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Doing Well At Box Office

Using recyclables helps Boxes on Wheels increase its business.

Tampa Tribune Photo by KELVIN MA

For the first three years, Al Reed’s company catered exclusively to residents who needed new boxes for a move. Boxes on Wheels still offers same-day, at-home deliveries, but it has added products that appeal to eco-friendly customers.

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By KENNETH KNIGHT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 3, 2008

NORTH TAMPA - A Busch Boulevard-based business that buys and sells boxes has discovered it pays to be a company that cares about the environment.

Al Reed, the owner of Boxes on Wheels, said going green was the jolt that helped his company grow this year despite tough economic times.

Since January, Boxes on Wheels has added six retail outlets to carry its boxes and other moving supplies. The company appears to be on track to double profits from a year ago, Reed said.

The 32-year-old entrepreneur from Land O' Lakes has devoted the past four years making life easier for people planning to move cross country or across town. He and his four employees deliver boxes and other packing supplies to homes and apartments across the Tampa Bay area.

For the first three years, Reed's company catered exclusively to residents who needed new boxes for a move. Boxes on Wheels still offers same-day, at-home deliveries, but it has added products that appeal to eco-friendly customers.

The company's recent success, Reed said, has been based on a new business plan to sell clean used boxes at a fraction of the cost of a new box. While the price of a new, large 4.5-cubic-foot box would cost $3.99, the cost of a used box the same size would be $2.48.

"Buying a gently reused box is really a win-win proposition," Reed said. "It saves consumers money, our environment … and 80 percent of our customers don't care if the boxes are used."

There are other cost savings, as well. A customer can earn money by selling the moving boxes back to the company when the unpacking is completed.

The goal is to keep the boxes from ending up as garbage in area landfills and incinerators, Reed said.

When a cardboard container gets too worn to reuse, Boxes on Wheels recycles the corrugated material to produce a new recyclable item.

However, if the concept of stuffing your prized, personal possessions in a used box is unappealing, not to fear, he said: Boxes on Wheels also sells new boxes, which are made primarily from recycled material.

Reed said his customers helped influence his decision to go green. He changed his business plan this year based on written suggestions from customers, who were asked to complete a customer satisfaction survey. When some of them urged him to be more ecologically friendly, Reed said he saw no need to buck the trend.

"We survey our customers every month," Reed said. "The last 14 to 16 months customers have been demanding used boxes."

Reed said his customers knew best.

Since January, Boxes on Wheels has saved more than 12,000 boxes and about 10,000 pounds of packing paper from area landfills. Reed said 60 percent of the nearly 20,000 boxes sold this year were reused containers. The company sold slightly more than 50,000 boxes total the first three years of business when it was strictly a delivery service.

Street team members, wearing forest green polo shirts and visors with the company logo, will go to a home or apartment to deliver or collect used boxes.

The minimum delivery order is $135 within the city of Tampa and $150 outside the city. The minimum number of boxes the workers will pick up is 75. Smaller orders can be purchased or dropped off at the company's distribution warehouse and retail outlets.

Reed discourages his employees from being wasteful.

"I say, 'Hey, don't get rid of that box; we can use it,'" he said. "My employees think I go too far sometimes."

Reed, who is married and the father of three children, doesn't consider himself frugal. He said he's doing what he can to save the environment.

Based on customer testimonials, they appreciate the effort.

"I would highly recommend them," said Michael Gibeaut of Apollo Beach. "They were efficient and timely."

Gibeaut said he found Boxes on Wheels by chance in June when he went online seeking specialty boxes to fit oil paintings he wanted to ship to Dallas. "They showed up the next day to deliver them," he said. "We have nothing but great things to say about them."

He has used the service twice since then, spending about $700 for boxes.

Boxes on Wheels collected 510 boxes at the home of Bob Wright, who recently moved to South Tampa from Ohio.

"They are going to recycle the boxes we used," he said. "I think it's terrific."

Reed, a graduate of the University of West Florida in Pensacola, launched the company as a home business in 2004 with $200 and a beat-up cargo van. He commandeered half of the family's one-car garage in Land O' Lakes, where he stacked his first 120 boxes. He left the other half for the weight bench.

As the business grew, customers began to ask for packing supplies, such as bubble wrap and specialty boxes. They also sought referrals for moving companies.

In 2006, the company moved to a warehouse in an industrial park at 1717 E. Busch Blvd., where it could stock thousands of boxes and piles of packing paper, which is also recycled.

Reed's business plan worked. By last year, company profits reached six figures. He said he did not want to reveal specific numbers for competitive reasons.

"Since we have opened six locations the past six months, we are looking at doubling our figures" for 2008, he said.

Six area retail outlets are carrying Boxes on Wheels moving boxes and packing supplies: Suncoast Rental and The Wood Shed, both in Valrico; All Tune and Lube in Land O' Lakes; Mutual Automotive in Plant City; L&J Auto Service in Pinellas Park; and Capital RV in Palm Harbor.

MAKING CONTACT

WHAT: Boxes on Wheels

WHERE: 1717 E. Busch Blvd., Unit 603

WHEN: Walk-in business is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday; phone orders will be taken until 5 p.m.

INFORMATION: Call (813) 932-8300.

Reporter Kenneth Knight can be reached at (813) 865-4842 or kknight@tampatrib.com.

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