7 Reasons Repurposed Shipping Containers Make Sense

From sturdy cargo boxes that ship goods across the globe to innovative modular building elements, repurposed shipping containers are revolutionizing modular building. Upcycled containers have become an alternative to traditional modular construction, and they come with many benefits. Here are seven reasons to opt for a repurposed shipping container.

1. Durable

Shipping containers, sometimes called conex containers, have a lifespan of 25 years on average, but afterward, they still hold a 75 percent salvage value, even as training facilities and workforce housing in remote locations. Not only is the longevity of repurposed shipping containers unlike most other capital assets, but the maintenance required to ensure that longevity is simple and cost-efficient. For example, you’ll need to regularly inspect the surface for rust and clean the metal as necessary – an easy yet worthwhile routine.

2. Secure

Alongside durability, repurposed shipping containers are incredibly secure. Constructed of heavy-duty, 16-gauge steel, shipping containers are difficult to break into, helping to protect against theft. Shipping containers are a great solution to protect the most important items to your business, no matter if it’s inventory storage or vital industrial equipment.

3. Weather and Rodent Resistant

The ISO shipping container was designed to protect valuable goods and materials from shore to shore under extreme weather conditions at sea. So, if you need a sturdy structure that will stand up to the elements and keep rodents out, container structures are a great solution. Shipping containers can handle both hot Texas summers and icy North Dakotan winters.

4. Logistically Ideal

Thanks to the standardized sizes intended for shipping cargo, shipping containers offer a natural logistic advantage when it comes to relocation. They are easily relocated via truck and can even fit on a train or airplane. Container manufacturers also included forklift pockets and corner castings for crane use, so these sturdy structures are easy to lift, move, and stack as needed.

5. Stackable

Unmodified containers were engineered to be stacked nine high on a cargo ship – even when packed to a fully-loaded weight of 67,000 pounds. If you do the math, you’ll find that the frame of the bottom container in a 9-high stack reliably supports 500,000 pounds. Therefore, containers are a safe and effective solution for a repurposed shipping container building with a tight footprint.

6. Quick to Assemble

Reduced project timelines are a common theme in the modular construction industry. Most often, modular construction allows both onsite preparation and offsite construction to happen simultaneously. Once the modules arrive on site, the assembly can begin immediately.

Upcycled shipping containers take speed a step further. There are many unique advantages to containers over traditional modular structures. Shipping containers are:

• Relocatable structures that don’t require permanence.
• Quick to set up and great ground-level structure solutions.
• Fast and easy to connect onsite, even with electrical and plumbing.
• Ready for site set up. Many container applications don’t need foundations, just flat and solid ground.