Industry research
Scope
Europe
Companies
42
Table of contents
What does the Moving and Storage Services landscape look like in Europe?
The European moving services market is highly fragmented due to low entry barriers, encompassing transportation equipment, labour and logistics expertise. As such, the market comprises a long tail of microbusinesses, complemented by a handful of regional and international players. Moving services are vital in regions with high housing turnover, where frequent relocations occur due to rental market volatility (e.g. changes in rental prices and apartment availability), job changes and international mobility. In countries like Switzerland, Germany and the UK, demand for moving services tends to be higher due to the high inflow of EU and non-EU workers and the prevalence of rental markets, where people often rent instead of owning a property, leading to more frequent relocations (Euronews, May 2024; Relocate Global, December 2024).
What is the level of investor activity in the European Moving and Storage Services industry?
Investor-led interest in the European moving and storage service market is limited with >25% of identified players backed by financial sponsors (February 2025). Deterring factors for investors include (i) high CAPEX, (ii) limited differentiation opportunities, (iii) rising labour and fuel costs and (iv) limited availability of space for growth in urban areas. At the same time, investors can benefit from the increasing demand for self-storage due to shrinking living spaces across Europe, as well as technological advancements improving businesses’ cost efficiency and customer satisfaction.
What are the key ESG considerations in the European Moving and Storage Services industry?
ESG considerations primarily revolve around environmental and social topics. From an environmental perspective, moving and storage service providers have a crucial role to play in reducing emissions from transport and storage activities. As such, players implement fuel-optimisation technologies and expand their electric fleets. In terms of social issues, handling heavy goods can often have detrimental consequences on the human body and the well-being of drivers and workers. As such, incumbents address this issue by implementing frequent safety audits as well as training of management and employees about health and safety.
According to Technavio (December 2024), the global self-storage and moving services market is projected to reach ~$161.2bn in 2029, up from ~$103.8bn in 2024 (+9.3% CAGR 2024-2029)
The area of European self-storage facilities grew from ~9.8m sqm in 2019 to ~16.5m sqm in 2024 (+67%; CBRE, October 2024)
Rising urbanisation and shrinking living spaces across Europe drive demand for self-storage services. As more people continue moving to metropolitan areas with limited housing space, the need for secure, flexible storage options increases, presenting significant growth opportunities for the storage market (EUBusiness News, January 2025; London Datastore, January 2025)
The factory relocations and business restructuring across Europe drive demand for specialised industrial moving services. As companies seek to optimise operations and adapt to evolving market conditions, professional relocation providers benefit from increased project volumes and complex logistical requirements (Suret, July 2024)
Technological advancements, including AI, robotics, big data analytics and IoT, transform the logistics and moving services industry by enhancing operational efficiency, improving customer satisfaction, reducing costs and optimising the logistics and relocation process (DHL, December 2023)
Rising rental costs and low housing mobility across Europe create challenges for the moving services market. With tenants hesitant to relocate due to favourable existing contracts and housing shortages in key urban areas, demand for relocation services may be constrained (Relocate Global, December 2024)
The shortage of available space for self-storage units across Europe caps growth opportunities in the market. The locations for new developments are increasingly difficult to find and the competition for existing units drives up the rental costs, hindering expansion in key metropolitan areas (ISS, November 2024)
Rising fuel prices, labour shortages and tightening environmental regulations increase operational costs in the moving services market. These are passed on via service fees, which may deter budget-sensitive clients, while labour scarcity and compliance costs further constrain profitability (Searates, December 2023; ING December 2023)
With the full report, you’ll gain access to:
Detailed assessments of the market outlook
Insights from c-suite industry executives
A clear overview of all active investors in the industry
An in-depth look into 42 private companies, incl. financials, ownership details and more.
A view on all 115 deals in the industry
ESG assessments with highlighted ESG outperformers
