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30 Oct

Posted at 19:29h in Articles

The future of construction may have its roots in the past. Once an emergency measure, prefabricated buildings may be our best hope for a sustainable industry. The concept of assembling a building from pre-made parts is far from new. Over 4 000 years ago, the builders of Mesopotamia saw this as a valuable time-saving option. Later, the Romans adopted the same technique to construct their forts, and some are still standing and remain functional.   Among the more recent examples of prefabricated constructions were the wooden sheds built in England and shipped to California to house prospectors and miners during the gold rush in the 1840s. In 1851, the iconic Crystal Palace was built for Britain’s Great Exhibition and later dismantled and relocated. Thirty-six years later, the Eiffel Tower was erected using accurately precast metal beams. However, perhaps the first large-scale construction of prefabricated buildings or prefabs, as they became known, was to provide temporary accommodation for Britains left homeless following World War II. In practice, many are still occupied today, indicating a future for prefabrication in the construction industry.   Prefabricated Buildings Reduce Dependence on Concrete   Today, the construction industry’s biggest problem is its widespread reliance on concrete and its contribution to the...

30 Sep

Posted at 10:03h in Articles

While most items can be safely transported in standard shipping containers, some goods require special conditions. Reefer containers are often the solution. The precise nature and properties of the cargo to be transported will determine the environmental adjustments necessary to maintain its integrity.   The adjective "reefer" is generally used to describe a container with an integrated refrigeration unit. Before these specialised shipping containers became available, fresh meat, vegetables, flowers, and other perishable items would have had to be transported by air, adding substantially to their cost. Today, fresh flowers from Amsterdam or beef from Argentina are reasonably priced and available from retailers almost anywhere in the world.   Different Types of Reefer Containers   Temperature is only one of several parameters that might affect the quality of perishable goods aboard a container ship. There are three main types of reefer containers, and the first step is to choose the best able to maintain the environmental conditions necessary to ensure your particular cargo arrives at its final destination in perfect condition. Here are some more details about these three options and their purposes:   Closed Reefer Containers: This is the most common type, consisting of one piece with an integral front wall. Cooling (or heating) is provided...

30 Sep

Posted at 10:02h in Articles

Following their launch in the US in the mid-50s, one can now find shipping containers for sale worldwide. However, prospective buyers might need some advice. The concept was the brainchild of an American trucker who thought it would save time and money if he could load his truck onto a ship, complete with its cargo, rather than offloading and loading items individually.   His solution was to design a rectangular steel box that could be transported on a flatbed truck or railcar to and from a port and transferred with a crane in a single operation. While estimates vary widely, there could be as many as 17 million shipping containers in circulation today. Surprisingly, not all of them are being used to transport cargo by sea.   People purchase containers for various purposes. For example, they are the most effective way to transport furniture overseas when emigrating or to provide temporary storage for it when undertaking a major home renovation. The past few decades have seen a growing tendency to convert them into temporary or mobile buildings like site offices, classrooms, dormitories, and even multi-storey apartment blocks.   Things to Consider Before Buying Shipping Containers for Sale   Their intended purpose is just one of the factors to...

31 Aug

Posted at 14:26h in Articles

In 1956, a change in how we transport marine cargo transformed global trade forever. The catalyst for that change was the invention of shipping containers. In 1937, a US truck driver was struck by the lengthy process of loading and unloading cargo vessels. He thought it might be more efficient if his loaded trailer could be lifted intact onto a ship without disturbing its contents.   The idea persisted, and in 1956, he put it into practice with a rectangular metal box that could be transported by truck or train to and from a port and lifted directly on or off a modified freighter. He purchased and converted a World War II tanker and transported 58 of the metal boxes we now know as shipping containers from Newark to Houston. Malcolm McLean’s dogged determination not only slashed the cost of marine freight but also revolutionised the associated logistics and supply chain management.   How Shipping Containers Changed the Logistics of Maritime Trade   Before containerisation, transporting goods by sea was slow, labour-intensive, and prohibitively expensive for most would-be exporters. By extension, imported goods were equally costly. However, the expense wasn’t due to the sea voyage but the cost of loading and unloading the cargo.   Upon arrival at...

31 Aug

Posted at 14:23h in Articles

The rectangular metal boxes invented by Malcolm McLean have more uses than stowing marine freight. They can be transformed into shipping container buildings. The total number of existing containers far exceeds those in regular service on the world’s oceans. In addition to those on docksides, warehouses, and container parks, many are now serving a very different purpose from that for which they were initially designed.   Their rugged structure and uniform shape and dimensions have led to them being recognised as ideal for use in the construction of modular buildings, like shipping container homes. The option provides a rapid, cost-effective, and efficient building technique with all the versatility of Lego. Like the American trucker who reinvented shipping in the 1950s, his novel idea has since revolutionised construction. Our engineers and designers at Absolute Containers have perfected this innovative technique, creating custom shipping containers for diverse applications. Some Applications for Shipping Container Buildings   The most commonly used container measures approximately 6 metres by 2,4 by 2,4. It is large enough for numerous uses, including shipping container homes, site offices, garages, equipment stores, or a poolside bar and changing room. The 12-metre unit is also widely used for similar purposes. However, both can be joined end...

