Opening either a new office or the first office for your business is an exciting experience. A forward-thinking trend is to convert a shipping container into office space. Whether you’re utilizing storage containers for your side hustle or your full-time career, it’s important to make these portable office containers as productive as possible. Wasting time and struggling to focus when it comes to the workplace can result in some major financial and personal repercussions.
Here are some great tips for better utilizing storage containers throughout the workday and being more productive within:
Develop a productive morning routine
Prior to arriving at your shipping container office, you should have a great start to your morning. Get out of bed as the sun rises each morning, pour yourself some coffee, eat a healthy breakfast, and then head to work. Once you’re at your office, you need to have productive routines as well. Check your email, write in your journal, then get to work.
Get the larger tasks done first
Finishing your most daunting tasks early can help you feel much more productive throughout the day. You’ll feel ready to easily accomplish all the smaller tasks for the rest of the day. If you put off those larger and more important tasks, you’ll struggle to get everything done throughout the day.
Get rid of all your unnecessary distractions
It is impossible to remain productive throughout the day, or even for an hour or two if there are distractions nearby. Studies of IT and accounting workers by researchers at the University of California at Irvine found that employees switched their focus from one project to another every 10.5 minutes on average. Additionally, the studies found that the employees were interrupted during more than half of their 10.5-minute project segments. Your desk inside your office container should be free of any and all distractions, and that includes your cell phone!
Leave a hobby or activity on the other side of the container
Taking periodic breaks is actually an essential aspect of maintaining productivity. You can’t just work eight hours straight and not expect to get burnt out. Take a five or 10-minute break each hour and do something you enjoy to replenish your energy a little bit.
Benefits of Working Out of an Office Shipping Container
There are millions of unused shipping containers across the globe that can be purchased and transformed into individual offices that will even help workers maximize productivity. Whether it’s new or used shipping containers, they can easily be crafted into office containers that are great for focusing and getting work done. Here are some specific positives you can expect from a portable office!
- Portable productivity — One of the main benefits of this type of workstation is that it can easily be transformed into a portable office. If your permanent location is undergoing construction or you want a separate office from your permanent building, this is the solution for you. With portable offices, you can have that satellite office ready and get right back to working at the top of your game.
- Limited distractions — The easiest way to derail your productivity is to be distracted. Working in communal offices often involves far too many distractions. Whether it’s employee chatter, phones ringing every few minutes, or even the constant sound of typing — these minor distractions can actually lead to major problems. Containers are much more intimate and you can set them up however you like, essentially limiting all types of distractions.
- Smaller is better — The average individual workstation has shrunk over the years. In 1992, most workers got stuff done in offices that were 80 square feet. Nowadays, the average individual workstation is closer to 39 square feet. Office containers are perfect for focusing and getting work done in a small environment.
- Customizable — It’s not like you’ll be all that productive if you work in a dark, plain, and boring shipping container. You have to decorate a little bit and give yourself a comfortable place to work. If you enjoy the way your container office looks and feel comfortable, you’ll begin to focus much better and be much more productive on the job.
How to Make the Perfect Office Out of a Shipping Container
Lastly, it’s critical to know what adjustments and modifications need to be made to a shipping container to make an office “work” for you. You’ll find that the top container sales companies have the ideal office container for sale. With their professional help, you can also make custom modifications to ensure your new office is everything you want and need.
Will There Be Enough Room?
Are you concerned about the amount of space? The largest shipping containers in the world have an expansive width of 180′ and are nearly 1,300′ in length, and that’s 55 meters wide and 400 meters long. With that length, did you just imagine an Olympic running track?
No matter the size, the robust structure is ideal for conversion. An office container for sale can undergo bold renovations and include many features. Below are important aspects to consider when purchasing or customizing an office container for sale.
Great Planning and Design Are Essential
Office container projects start with great planning and design. Do you already have ideas concerning what you need in your office? Discuss all of your options with highly skilled container customization experts who offer bespoke designs. Some of those elements may include:
- UVPC windows and patio doors
- Sky lights
- Partitions
- Wood cladding
- Interior options
- Shelving
- Flooring
- Locks
- Climate control
- Insulation
- Wiring and electrics
Repaint the Exterior
Whether you choose a new or used office container for sale, you will more than likely want the exterior repainted. Repainting does more than just improve appearance. A new coat of paint provides a weatherproof coating and also helps prolong the life of a shipping container office. First impressions matter. Having the exterior painted to match shutters, windows, and doors also ensures the exterior is uniform in style.
Organization Is Integral
The perfect office is organized. Customize your new office shipping container with plenty of cabinets and storage shelving that do not interrupt the interior flow. Custom container modifications offered by transformation specialists ensure you get organizational features that are perfect for expansion plans, too.
Request more information about new and used office shipping containers that can be customized to create the ideal office space. An incredible team of skilled representatives is ready to discuss your requirements and assist you before, during, and well after the modification process. The goal is to provide customers with cost-effective and innovative office space using adaptable shipping containers. Contact Integrated Equipment Sales to learn more today!
Shipping containers are used pretty much everywhere and in any industry you can think of. According to Container Home Hub, 85% of all shipping containers worldwide are standardized containers that can be used in a variety of industries and applications. Let’s look at a few industries that often use shipping containers and how they are used.
Construction
There is often a need for storage on construction sites. Container sales often help to provide construction sites with a place for storing equipment and building materials. It’s often necessary that materials stay stored on the project site and these materials must be protected from theft. Shipping and storage containers are the perfect solution to this problem. Containers are made of steel, which ensures they are very strong and hard to break into. They are also water and air-tight as well as windproof which ensures that the equipment or materials being stored in them are safe from the elements.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing facilities can also make good use of shipping containers obtained through container sales. They make great additional storage and, within this industry, there is always a need for more storage. Using shipping containers cuts down on the need for warehouse construction and provides facilities with a greater amount of flexibility. When storage is needed, containers can be easily obtained through container sales.
Education
Globally, there are a multitude of uses for shipping containers that might surprise you. Many countries often use these types of containers to set up schools in areas that don’t have access to formal education. When properly modified, the containers can become makeshift classrooms.
Automotive
Shipping containers have long been used in the automotive industry to transport vehicles. Dealerships and showrooms can also use shipping containers to scale up inventory before a special event or during renovations. Containers can also be useful for parts storage.
Retail
For the retail industry, container sales are often sought to provide a secure method of transportation and storage of inventory. This can be a useful way to increase property storage while also keeping open the option of moving inventory quickly. Ensure you have enough inventory by investing in these containers.
If you are interested in container sales, then please contact us today. We are here for all of your container needs. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Historically, shipping containers are a vital part of the global trade industry. The introduction of standardized containers revolutionized the shipping market enabling the safe transportation of goods around the world. According to Discover Containers, 70% of the world’s goods are carried by sea, and 52% of the world’s sea trade uses shipping containers. Keep reading to learn why shipping containers play such a key role in global trade.
Standardization Efficiency
When it comes to global trade the most vital element is efficiency and, when shipping methods are standardized, efficiency is increased and there is a profound impact on global trade. Standardization has allowed seamless intermodal transportation around the world. When containers are designed with uniform dimensions and specs, they are more easily fitted into different transportation modes. Vendors within the industry can more efficiently plan for these shipments and know they have the space and accommodations for everything coming in. This includes ships for sea travel.
The practice of using standardized shipping containers for sea travel has reduced the time and labor needed for cargo handling. This has dramatically revolutionized the logistics process in sea trade. In the past, goods had to be loaded and unloaded individually or packed into many differing types of containers. This was time-consuming and created huge margins for errors. Today, with standardized containers, the entire process has been streamlined. This saves time and money.
Cost Reduction
The standardization and efficiency improvements mentioned above directly translate into cost savings for companies. With the use of shipping and storage containers, the need for manual labor has been reduced. Transporting containers has been largely automated and assisted through the use of machinery, such as cranes, reducing labor expenses and the expense of injuries that often occur in this industry.
Shipping container sales can be viewed as a wise investment for companies. Once that investment has been made, containers can be used over and over literally for years. Containers require very little maintenance and can be used for many different types of cargo and applications. Companies can reduce their overhead significantly as shipping containers also serve as storage containers as well.
If you are interested in shipping container sales, then please contact us today. We will be happy to assist you with your storage and shipping container needs. Don’t wait to call us today!
It is outside the shipping industry that steel shipping containers become multi-purpose thanks to their durability and flexible design. You can modify a steel shipping container to fit your needs, whether it’s for commercial or domestic use. Luckily we have enough supply of new and used shipping containers, given that more than 17 million shipping containers are in circulation today. Of these, five million are actively involved in the shipping industry, and they make around 200 million trips a year, as Billie Box says.
Why, though, are steel shipping containers so reliable even beyond the shipping industry? Here’s how their use extends beyond the shipping industry, into the military and government, as well as why their qualities lend to such flexible uses.
Steel Shipping Containers are Made Using Sturdy Materials
Corten steel is the primary material used to make shipping containers. From the corrugated walls, cross members to cargo doors and frames of a shipping container, sturdy corten steel is utilized. Corten steel is also known as weathering steel. It’s a group of steel alloys specially made to be rust-resistant, weldable, and eliminate the need for painting shipping containers. For this reason, steel shipping containers can withstand adverse weather conditions with zero to minimum damage. For instance, if you’re a contractor who works in remote areas with harsh climates, you can modify a steel shipping container into a site office or a storage facility for your tools, machinery, and equipment.
Shipping Containers are Easily Portable
Steel shipping containers are specifically designed to allow for crane rigging. The corner castings of a steel cargo container are reinforced to make the container strong enough for crane lifting even when it’s loaded to the maximum. The forklift pockets and twist locks also enhance the portability of a shipping container. Since steel shipping containers are easy to move, you can make a portable concession stand, mobile offices, or container pop up shops. Having the capacity to take your services and products where the customers are is necessary in the modern business world. Even as you move around showcasing your products, you’ll not worry about your products’ security because steel shipping containers are secure and hard to break into. Additionally, you can have reinforced cargo doors and install an alarm and monitoring system to enhance your products’ security.
Steel Shipping Containers Can Accommodate Various Modifications
Being made from weldable steel, it’s easy for technicians to make modifications to a shipping container without incurring huge costs. You can install doors, windows, ventilation, shelves, cabinets, and insulation to custom-make a shipping container to fit your needs. The ease of modifications on steel shipping containers increases not only their efficiency but also their utility. Many businesses in different industries can modify a shipping container to serve twin purposes in their line of work. For instance, a logistics company may modify a 40 feet container to serve as a pick-up office and a temporary storage facility.
A business can also modify a shipping container to capitalize on branding. The exterior walls of a shipping container are a perfect space for a business to paint its logo, corporate colors, and advertising message. Since steel shipping containers are easy to modify, it’s faster and affordable for a business to customize several containers to fit their brand’s needs.
Steel Shipping Containers are Long Lasting
The corrugated steel used to make shipping containers has no elements of organic materials, and it’s likely to last a lifetime. Ultimately, 98% of shipping container parts are recyclable. Therefore, when your shipping containers have outlived their usefulness, you can send them to a steel recycling company instead of the dumpsite. After doing a solid 10 or 12 years in the shipping industry, a shipping container can last for another 15 years in different services. If you modify a new steel shipping container and maintain it well, it may serve your business for a lifetime.
These are the qualities that make steel shipping containers extremely useful outside the shipping industry. The good thing is that shipping containers are plenty in supply and easy to customize to serve different business purposes.
Government and Military Usage
Shipping lines own almost half of all shipping containers. However, such containers are popular with the military and government as they serve many purposes. Shipping containers are made of steel which makes them very strong and durable. They are also weatherproof and can withstand all types of climates. Here are some ways the military puts steel containers to good use.
Storage
These containers conveniently store many items ranging from food and water to ammunition and medical supplies. Shipping containers can also store equipment and vehicles. During deployments, soldiers may be in harsh conditions and need to be able to access supplies quickly. Storing food and equipment supplies in a steel container provides a temperature-controlled environment and keeps supplies organized.
Barracks
Steel shipping containers are used by the military to create barracks when soldiers are away from an official military base. They can be stacked on top of each other to create two or three-story barracks. The military can also place them side-by-side to create long, linear barracks. These containers can be outfitted with all the necessary amenities to provide soldiers with a temp home, including electricity and running water.
Offices
When working in remote locations, the military often uses steel containers as offices and command centers. They are outfitted with furniture and supplies to provide a private space for soldiers to work. They provide a secure location for soldiers to coordinate operations and communicate with other units.
Training
The military always needs ongoing training. Luckily, shipping containers become training facilities for a variety of purposes. They can be used as mockups for urban warfare, provide a realistic environment for medical training, and make a suitable location for target practice.
Barrier
Shipping containers can become strong barriers. By placing them in the water to create a floating barrier or on the ground to create a barricade, they can block roads or create checkpoints.
The military has no problems putting steel shipping containers to good use. They are strong, durable, and weatherproof. They can be used for storage, housing, training, and barriers. In other words, soldiers have reliable steel shipping containers to thank for many of their comforts while deployed.
