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31 Oct

Posted at 06:41h in Articles

In the wake of rising house prices, modern architecture is transforming shipping containers into affordable, prefabricated homes and business premises. The concept of modular, prebuilt structures is far from new. It originated in the early years of the 17th century when the first British settlers needed homes to establish their new colony in the region now known as Massachusetts. However, using these new or used rectangular architecture containers as the starting point has opened up unprecedented opportunities for designers and builders limited only by their imagination and the available space.   The Potential Uses of Modern Architecture Containers   While the straight lines inherent in the design of these storage vessels are a common feature of modern architecture, in suitably skilled hands, these containers can be embellished in ways that disguise all evidence of their original box-like shape. Thus, opting for affordability need not force one to sacrifice aesthetics. That said, a client will often be happy with just a fairly basic structure. For example, a construction company is unlikely to require anything too elaborate to act as a temporary site office. In most cases, a few windows, some inside insulation, a power supply, and a coat of paint will probably suffice. For storing...

30 Sep

Posted at 13:38h in Articles

Five Ways Shipping Container Conversions Can Improve Mining Efficiency   The primary purpose of those metal boxes on the docksides of all major ports is to facilitate loading and transporting cargo by road, rail, and sea. However, they are often used for only a few journeys. After that, their usual fate was to be sold for scrap or to another one-time user or just left to gather dust. However, around 1987, a man named Philip Clark filed a patent for a method he devised to adapt these metal storage boxes for use as homes. Since then, shipping container conversions have become a global industry with clients in many key sectors, from education and healthcare to construction and mineral exploitation.   In practice, this trend has gained traction in the mining industry, where it has been found to enhance efficiency in five critical ways. Let’s review these in more detail.   Lower Maintenance Costs: These robust steel boxes were built to last. Even after they are refurbished, they will stand up to extreme weather conditions and the harsh conditions typical of the mining work environment. Under these conditions, you can expect around 25 years of service from shipping container conversions. By comparison, the average wood and vinyl job-site trailer will...

30 Sep

Posted at 13:30h in Articles

Providing adequate classroom accommodation, especially in rural areas, has been a long-standing challenge in South Africa. Building costs are high and they continue to increase. By contrast, education budgets are woefully inadequate, repeatedly failing to keep pace with inflation. The result is that teachers are often expected to work in cramped premises with class numbers too large to be manageable. Fortunately, there is now a potential solution. Used shipping containers can be converted into anything from a luxury summerhouse or site office to a fully equipped classroom for a fraction of the cost of a conventional bricks-and-mortar build.   Why Are Shipping Containers Ideal for Classrooms?   Two features of these units make them ideal for building purposes. Firstly, their steel bodies are strong enough to withstand repeated handling by dockside cranes and the extreme weather conditions often faced by ocean-going vessels. Secondly, their rectangular shape and standardised dimensions are ideal for use in modular structures. Individually, they provide the framework for a single classroom. However, one could construct an entire school by welding several shipping containers together.   However, these rectangular metal boxes are not only a means to develop a facility from scratch. They can also be the answer when it is necessary to expand the accommodation of...

18 Aug

Posted at 13:34h in Articles

Five Ways Shipping Container Conversions Can Improve Mining Efficiency The primary purpose of those metal boxes on the docksides of all major ports is to facilitate loading and transporting cargo by road, rail, and sea. However, they are often used for only a few journeys. After that, their usual fate was to be sold for scrap or to another one-time user or just left to gather dust. However, around 1987, a man named Philip Clark filed a patent for a method he devised to adapt these metal storage boxes for use as homes. Since then, shipping container conversions have become a global industry with clients in many key sectors, from education and healthcare to construction and mineral exploitation. In practice, this trend has gained traction in the mining industry, where it has been found to enhance efficiency in five critical ways. Let’s review these in more detail. Lower Maintenance Costs: These robust steel boxes were built to last. Even after they are refurbished, they will stand up to extreme weather conditions and the harsh conditions typical of the mining work environment. Under these conditions, you can expect around 25 years of service from shipping container conversions. By comparison, the average wood and vinyl job-site trailer will rarely...

18 Aug

Posted at 12:27h in Articles

Providing adequate classroom accommodation, especially in rural areas, has been a long-standing challenge in South Africa. Building costs are high and they continue to increase. By contrast, education budgets are woefully inadequate, repeatedly failing to keep pace with inflation. The result is that teachers are often expected to work in cramped premises with class numbers too large to be manageable. Fortunately, there is now a potential solution. Used shipping containers can be converted into anything from a luxury summerhouse or site office to a fully equipped classroom for a fraction of the cost of a conventional bricks-and-mortar build. Why Are Shipping Containers Ideal for Classrooms? Two features of these units make them ideal for building purposes. Firstly, their steel bodies are strong enough to withstand repeated handling by dockside cranes and the extreme weather conditions often faced by ocean-going vessels. Secondly, their rectangular shape and standardised dimensions are ideal for use in modular structures. Individually, they provide the framework for a single classroom. However, one could construct an entire school by welding several shipping containers together. However, these rectangular metal boxes are not only a means to develop a facility from scratch. They can also be the answer when it is necessary to expand the accommodation of...

