The world’s first franchised hire box company, Hire A Box, is in the process of expanding into the US. Branded as Rent Your Boxes, the first franchises in Long Island and Washington DC are expected to open their doors in the first week of September, 2009.

Since starting business in November 2007, 24 Hire A Box franchises have opened across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.

The franchising roll-out in Australia was conducted relatively speedily. It has proven to be a simple but effective business model as everyone needs boxes and if they can have them delivered and then picked up after their move at half the cost of buying boxes, why would you go and buy boxes? founder Barry Harris said.

Harris hopes to open between 300 and 350 franchises in the US within the next three years. The roll-out in the US should be as rapid as that experienced in Australia – if not quicker – because the concept of renting products is accepted far more rapidly over there than here.

It’s good to take Australian franchise concepts to the US instead of the reverse situation as it used to be for many years. I am very excited about the potential that exists in the US for the product and for the long term sustainability of the business, he said.