management and marketing; and convenience-oriented collateral services and products.
Tech-Fast was founded in 1989 by current president, Dave Cook, and vice president, Mark Duncan. From the start, Cook and Duncan complimented each other with their extensive backgrounds in the metal-building industry--Cook from the sales side and Duncan from building and engineering.
The company employs 28 full-time employees who contribute to supplying and building more than 100 projects annually. The company's success has been fostered by the following corporate philosophy:
- Listen to clients in order to understand their specific needs and provide extraordinary service to meet them.
- Combine internal experience with external resources to design and deliver the best possible solutions and maximize each project's potential.
- Strive to build customer trust and mutually beneficial relationships that earn repeat and referral business.
Tech-Fast's experience in the self-storage industry has allowed it to develop processes to help its clients build successful projects. The company's client list across North America includes the major self-storage REITs, multifacility regional developers and many smaller owner/operators.
Tech-Fast shares its experience and knowledge with clients to help them understand their design options. From the concept of the project to opening day, the company contributes to the process. Its layout services help provide increased project returns by maximizing both land use and net rentable square footage in each structure.
Once design is completed, Tech-Fast provides a detailed quote outlining the specific scope of work. A project manager begins detailing submittal plans and engineered calculations for the project. The company then initiates material deliveries, bundles and marks materials for easy site sorting, keys the materials to the working drawings and sequences the construction process so the project flows smoothly. The end result is a project that is "On Track, On Time and On Budget."
The company's plans for future growth include the building of client relationships that further its penetration in the self- storage marketplace. Tech-Fast will also pursue new product developments that will take it into additional markets.
To the new self-storage owner/developer, Tech-Fast offers the following advice:
- Do your due diligence. Market and feasibility studies are critical to understanding the demand for storage. This information will help you in developing a financial pro-forma to provide maximum returns.
- Recognize that you are entering a retail business that serves a local marketplace. Design your facility to provide the products and services that meet your local market demands.
- Understand the complexities of today's building and permitting process before you purchase your site.
For more information on products, services or seminars, visit www.techfast.com; call (800) 709-4440; fax (253) 572-6396; write 711 St. Helens, Suite 200, Tacoma, WA 98402.