Corporate Giants Are Reshaping Long Island’s Moving Landscape—Here’s What It Means for Your Next Move
The moving industry is experiencing a dramatic transformation in 2025, as corporate consolidation reaches unprecedented levels with M&A activity surging 49% from 2024. This wave of buyouts and mergers isn’t just affecting tech giants and energy companies—it’s fundamentally changing how local moving companies operate, particularly on Long Island where family-owned businesses have long dominated the market.
The Great Consolidation Wave Hits Moving Services
While headlines focus on massive deals like Netflix’s $82 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. assets, a quieter but equally significant consolidation is happening in the moving industry. The level of competition is low and decreasing in the Moving Services industry, with major players like Arcbest Corporation, Unigroup, Inc. and Atlas World Group Inc. dominating the market.
This trend mirrors broader market dynamics where companies are pursuing strategic consolidation to grow faster and compete more effectively after a period of inflation and geopolitical strain. For the moving industry specifically, there are still opportunities for consolidation in the industry, with executives believing this won’t be the last major acquisition.
Why Corporate Buyouts Are Targeting Local Movers
The driving forces behind this consolidation are clear and compelling. One of the primary drivers of consolidation is the desire to achieve economies of scale, allowing organizations to increase their production capacity, reduce costs, and improve efficiency. In the moving industry, this translates to better route optimization, shared resources, and more efficient logistics networks.
Additionally, continued consolidation of companies in the moving industry creates a smaller opportunity pool for local/interstate movers. This pressure is particularly intense for smaller operations that lack the capital to compete with larger, well-funded competitors who can offer comprehensive services and technology solutions.
The Long Island Moving Market Under Pressure
Long Island’s moving market faces unique challenges that make local companies particularly attractive acquisition targets. With 75% of Americans priced out of homeownership in 2025, buying activity is increasingly concentrated among higher-income households. This creates opportunities for premium moving services, but also intensifies competition for the remaining market share.
The regulatory environment has also shifted favorably toward consolidation. The Trump administration introduced an era of regulatory restraint, with federal regulators swinging back toward more traditional antitrust analysis and enforcement, jettisoning the recently espoused anti-consolidation mindset.
What This Means for Long Island Consumers
For consumers planning a move on Long Island, these industry changes present both opportunities and challenges. On the positive side, consolidated companies often offer more comprehensive services, better technology platforms, and stronger financial backing. They may provide more reliable scheduling, advanced tracking systems, and standardized quality controls.
However, consolidation can also lead to reduced competition and potentially higher prices. Higher mortgage rates and affordability barriers are narrowing demand to wealthier buyers, creating more opportunities for premium moving services as most moving companies are raising prices to match increased costs.
When selecting professional movers for your Long Island relocation, it’s more important than ever to research company ownership, service history, and local reputation. Independent companies that have maintained their autonomy may offer more personalized service and competitive pricing, while larger consolidated operations might provide more comprehensive coverage and resources.
The Future of Moving Services on Long Island
Looking ahead, the moving industry is buzzing with optimism as companies head into 2025, showing readiness to innovate, adapt, and make up for the last few years. The movers that win the next 5 years will be the ones that understand the data, act on trends, and create & streamline the systems internally to move fast.
For Long Island residents, this evolution means staying informed about which companies maintain local ownership versus those acquired by larger corporations. Independent movers who have successfully navigated this consolidation wave often demonstrate strong operational efficiency and customer focus—qualities that become even more valuable in a consolidated market.
The key for consumers is to evaluate moving companies based on their current service quality, transparency in pricing, and commitment to the local community, regardless of their ownership structure. As the industry continues to evolve, those companies—whether independent or part of larger networks—that prioritize customer satisfaction and maintain strong local connections will continue to thrive in Long Island’s competitive moving market.