Dan Armes, Founder of ServoPro, recently caught up with Wayne Miller from HenCo Group, which now owns both U-Haul Australia and Move Yourself Trailer Hire, to talk about the HenCo merger and what it really means for independent service stations.
If you have been in the industry for a while, you will know Wayne. He has worked across fuel and convenience for more than four decades and has spent the past 14 years with U-Haul Australia, building the network largely through independent service stations.
One of the first questions was simple.
Has anything changed for agents?
Wayne did not hesitate.
“Nothing’s changed. Nothing’s changed other than some of the improvements happening in the background.”
That probably sums it up best.
Move Yourself Trailer Hire and U-Haul Australia merged under the HenCo Group structure, and agents were told it would be business as usual. The brands remain. The contacts remain. The processes remain.
But behind the scenes, the engine room has become stronger.
Less Clutter, Smarter Systems
One of the most practical changes for independent service stations which is coming soon is the move away from traditional kiosks in our U-Haul brand and toward a QR code-based booking
system that Move Yourself had developed.
Instead of having a physical unit taking up valuable shop space, customers can scan a code and complete the booking on their own device. Online and call centre bookings still exist, but the in store footprint can shrink.
Wayne explained it simply.
“We don’t need to take up room with a kiosk anymore. We just put a QR code in the store. Customers have their own screens now.”
For independent service stations where every metre of shop space matters, that is a meaningful shift. It means less hardware, fewer technical issues and a cleaner convenience store layout.
Fleet Improvements That Matter
The merger has also allowed both businesses to leverage each other’s strengths in manufacturing and product range .
Wayne highlighted the rollout of the 3.5 tonne car carrier and the wide body design that U-Haul developed.
“You can actually work on the car while it’s up on the car carrier,” he said. “You’ve got room to move. The old style ones, once the car was on there, you didn’t have any space at all.”
Larger 16 foot furniture vans are also being rolled into more locations, and duplication in certain trailer builds has been removed to streamline production.
It is not about flashy new concepts. It is about practical improvements that increase uptime and make the equipment easier to use.
And uptime matters. A trailer sitting idle is not earning commission.
Focus on Agent Revenue
The HenCo communication to agents made it clear that trailer hire revenue is valued and that the objective is to increase revenue for service stations .
There is now greater sharing of booking systems, improved preventative maintenance programs and a more coordinated national business management approach across the brands .
Wayne’s approach has always centred on independent service stations.
“Independents are the ones that have got the room on their site usually,” he said. “They’re the ones that can make it work.”
For an independent service station looking to diversify beyond fuel and shop margins, trailer hire can be a steady contributor. It drives forecourt traffic, generates commission income and often brings incremental shop sales at the same time.
Multiple Brands Still Operating
A common question is whether the brands will eventually be consolidated.
At this stage, U-Haul Australia, Move Yourself Trailer Hire and U-Tow New Zealand continue to operate as separate brands under the HenCo Group .
From an agent’s perspective, it remains familiar. Same brand identity. Same local presence. Same operating model.
As Wayne put it, “It’ll be staying as all three different brands for the foreseeable future.”
So What Should Independent Service Stations Take From This?
From the outside, it may look like very little has changed.
From the inside, there is a stronger IT capability, broader fleet options and more coordinated support sitting behind the brands.
For independent service stations reviewing ancillary income streams, trailer hire continues to be a category worth serious consideration. It requires no capital compared to many other expansions and can generate consistent commission income with the right location and yard space.
The merger has not altered the day to day experience for agents. It has simply strengthened the structure behind it.
If you are already running U-Haul or Move Yourself, that should be reassuring.
If you are not, and you have the space to support it, it may be time to revisit the conversation.
As always, it comes down to your site layout, local demand and operational capacity. But in an environment where every additional revenue stream counts, having a stronger partner behind the scenes is never a bad thing.
If you would like an introduction to the team or want to explore whether trailer hire could suit your independent service station, reach out to the ServoPro team and we can point you in the right direction.
For the latest retailer news and information, check out the ServoPro website or to speak to us about how we can help your business contact us.