EDINBURGH, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwire) -- 02/21/13 -- Although it has its origins in 1960s America, self-storage did not arrive in the UK until the early 1980s and even then it was mainly limited to the London area.

Today, there are more than 400 self-storage companies operating in the UK, from large multi-site companies to smaller independents, equating to well over 800 individual facilities.

The extraordinary development of the industry can perhaps be best illustrated by the degree to which rentable space has grown: from virtually nothing in the early 80s to around 30 million square feet 30 years later.

Such growth has called for a high degree of innovation from companies wishing to stand out.

One company that has found a way to distinguish itself is Edinburgh-based Flexistore Self Storage, which in 2002 became the UK and Europe's first mobile self-storage operator, instantly providing a solution for customers who previously had been required to use a local removal or van rental company.

A spokesperson for Flexistore said: "Gone are the days when people lived in one place and kept all their possessions together. Today, people have more belongings than ever but they have a much greater need to be mobile and flexible, and self-storage is the perfect answer.

"Of the 250,000 people in the UK who now use self-storage, many do not want to have to worry about arranging their own pick-up and drop-off transport. That's why our mobile solution, which includes delivery, is continuing to prove so popular."

With a service offering that includes personal, business and student storage, records management and a shipping service, Flexistore now has warehouses in several regions across the UK. Customers in search of self-storage in Preston are catered for with the same level of service as those looking for storage in Cardiff.

And as a further example of the innovation that has helped it to stay ahead of the field, Flexistore's online 'vault estimator' means it can give customers the most efficient and cost-effective storage solution possible.

At a time when UK Self Storage Association data reveals that people are leaving their possessions in self-storage for an average of 38 weeks, that is a real benefit for customers.

For more information about the range of mobile self-storage solutions offered by Flexistore, visit www.flexistore.co.uk.