Transforming Farmland into a Profitable Self Storage Facility
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Norbreck Self Storage was born from a need to diversify away from core agriculture and has a business model that suits the portfolio of Norbreck business interests.
After 5 years’ research and search for a suitable site for their first facility, the team purchased a site in spring 2023. The business opened its doors to customers in November 2023.
This is the first facility of a planned multi-site operation under the Norbreck brand name. The location is close to Kirkham, Lancashire near the M55 motorway and very busy A585 road network. The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art security features, such as 24/7 surveillance and the innovative Nokē Smart Entry System, ensuring customers' belongings remain secure at all times.
Norbreck Self Storage completed its second phase of expansion in partnership with Janus in early June 2024.
The challenge:
The self storage business journey started with a need to look outside of agriculture to expand the family business.
After extensive travel and visiting multiple sites, the Norbreck team developed a vision for a very modern, single-level facility that was both innovative and customer friendly.
The team needed to find a solution for technology integration combined with high-tech security and secure payment systems. Janus, along with Nokē, met all these requirements. Combining superior internal build quality with an app-based entry system for the site, building, and room reservations, has proven extremely valuable.
The solution:
Norbreck Self Storage is fortunate to have acquired a 16-acre site with multiple use opportunities for a varied range of storage requirements from 20 sq. ft to over 3,000 sq. ft options.
The customer base is varied and diverse in its needs. They have large spaces for bigger businesses and lots of options for customers who need between 20 sq. ft to 200 sq. ft in the indoor, temperature-controlled buildings.
The site also has a container park with drive-up options for the 160 sq. ft brand new containers.
The benefits:
As new operators, the partnership with Janus made the venture into the unknown seamless and smooth. Working with experienced team members like Graham Lomax, the Norbreck team quickly got educated on the ‘good’ the ‘bad’ and the ‘ugly’ in the industry!
Benefiting from this expertise from the beginning helped avoid costly mistakes. Deciding on the mix of unit sizes and approach to the customer journey before starting to build made the team’s life easier during the build phase.
Customer Testimonial:
"Our Janus/Nokē self storage experience has been exceptional. The design is user-friendly, making access simple for our customers. Janus provided top-notch support, always available and knowledgeable. The latest Nokē technology and automated systems, has greatly improved our operations and security. We are extremely satisfied and highly recommend Janus for self storage solutions."
- Sally King, Operations Manager
Learn more from Philip Halhead, Managing Director at Norbreck Self Storage, as he discusses opportunities for transforming farmland and agriculture buildings into self storage facilities to generate additional revenue streams - www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0_PwYgMzn8
