Episode 47

Moving Matters with Neil Purdie of Purdie Worldwide Removals & Storage

00:00:00
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00:49:14

June 9th, 2022

49 mins 14 secs

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About this Episode

In this episode Neil Purdie, Managing Director of Purdie Worldwide Removals & Storage discusses how he began his career in the industry some 21 glorious years ago, delivering coal in the company’s early years before the role of the business changed to removals and storage.

The original company was started in 1960 by Neil’s grandfather, as Matt Purdie & Sons, a coal merchant but he quickly began to see opportunities in moving and storage, where Matt Jnr (Neil’s uncle) and Archie (Neil’s father) became directors. In 2015 Matt Purdie & Sons was subject to a takeover and is now known as Purdie Worldwide Removals & Storage.

Purdie Worldwide Removals & Storage offer domestic, international, and commercial moves, as well as storage and self-storage. They currently run 26 vehicles, employ 46 staff, and have recently expanded into property maintenance and haulage.

Neil says every day brings its own challenges, growing up and working within the family business was and still is challenging, but his major challenge was in 2015 turning a paper-based office into an IT savvy office.

Neil doesn’t believe in having any regrets and that everything happens for a reason, so he has nothing that he would change from his moving past and has learned from every little mistake made.

Neil has many highpoints of being within the industry, but the main one is the people and classing many of them as friends, becoming Managing Director is a huge highpoint which allows Neil the chance to grow and change the business.

There is nothing in particular that Neil would change within the moving industry, but regulation for the 3.5 tonne market does need to be looked at which would help to make the industry be seen as a profession.

Neil’s advice to just starting out in the industry again is not taking anything for granted and time, enjoy the time that you are in this industry but do take time out for yourself and your family.

In the next 5 years Neil is in the process of having an 11,000 sqft unit with retail shops built on the land next door to their current location which they have been chasing for the best part of 20 years. Neil has recently started a haulage side to the business and is looking to expand upon this. Industry wise, Neil would like to see the industry achieve regulation.

Outside of the industry Neil is a big football supporter, his team being Hearts, and with his son now playing for the local team (which of course is sponsored by Purdie Worldwide Removals & Storage, as too is the local stadium), Neil helps throughout the week and at weekends with coaching sessions.

And as always we end Moving Matters with three, yes three funny moving stories, regarding a costly sat nav error, a McDonalds Drive-Thru and a burst zipper.

Enjoy!

Links to Purdie Worldwide Removals & Storage: