1977 is a year etched in the memory of Thomas (Tim) C. Moore, now president and COO of AMJ Campbell Van Lines, Canada’s largest, most successful moving company. It was the year that the young teacher walked away from the security of a teaching career to try and turn a small part-time business into a major corporation.

He purchased a 50-year-old local moving company with three trucks and $250,000 in business.

Like all true entrepreneurs Moore put all of his energy and effort into building his little company. The company was innovative and market driven. It concentrated on providing service not previously seen in this industry. The customer was “king.” Moore aggressively recruited the best people to work in his ever-growing empire. Sales people, managers, drivers, packers — everyone was the cream of the crop. Not all came from inside the industry, particularly in the managerial ranks, but all were achievers, hard workers, entrepreneurs, and people with vision.
 

Tim Moore, president & COO of AMJ Campbell Van Lines, recruited only the "cream of the crop" to provide its customers  with a level of service not previously seen in the moving industry.

AMJ Campbell brought a new professionalism to the industry. Drivers and packers were placed on contract and were made accountable for their performance. A system of penalties and rewards was put into place. Employees at all levels could purchase shares.

Marketing efforts concentrated on the burgeoning corporate sector. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, corporations were moving thousands of employees across Canada. AMJ Campbell positioned itself as the expert in this area, designing special programs to assist employee relocations. AMJ was the first company to offer seminars to relocating employees.

As a member of North American Van Lines, AMJ was thwarted in its efforts to expand. Moore consequently affiliated his company with Atlas Van Lines when his contract with North American expired. Such a change was risky but AMJ Campbell clients were so loyal to the organization that the transition was made without loss of any customer base.

The company understood the importance of Value Added Benefits. Forming strategic partnerships with the likes of Canadian Airlines and Swiss Chalet, AMJ Campbell earned endorsements from such reputable organizations as the Ontario Medical Association and Canadian Olympic Association. AMJ has been the official mover of the Canadian Olympic team since 1984.

By 1986 the company had grown to 29 offices. A few of the smaller centres had been franchised. The company was now ready to diversify into other areas such as office moving, trade shows and displays.

In 1988, 70 percent of the company was sold to an investment group comprised of major business leaders. In 1989, AMJ purchased a key competitor making the company fully national with 35 offices from coast to coast.

Quick to forecast the downturn in the economy, AMJ Campbell moved to reduce overhead, eliminate inefficiencies and to franchise additional branch operations. By 1992 the parent company, CamVec Corporation, took the company public on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The strength of the partnerships, relationships and sensible management has made AMJ Campbell a financially stable company, open to new opportunities and yet true to its tradition of superior customer service.