18 Jul

Posted at 09:30h in Articles

While the first units were produced in America, around 97% of the shipping containers for sale worldwide are now manufactured in China due to the country’s substantially lower labour costs. The two factories that once constructed these items in South Africa could not match the price of imported products and failed to survive. Many of these large steel boxes are used only a few times or, in some cases, just once. Others may only be retired after a decade or two. Consequently, there is now a thriving trade in second-hand units in most countries. Despite their close association with marine freight, one of the greatest strengths of the new and used shipping containers for sale is their versatility. When US trucker Malcolm McLean first mooted his revolutionary idea in the ‘50s, it was for a storage unit that could be readily transported by road, rail, and sea. The concept transformed intercontinental door-to-door delivery from a dream to a routine operation. As many South Africans prepare to leave home in search of a new life overseas, the question of how best to transport their furniture or vehicles often arises. Even if you live in the middle of the Karoo, a company with new or used containers for...

15 Jul

Posted at 11:01h in Articles

When an American trucker named Malcolm McLean commissioned the first standard-sized metal boxes for transporting road and sea freight, he could not have foreseen the impact of his innovative idea. Firstly, his invention slashed loading and unloading times, substantially reducing the cost of handling. More significantly, he initiated the growth of a massive global industry. Today, his original batch of 58 steel storage containers seems somewhat less noteworthy, given that the total number now exceeds 17 million. While around 5 million of these are at sea at any given time, the vast majority are onshore. Some await loading at quaysides while others wait for dockyard cranes to unload them or haulage companies to collect them. However, the growing number of empty, unused units has inspired some to explore alternative uses for these iconic metal boxes in recent years. One of the simplest of the various available options is to repurpose them as storage containers. Depending on what one may wish to store and for how long, it may be unnecessary to make more than a few minor modifications, making this a much cheaper option than purchasing a purpose-built facility. Furthermore, these units are designed to withstand rough handling and extreme weather for 20 years or...

29 Jun

Posted at 17:41h in Articles

While the first units were produced in America, around 97% of the shipping containers for sale worldwide are now manufactured in China due to the country’s substantially lower labour costs. The two factories that once constructed these items in South Africa could not match the price of imported products and failed to survive. Many of these large steel boxes are used only a few times or, in some cases, just once. Others may only be retired after a decade or two. Consequently, there is now a thriving trade in second-hand units in most countries.   Despite their close association with marine freight, one of the greatest strengths of the new and used shipping containers for sale is their versatility. When US trucker Malcolm McLean first mooted his revolutionary idea in the ‘50s, it was for a storage unit that could be readily transported by road, rail, and sea. The concept transformed intercontinental door-to-door delivery from a dream to a routine operation.   As many South Africans prepare to leave home in search of a new life overseas, the question of how best to transport their furniture or vehicles often arises. Even if you live in the middle of the Karoo, a company with new or used containers for sale should...

29 Jun

Posted at 17:25h in Articles

Shipping Containers Can be the Perfect Storage Solution   When an American trucker named Malcolm McLean commissioned the first standard-sized metal boxes for transporting road and sea freight, he could not have foreseen the impact of his innovative idea. Firstly, his invention slashed loading and unloading times, substantially reducing the cost of handling. More significantly, he initiated the growth of a massive global industry. Today, his original batch of 58 steel storage containers seems somewhat less noteworthy, given that the total number now exceeds 17 million.   While around 5 million of these are at sea at any given time, the vast majority are onshore. Some await loading at quaysides while others wait for dockyard cranes to unload them or haulage companies to collect them. However, the growing number of empty, unused units has inspired some to explore alternative uses for these iconic metal boxes in recent years. One of the simplest of the various available options is to repurpose them as storage containers.   Depending on what one may wish to store and for how long, it may be unnecessary to make more than a few minor modifications, making this a much cheaper option than purchasing a purpose-built facility. Furthermore, these units are designed to withstand rough handling...

30 May

Posted at 15:07h in Articles

In 1956, a US Trucker named Malcolm McLean began using large metal boxes to accommodate goods for shipping. His simple but effective idea subsequently revolutionised the marine freight industry, vastly reducing loading and unloading times and the prohibitively high cost of dockside labour at the time. Since then, container rentals and sales have become a global industry. The total number in circulation is estimated to be more than 17 million.   Surprisingly, only around six million are loaded and at sea. The remainder can be found on quaysides, in warehouses, or scattered around the countryside, either unchanged or modified for some particular purpose. Nevertheless, the demand for them is consistent. It raises the question of whether it might benefit you to purchase or lease one. In practice, both options have their advantages. However, these units are no longer limited to their original purpose. Often, container rentals are seen as an economical means to provide offices and other forms of accommodation.   Container Rentals: A More Affordable Option   In contrast to the housing market, where the average rents are generally higher than the mortgage payments on a given property, leasing a prefabricated building can be cheaper than purchasing one. Frequently, the requirement is for relatively short-term accommodation. A purchase would...

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