Mobile Mini
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Portable storage solutions |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founder | Richard Bunger |
| Headquarters | Phoenix, Arizona , United States |
Area served | United States, Canada, United Kingdom |
Key people | Erik Olsson (CEO), Kelly Williams (President), Michael L. Watts (Chairman) |
| Products | Welded steel mobile storage containers, storage units, security guard shacks, ground-level office spaces |
| Owner | WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp. |
| Parent | WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp. |
Mobile Mini, Inc. is a U.S.-based company specializing in portable storage solutions, established in 1983 by entrepreneur Richard Bunger and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The firm focuses on producing, leasing, selling, and delivering welded steel mobile storage containers that are adapted into storage units, security guard shacks, and ground-level office spaces. These containers vary in size from 5 to 45 feet and provide up to 100 customizable layout options, catering to a wide range of industries.
The company manages a lease fleet of roughly 235,000 portable storage and office units distributed across 177 sites throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. As a subsidiary under WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp., Mobile Mini reported revenues of $593 million in 2018 and possessed assets totaling $2 billion. Its operational model centers on offering adaptable storage services through two primary segments: Storage Solutions and Tank + Pump Solutions.
Leadership at Mobile Mini includes CEO Erik Olsson, President Kelly Williams, and Chairman Michael L. Watts. Their strategic direction has propelled the company’s expansion globally while sustaining its competitive edge within the portable storage sector. By mid-2019, Mobile Mini’s market capitalization stood at around $1.363 billion, underscoring its robust financial health and industry standing.
History
Originally named Mobile Mini Storage Systems, the company was launched in 1983 by Richard Bunger with an initial focus on supplying storage containers to construction and manufacturing clients.
Expansion beyond its Phoenix base into the Southwestern United States began by 1986. Confronted with container shortages, Mobile Mini initiated local manufacturing operations. During the early 1990s, it introduced the patented "bi-cam locking system" and expanded its production facilities to accommodate new product lines such as modular classrooms serving Arizona and New Mexico. The company experienced substantial growth in Texas markets—including Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio—and completed acquisitions in Las Vegas and Oklahoma City by 1998.
In the early 2000s, Mobile Mini consistently surpassed earnings forecasts and secured a patent for the "Tri-Cam Locking System." Its international presence was established in 2004 with the acquisition of Royal Wolf in the United Kingdom and the launch of Mobile Mini UK. The 2008 merger with The Mobile Storage Group resulted in a combined fleet exceeding 274,000 portable storage and office units.
Erik Olsson assumed the role of CEO in 2013, providing strategic leadership that fueled further business expansion.
In November 2014, Mobile Mini acquired Evergreen Tank Solutions for $405 million in cash, broadening its portfolio into liquid and specialty containment solutions aligned with its core offerings. To concentrate on storage and containment products, it divested approximately 9,400 wooden mobile offices to Acton Mobile in 2015.
By February 2017, all divisions were consolidated under the Mobile Mini brand: storage units and ground-level offices became Mobile Mini Storage Solutions; specialty containment operations were rebranded as Mobile Mini Tank + Pump Solutions; together forming Mobile Mini Solutions. That same year saw the introduction of Mobile Mini Connect—a customer portal providing on-demand access to real-time account management to improve service responsiveness.
In March 2020, Mobile Mini announced plans to merge with WillScot Corporation, a Baltimore-based modular space rental firm. This merger created an entity valued at approximately $6.6 billion, marking a pivotal advancement in corporate scale and market presence.