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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...

29 May

Posted at 11:27h in Articles

When first introduced in 1956, the shipping container sparked a revolution in marine freight transport, but is it still fit for purpose in a digital world? The concept of packing goods in a standard-sized metal box significantly reduced the time needed by stevedores to load and unload a cargo ship, slashing the overall cost of shipping and conducting international trade in the process.   However, numerous technological advances have occurred during the nearly seven decades that followed the launch of the first container ship. Today, in the digital world of the 21st century, it has become clear that the industry will need more from these iconic metal boxes in the future. Let’s explore some of the emerging trends in this crucially important field.   Automation and the Shipping Container   Despite the drop in international trade due to the pandemic, the demand for sea freight is increasing faster than ever, forcing the industry to look for alternatives to human handlers. Robots, cobots, and AI have been gaining ground in many fields and are proving their worth daily. An autonomous self-driving forklift offers an easier and faster way to position cargo in a container and remove it while leaving human workers free to focus on external tasks...

17 Apr

Posted at 13:45h in Articles

Events like the Gold Rush and the Second World War led to a vast demand for prefabricated buildings, but are they still relevant today? The short answer is, “more than ever”. Historically, they were introduced as an emergency measure. They offered a means to provide inexpensive accommodation for prospectors in the Klondike and people rendered homeless by the Blitz in Britain that was quick and easy to erect. Despite being considered a temporary solution, many of those wartime British “prefabs” continued to house families for decades, and some are still occupied today. Their durability, low cost, and ease of assembly have led to a steadily growing demand for similar structures today. However, the modern solution is to construct modular buildings from converted shipping containers rather than sticking with the wartime concept of aluminium or steel frameworks and asbestos or wooden walls, creating many more roles for them today.   Shipping Containers  offer a Versatile Starting Point for Prefabricated Buildings While rising house prices and high interest rates have sparked an increased demand for this far cheaper alternative, the possible uses for converted shipping containers are not limited to affordable housing, nor are they restricted to single-storey dwellings. When employing this modular approach to construction,...

17 Apr

Posted at 07:15h in Articles

When Malcolm McLean invented storage containers in 1956, he could never have imagined the many innovative ways in which they have been repurposed today. In his day, loading and unloading their cargo cost exporters $5,86 per tonne. After the US trucking company owner introduced his invention, that figure dropped to $0,16. However, while exporters were delighted by this 90% reduction, it didn’t win him any friends among the dock workers who promptly responded with strike action. Ultimately, progress won, and the result was a massive growth in marine freight and much more cash in the previously disgruntled dockers’ pay packets. While estimates of the total number of these steel storage units vary (some sources suggest as many as 170 million), there are probably 17 million in active service today, but far more are lying idle on docksides or stacked high in container parks. When no longer needed, many used units are sold to other users or for scrap, sometimes only after a few trips. However, there is a growing tendency to repurpose rather than recycle them, and the possibilities appear endless. Storage Containers Offer so Much More Than Storage Space Purchase a second-hand, open-top unit, excavate a deep-enough rectangular hole in your garden...

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