Containers, Cobblestones, and the Wrong Side of the Road
On May 26, while most of the Netherlands was celebrating King’s Night, my colleague Danny and I were hitching a six-meter container to a trailer, heading toward the English Channel. Not an everyday sight, I must say. My first business trip since joining Universal Storage Containers, my first time in England, and my first experience driving on the ‘wrong side’ of the road.
The Journey There
We took the overnight ferry from Hoek van Holland and arrived early the next morning in Harwich, after which we drove a good four hours over British motorways to the Telford International Centre, the venue for the SSA UK Conference, the leading annual event for self-storage operators, investors, and suppliers in the United Kingdom.
Our demo container was a brand-new model that had been delivered to us just three days before departure, which meant that the usual preparatory work had to be done on-site. After a long day of cleaning, touching up, and last-minute repairs, we stepped back satisfied to view the result.
On the exhibition floor
SSA UK filled two halls, and the atmosphere was warm from the very start. Familiar faces from the drinks the night before, fellow exhibitors stopping by the stand for a chat. When Maarten joined us on the first day, our team was complete.
The task was clear: guide visitors through the container, explain the new design, answer questions, and be approachable. I started by listening to how Danny promoted the container; soon, I was conducting those conversations myself. By the end of the afternoon on day two, there were several seriously interested potential customers, which was great to see.
Women in Self Storage and the Awards Ceremony
The evenings were also quite full. The Women in Self Storage networking event was a highlight of the conference. As a newcomer, I was a bit nervous about it, but the conversations were genuine, and it was wonderful to see how many women lead and shape this sector. As a new face in the self-storage world, it was a brilliant insight into this beautiful industry.
The SSA UK Annual Industry Awards dinner took place on the first evening of the conference: a three-course dinner where excellence was recognized in everything from individual facility performance to supplier innovation, and a lovely reminder of how many factors contribute to a successful self-storage business.
Ironbridge and the Return Journey
When the conference closed, we packed up the container and followed everyone’s recommendation to visit Ironbridge, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and, for a company that works with metal and modular structures daily, a fitting excursion. The weather was beautiful, and the views were stunning.
While Maarten departed for home by plane, Danny and I found a retro arcade, had a lot of fun, and then went to bed. The next morning, the container was back on the trailer. We took one more walk through the Shropshire countryside before directing the truck toward Harwich and the ferry home.
Conclusion
The self-storage community is friendlier and closer-knit than I had expected. There is a real culture of knowledge sharing, and as someone new to the industry, the SSA UK Conference was perhaps the best possible introduction. We made valuable contacts, generated serious leads, and presented a container we were proud of. And on a personal level: I went home with a great appreciation for the jacket potato. Probably Britain’s best export product.
A great first conference. Until the next one!
Anna