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Industry Statistics

The Self Storage industry in Australia is continuing to show strong growth, both in demand for storage and the number of facilities being developed. There are now over 900 significant self storage facilities in Australia and over 100 in New Zealand, which account for almost 2 million square meters of storage space. There are approximately 260,000 individuals and businesses currently using Self Storage in Australia.

In the last two years there has been around a 15% increase in the amount of storage space available in the major Australian capital cities. With the industry growing at such a rapid rate it is now beginning to target more specialized markets. Wine storage is becoming increasingly popular, particularly in wine regions and in the major metropolitan areas. Climate controlled storage is also used by commercial customers who need a stable environment for their products.

Commercial customers are being actively targeted by the industry. Many Self Storage Facilities have created relationships with wholesalers and distributors, holding stock on hand for their sales force. Additional services such as use of a serviced office or meeting rooms are becoming more common in self storage facilities.

The Self Storage Industry in Australia has some of the most advanced facilities in the world. The Australian industry is renowned for its state of the art security, professional customer service and clean, well-presented facilities. The industry also has a standard storers agreement, which provides customers with a greater level of legal assurance that their goods will be safe and secure.

Given that the industry is still young there is still a significant segment of the public that does not have an understanding of what the self storage industry can offer them. Some research suggest as much as 50% of the population do not fully understand what self storage is. As the industry grows, its collective marketing impact also grows, exposing more people to the benefits of Self Storage and capitilising on this “untapped market”

Growth in Self Storage Industry in Australia 2002-2004

Supply Data

Average 15% growth

Comparison by population

In 2004 24% of customers across Australia and NZ were commercial (76% residential)

Some care needs to be taken with these figures as this is the percentage of actual customers, it could be argued that commercial customers generally take larger units, and hence account for more actual storage space than the 24% indicated.

The Self Storage Association of Australasia is the peak industry body for the Self Storage industry in Australia and New Zealand. Over 80% of operators are members of the Association, including all the major operators such as Kennard’s (Millers), National Storage and Storage King and National Mini Storage (NZ).

Self storage began in Australia some 25 years ago, with the real growth in the industry occurring in the last 15 years. The Association was officially formed in 1990 by a group of leading operators looking at developing an industry association to maintain standards in the industry and increase industry advocacy.

For more detailed industry statistics and analysis, refer to the SSAA Almanac or contact the office on +61 3 9408 0731