Deep Roots in Relo

Two Mules and Some Men

Patrick Hughes and his family takes a leap of faith and moves from Ireland to Philadelphia, where he establishes Hughes Piano Movers (an enterprise that lasted for the next 100 years). The company grows to become one of the largest piano moving companies on the East Coast.

A One-Stop Shop is Born

“I Know a Better Way to Do This”

As the piano moving business flourishes, Patrick’s nephew, Joe Hughes, forms a new moving company. Continuing the family tradition, Joe’s own 8 nephews (including one in particular) are seasonally employed by Uncle Joe throughout their high school and college years.

That nephew, Tim, starts his first job after college graduation as a dispatcher for a nationwide van line, where he is frequently faced with a particularly time-consuming and challenging task. Tim is identifying, hiring, and coordinating the schedules of electricians, plumbers, and carpenters hired to perform third party specialty services required for the household move. All too frequently issues of timing and availability for these tradesmen result in service failures and major inconveniences to the customer. Tim soon conceives a solution: a single tradesman who possesses all the necessary skills needed to serve the requirements of the relocating family.

In 1978, Tim founds Movers Specialty Service, Inc. (MSS) out of his one-bedroom apartment in Suburban Philadelphia and begins providing third party services for local movers.

MSS Goes Nationwide

“I’ve got a guy!”

As the company steadily evolves, it becomes clear that significant growth outside the mid-Atlantic region can only be achieved by creating a nationwide presence. With a long list of happy customers in tow, MSS takes a critical step that would later serve as the defining moment for the specialty services industry as we know it today.

In 1984, MSS Goes Nationwide: Building and curating a nationwide network of technicians across the country, MSS answers the call from customers seeking help in any given area with a resounding, “I’ve Got a Guy!” (And, eventually, gals as well!)

Hard Work & Hustle

“The road to success is always under construction.”

1993: MSS holds its inaugural Annual Contractor’s Conference, which continues to take place in locations across the United States.

1996: MSS moves its headquarters to Montgomeryville, PA.

1997: Tim is elected to the American Moving & Storage Association (AMSA) Board of Directors, the first non-mover to ever serve in this position.

1997—1999: MSS is rated one of the Greater Philadelphia Area’s 100 Fastest Growing Companies for three consecutive years.

Welcome to the New Millennium

“Innovation is the pathway to growth.”

2003: MSS wins the Cartus Master’s Cup for Service Provider of the Year. Cartus is the world’s largest relocation management company.

2006: MSS University is unveiled, providing employees with robust virtual training programs that cover all aspects of the third party business, featuring a metrics-driven performance model.

2007: MSS launches a series of annual Regional Subcontractor Conferences, holding five separate meetings in various locations throughout the US in order to include more technicians than ever before. 

2008: MSS Logistics Services division (now called Pure Install Solutions) was created to focus on service delivery outside the relocation industry.

2009: The world’s largest relocation management company recognizes MSS as the “Industry’s Innovator,” presenting the company with 24 innovation awards for a variety of initiatives that directly benefits our customers.  

2009: AMSA presents their inaugural Summit Award for supplier excellence to MSS, the moving industry’s most prestigious supplier recognition because the recipient is selected directly via customer nominations. 

More Determined Than Ever

“The only source of knowledge is experience.” -Albert Einstein

2011: MSS is named winner of the world’s largest relocation management company’s Commitment to Excellence Platinum Award for its exceptional service results.

2012: The MSS Tech University website is launched to provide customer service and third party technical skills training, as well as serve as an “all things MSS” resource, for our subcontractor owners, office personnel, and technicians.

2013: MSS debuts new branding: Relocation Support Services | Precision Crating Services | Pure Install Solutions.

2014: MSS once again becomes eligible for and is presented with AMSA’s Summit Award for supplier excellence for the second time.

2018: MSS celebrates its 40th Anniversary!

2018: The Moving & Storage Institute (MSI) honors Tim Hughes with the MSI Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Service. This award is the industry’s most prestigious symbol of leadership, innovation, integrity, and service and is awarded annually to one individual who has built a reputation for professional excellence and made significant contributions leading to overall industry growth and advancement.

2019: MSS once again becomes eligible for and is presented with AMSA’s Summit Award for supplier excellence. No other supplier has won this award three times.

A Strange New Decade Begins

Together, We are Essential

2020: As part of the country’s Critical Infrastructure Workforce, MSS remains open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, helping families to safely settle into their new homes during an uncertain and extraordinary time.

2022: Tim Hughes is named winner of the Cartus Global Citizenship Silver Award, which is given in recognition of commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, charitable giving, and sustainability.

2023: MSS is awarded a Top Workplaces 2023 honor by The Philadelphia Inquirer for the 14th consecutive year! The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by research partner Energage, LLC. The anonymous survey measures several aspects of workplace culture, including alignment, execution, and connection, just to name a few.

2024: MSS becomes eligible for and is presented with the American Trucking Association (ATA) Moving and Storage Conference (MSC)’s Summit Award for supplier excellence. No other company has won this award four times.