27 Jul

Posted at 16:09h in Articles

Shipping Containers for Sale Could Give New Businesses a Kickstart   Established companies meet our current needs, but entrepreneurs create the future. Shipping containers for sale can help unlock new business opportunities. Many of you who read this article will, at some time, have had a business idea that could potentially have made a lot of money and perhaps changed your lives forever. Unfortunately, those ideas are too often taken up by companies with the necessary resources to implement them while their originators continue to be wage earners. [caption id="attachment_286" align="alignright" width="300"]  [/caption] Startup costs are the most significant barrier to entrepreneurial success. Of these, the cost of purchasing suitable premises is often the greatest. Fortunately, there is a more affordable alternative to the conventional brick-and-mortar structures favoured by most businesses. A skilled and experienced engineer can repurpose shipping containers to meet the needs of any new business for a fraction of the cost of conventional commercial premises. Kickstart Your Business with Shipping Containers for Sale   If you think you have what it takes to start and grow a new business and the prospect of affordable premises has whetted your appetite, the possibilities are almost endless. If all you are waiting for is a good...

27 Jul

Posted at 15:57h in Articles

Advantages of Prefabricated Buildings   Escalating costs and a huge carbon footprint mean conventional construction methods are unsustainable. Prefabricated buildings solve both problems and more. Despite the various advantages of concrete, such as its durability and the role of its thermal stability in ensuring energy-efficient structures, it has a significant downside. It is a vast source of greenhouse gases, beaten only by coal, oil, and gas.   Although there have been significant developments in the effort to develop a more eco-friendly version of this ancient building material, a better solution might be to avoid its use as far as possible. One option that has already proved itself is repurposing new or used shipping containers as the building blocks to create modular structures.   Prefabricated buildings are not new, but earlier implementations required manufacturing walls, rooves, and other components off-site before assembling them on-site. A shipping container is essentially an empty room which only needs the addition of a door and windows to make it habitable. All other furnishings can be completed off-site before delivery and final installation. Importantly, it is a more sustainable option because the only concrete required will be for the foundations. Let’s examine some of the other advantages.   Prefabricated Buildings are More Affordable   Despite a...

30 Jun

Posted at 16:48h in Articles

The Demand in Gauteng is Growing Several factors are responsible for driving the growing interest in shipping containers for sale in Gauteng, including high property and construction prices. Rampant inflation, the weak rand, and high interest rates are making it difficult for citizens and businesses to obtain a loan to purchase property or extend an existing building. In addition, these same financial pressures, coupled with an acute job shortage, have been forcing many South African families to seek a new future overseas. Any worthwhile motivational coach will assure you that one person’s problems can often become an opportunity for someone else. In this case, the manufacturers and suppliers of shipping containers have been called upon to provide practical and affordable solutions.   Some Typical Uses for Shipping Containers for Sale in Gauteng The original purpose of containerising goods was to reduce the long hours spent loading and unloading cargo vessels. Today, it remains the most affordable way for South Africans to ship the contents of their homes when relocating overseas. However, these units can be indispensable even when stationary, providing temporary secure storage space for furniture during home renovations or a cheap second garage that requires no planning permission.     For such purposes, little or no modification...

30 Jun

Posted at 16:37h in Articles

The advent of shipping containers saw cheap sea freight dominate international trade. To transport perishable goods, shippers have since introduced reefers. In the past, farmers had little option but to sell their fresh produce locally. Anything unsold would have been used as animal feed or compost for the following year’s crop.   With the introduction first of canning and, later, frozen foods, farmers were encouraged to produce more and guaranteed a captive market for their increased output. Nevertheless, due to the exorbitant cost of air freight, the distribution of both fresh and frozen products was limited mainly to their country of origin, as only canned goods could survive long-distance transportation by sea.   Fortunately, these limitations no longer apply. Today, supermarket shelves in the UK are packed with grapes, mangos, pineapples, kiwi fruit, and bananas from all over the world. In South Africa, we can enjoy poultry, meat, dairy products, and frozen foods from many other countries. Let’s learn more about the reefer containers that have made all this possible.   What are Reefers?   The term was coined by combining two words, “refrigerated” and “container”, and refers to a specialised type of shipping container with a built-in climate control facility. Its role is not merely to lower...

29 May

Posted at 11:32h in Articles

Providing accommodation can be challenging for businesses that need to relocate regularly. However, office containers will frequently offer the best solution. Let’s say you own a construction company based in Johannesburg, and you have recently been awarded a tender for a lucrative building project in a remote area of the Northern Cape. While you are unlikely to find difficulty recruiting local labourers and transporting craftspeople from your head office, providing workspace could be a problem.   Building office or storage premises on-site from scratch only to abandon them later is hardly cost-effective, but what is the alternative? In practice, you would be better advised to invest in a prefabricated structure that can be transported on a flatbed truck or a freight train whenever and wherever it may be required. A modified steel shipping container could be your best option.   What are Office Containers?   The short answer to this question is – anything you want them to be. Whatever you are building, having a site office where staff can meet, inspect plans, and determine strategies is a necessity. In addition, it can serve as a refuge from the heat when adequately insulated and fitted with air conditioning or a place for workers to find shelter...

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