The versatility of steel shipping containers makes them incredibly useful in the business world. The design, size, and shape of shipping containers makes them appropriate for different uses such as storage, pop up shops, mobile offices, and portable concession stands. Today, businesses of all sizes are modifying shipping containers to provide solutions for their various needs. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons steel shipping containers are so popular among business owners right now.
Readily Available for Purchase and Use
Billie Box estimates that there’re more than 17 million shipping containers in circulation globally. After their service in the shipping industry, most steel containers are still in great shape and can be reused for different purposes. Therefore, you can buy used shipping containers at an affordable price. Alternatively, you can buy new shipping containers for sale from a dealer near you. Since new and used shipping containers are plenty in the market, you can buy one at a great price.
Easy and Affordable to Modify
It is convenient to modify your shipping container to fit different applications. You can custom-modify your new or used shipping containers at an affordable price. For instance, you can install windows, doors, storage cabinets, ventilation, insulation, and air conditioning for a mobile office container. It doesn’t take long to modify a shipping container and install all the extra amenities that you need for your operations. This makes it particularly attractive for big companies looking for quick turn-around solutions to provide extra office space or storage space. Even when you conduct extensive modifications to your shipping container, it will still be more affordable than the traditional brick-and-mortar offices.
Sturdy and Long-Lasting
According to Container Auction, shipping containers can last for more than two decades if they are taken care of with regular maintenance. It does not take much to maintain your steel shipping container. You only need to dust it down and pressure-wash it occasionally. Other than that, your shipping container will withstand adverse weather conditions without sustaining damage. This is because steel shipping containers are made from corrugated steel that can accommodate heavy loads and hostile weather conditions. That is why steel shipping containers will endure adverse conditions such as heavy ocean waves, high pressure, gale-force winds, or hammering rain. Additionally, the corrugated steel is mold and rust-resistant because it contains zero organic material. For this reason, steel shipping containers are ideal for specialty projects that may require you to work in remote places with inhospitable climates.
Sufficient Space for Your Goods
Steel shipping containers vary in size. The most common size is 40 feet and 20 feet shipping containers. Depending on your application, you may need a bigger or smaller container. It is therefore convenient that shipping containers vary in size. If you need extra space, you can buy another container and stack it on the existing one. This also saves you ground space, as you can stack several containers without eating up your warehouse space.
Steel shipping containers provide handy solutions for companies in need of storage or office space. Since it is easy to modify shipping containers, they’re convenient for companies of all sizes in search of custom solutions. Steel shipping containers are sturdy, affordable, and durable, making them ideal for any number of uses.
To learn more about securing used and new steel shipping containers, contact Integrated Equipment Sales today! We’re happy to provide you with these products and assist you with utilizing them in accordance with the industry they’re needed in.
A lot of people and companies are looking to buy a shipping container. In fact, the whole container fleet capacity is projected to grow 7.5% in 2023, according to Statista. Who should use these containers? Here are several industries that could benefit from them.
Construction
Construction requires the use of equipment, and that equipment needs to be stored when it’s not in use. There are sheds that can be leased, but that can quickly make costs add up. Instead, shipping containers can quickly be assembled to hold these items. It’s a much better way of protecting the equipment. That’s not all, though. The construction workers could convert these containers into homes for people, too.
Manufacturing
Manufacturers run into storage issues, too. They have a lot of raw goods, and they need to have places to put them. Rather than having to get one large warehouse, they can create several of them with the containers and even be able to have them set up to maintain certain thermal conditions. Pharmaceuticals are one of the manufacturers who could benefit from this since they can be sure to have the containers modified to meet every regulatory guideline for the storage of their components.
Automotive
This one is a given. A lot of car manufacturers send their finished vehicles overseas in shipping containers. They are large enough to hold multiple vehicles and keep them safe from all kinds of outside conditions, like rain, heat, and cold.
Education
If a school is under construction, one way to continue to teach classes when classroom space isn’t available is by utilizing shipping containers. They can be turned into temporary classrooms equipped with insulation, a whiteboard, tables and chairs, and more.
As you can see, shipping containers are used for far more than just transporting items across the seas to ultimately be put in warehouses. They can be really inexpensive solutions for scenarios that might otherwise see you facing long-term leases. You will find that your decision to buy a shipping container could be one of the best ones that you’ve ever made. If you’re looking to buy a shipping container, we can help you find ones that fit the dimensions you need. Contact Integrated Equipment Sales today to learn more!
