ServiceMaster: Two Men and a Truck acquired by ServiceMaster

LANSING - Franchised moving company Two Men and a Truck/International Inc. has been sold to a leading provider of residential and commercial cleaning, restoration and moving services. LANSING - Franchised moving company Two Men and a Truck/International Inc. has been sold to a leading provider of residential and commercial cleaning, restoration and moving services. Two Men and a Truck, which operates multiple franchise locations throughout West Michigan, announced on Tuesday that it has sold to Atlanta-based ServiceMaster Brands, which manages brands such as Furniture Medic, Merry Maids, ServiceMaster Clean and ServiceMaster Restore. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. "Two Men and a Truck is an excellent addition to the ServiceMaster Brands portfolio," Elane Stock, CEO of ServiceMaster Brands, said in a statement. "Not only are they the leading brand in their industry, but they also have a deeply ingrained culture of customer service, focus on building the capabilities of their franchise network, and respect for frontline team members - values we share." Two Men and a Truck has been in business for 35 years, offering comprehensive home and business relocation services, in addition to junk removal and packing services. The company operates throughout 46 states and 380 locations. In June, the company said first quarter revenues by nearly 14.5 percent, although it did not disclose specific financials. At the time, the company said it had more than 3,000 trucks in operation. The company began back in the 1980s, established by brothers Brig and Jon Sorber as a way to make some spending cash during high school. The brothers turned to their mom, Mary Ellen Sheets, to hand-draw the primitive logo that continues to define the company today. Sheets went on to own the company. "She absolutely loved the business. Really, it became hers," Brig Sorber told MiBiz in a 2012 interview. "Mom was never one to look at profits first. She just wanted to do a really good job. ... She was not trying to bust people for a buck. She was always taking care of people." Two Men and a Truck CEO Jon Nobis, who came to the company as its Chief Information Officer in 2011, will join the executive leadership team at ServiceMaster Brands and will continue operating the company out of its home office in Lansing. "What started as a small, local moving company with simply two men and a truck, has grown to an extensive franchise network with locations in the U.S., Canada, the UK and Ireland," Nobis said in a statement. "We are confident the combination of our mission of exceeding customers' expectations with our shared commitment to innovation will drive further growth for both Two Men and a Truck and ServiceMaster Brands."