Let’s look at some of the advantages of using shipping containers for your business:
- Size
Shipping containers are available in a variety of standard sizes, including 10 ft., 20 ft., and 40 ft.
- Buy or lease
A business owner has the option of buying or renting a storage container from companies like MMPS, depending on their short- or long-term needs.
- Security
Made from high-grade material, shipping containers are known to be extremely safe and secure. You also have the option of adding extra security features.
- Convenient
Since storage containers are built and assembled in a dedicated facility, it is easy to transport them to any location and install them according to your convenience.
- Cost
High-quality shipping containers are offered at reasonable rates, giving you an affordable solution to your office space or storage needs.
- Multipurpose
Perhaps the biggest advantage of a container is the fact that it can be tailored to suit your unique requirements.
Taking a cue from the last point, let’s take a look at the pan-industry applications of shipping containers and how they can be used innovatively across segments. For instance, did you know they built an entire bridge in Israelusing old containers?
- CONSTRUCTION
Whether you wish to allot a dedicated space for storing construction materials, high-value tools, gear, equipment, cables, and electrical systems, or set up a ground-level office for the contractor or site manager, shipping containers can help you get organized and also offer a neat workspace at a construction site. The space-saving aspect of a storage container makes it the best fit for construction projects. Container offices or mobile offices come equipped with an HVAC unit, lighting system, and pre-stubbed phone and data lines. You can customize them to add racks, shelving units, bins, tables, and more.
- MANUFACTURING
Just like the construction industry, manufacturing facilities, too, require ample storage space. Contemporary storage containers offer the flexibility and convenience needed for storing materials at an industrial facility. And since space restrictions may present certain challenges for additional office space, high-security portable offices can help in this regard. Loaded with fully functional HVAC systems, lights, electrical outlets, doors, windows, plywood walls, and insulation features, using a portable office shipping container in a manufacturing facility is an excellent option.
- PETROCHEMICAL
Oil and petrochemical companies are known to run their operations in extreme climates and harsh conditions. In such an environment, having storage and office solutions that are durable, secure, and convenient is essential. Portable storage containers and mobile offices can easily withstand hurricanes, inclement weather, and extreme heat, thanks to their robust structure and logistical advantage. Imagine an oilfield in Alaska where you have several workers slogging it out day and night. Setting up a hospitable working environment for them is important, and shipping containers allow you to convert them into fully-functional cafeteria, storage rooms, conference halls, lounging rooms, medical facilities, emergency rooms, recreational rooms, and even laundry rooms.
- RETAIL
In the retail sector, businesses often struggle with space constraints. The need to expand the inventory storage capacity, together with the growing concern around security, points directly towards using shipping containers to resolve these problems. Modern storage containers are easily customizable to suit the needs of a retailer and can be modified with shelves and other storage solutions to make the business operations more efficient. Having easy accessibility to your stock and relying less on offsite warehouses makes it easy to gain superior control over your inventory, while ensuring security and peace of mind to store owners and retailers.
- EDUCATION
The rapid rise in the number of schools and colleges around the country is great news for the education sector. Educational institutes often go through phases where they remodel or modernize their facilities and having temporary storage solutions like shipping containers works well in such cases. Storage containers are not only cost-effective and convenient, but also highly secure, making them the perfect solution for storing sensitive student data, high-value electronic equipment, and other material. For campuses that require additional space to accommodate new students, several educational facilities have embraced the idea of converting a mobile container into a study space. These units are weatherproof and equipped with almost everything you might need in a basic classroom. What’s amazing about a shipping container is that you can configure it according to a school’s needs, adding desks, chairs, lighting, computers, projectors and whatnot. There are several examples of local governments in impoverished areas investing in shipping container schools (schools and classrooms made entirely using shipping containers!).
- GOVERNMENT
Government entities need extremely secure storage solutions in order to safeguard confidential documents, data, and information. Waterproof and weatherproof shipping containers offer a high degree of safety from theft and natural disasters, while ensuring that government agencies get a reliable storage solution at a competitive price. It is possible to tailor a container with additional systems and lockable handles, adding more layers of security to it if required.
- HEALTHCARE
The recent pandemic revealed the shortage of emergency medical facilities in many countries around the world. Hospitals and clinics require secure storage for keeping medical records, maintenance equipment, medical tools, beds and mattresses, wheelchairs, medicines, and other materials. Investing in storage containers is a great temporary solution for such facilities. And for hospitals that wish to add more space to their facility, it is easy to do so by customizing mobile containers to provide optimal patient care. Given the increasing popularity of shipping containers in the healthcare industry, mobile clinics, temporary first-aid facilities, and patient triage centers are now a reality.
- AUTOMOTIVE
Need to create some space in your showroom? Wish to house more inventory? Want to host an auto show at the showroom? What you need is a dependable and high-quality storage and space solution. Shipping containers are used widely in the auto industry for storage purposes – from parts and supplies, to tools and spares. The robust nature of these containers ensures that the vehicles and spare parts are kept safe from moisture, heat, rain, and other atmospheric challenges. Using a storage container also allows you to keep your parts organized and maximize the showroom space.
- AGRICULTURE
Ever heard of shipping container farming? Farming in a controlled environment enables flexible and scalable production. LED lights replace natural sunlight, climate control systems replace natural (and unpredictable weathers), and smart systems regulate the oxygen, carbon dioxide, and humidity levels. Sturdy, safe, and weather resistant, storage containers are an excellent alternative (or supplementary option) to traditional farming. Since this kind of farming reduces the need for water, fertilizers, and pesticides, it is also more affordable. What’s more, you can fit the container with water pipes, electronic systems, and more to ensure more effective seeding, transplanting, and harvesting. In terms of storage, they offer high security and optimum space for storing high-value farming equipment, machinery, tools, and produce.
- HOSPITALITY
This one’s a no-brainer. You must have seen hundreds of food trucks, cafes, restaurants on wheels, bistros, and even mini movie theaters that have been made using shipping containers. The flexibility and customizability of a storage container means that you can literally convert it into anything you want. Climate-controlled storage is one of the biggest concerns of small business owners in the hospitality industry. Storage containers let you keep perishable items, high-value materials, and foods in a safe and secure environment. The hospitality sector was among the first industries to realize the potential of shipping containers and the benefits they offer to small entrepreneurs and restaurant owners. The growing adoption of this model is a trend that we will continue to see in the future.
Phew! Who would’ve thought that a cold steel box could be used in so many different ways? But that’s not all. The innovative applications of shipping containers aren’t restricted to these 10 industries. Don’t be surprised if you come across shipping container gardens, life-sized Lego houses, swimming pools, toilets, art galleries, mini-workshops, or even barns!
Leave a Comment