A standard 20 foot shipping container can hold 1,150 cubic feet, while a 40 foot high cube contains 2,700 cubic feet. As a point of reference, a 40 foot high cube can hold 8,443 shoe boxes and a 20 foot container can hold around 3,596 shoe boxes. These containers travel by ship and by truck across the world and across the nation.
In a world that is dependent on shipping containers for the products that they use, it should come as no surprise that an entire market has opened around making use of repurposed shipping containers. These durable, steel structures, that have at least a 25 year life with just a little bit of maintenance, can be used as offices, for recreational purposes, and many other purposes.
Industrial shipping container solutions provide portable housing options for construction crews. In a time when pipeline construction throughout the nation continues to expand, many construction companies are looking for housing solutions in remote locations where no others are available. Used with large generators and other upgrades, these containers provide protection from the weather in locations where hotels and motels are not readily available.
Steel containers serve as generator enclosures across the nation. Large generators are the key to many construction sites, as well as essential to wells on farms throughout the country. A steel structure is often a perfect solution as a way to protect these generators. Shielding these expensive power sources from high winds, hail, snow, and rain, a steel container is the logical solution for many landowners. That fact that container structures are by definition stackable, mobile, weather-resistant, and durable means that they are a viable option, especially for situations where it is not possible to pour a foundation.
Housing solutions include many uses of steel containers in both permanent and temporary locations. Known as one of the most environmentally friendly structures, steel containers are typically made of as much as 85% of recycled steel and are fully recyclable if demolished. Reusing these recycled content saves new building materials and serves as an eco-friendly option. From small groups of housing options for homeless people in large cities to off the grid options for Americans who want to remove themselves from traditional home options, shipping containers can be retrofitted to include many upgrade likes plumbing and electricity.
Recreational uses from shipping containers include a growing trend to create both above ground and below ground swimming pools. Used as a base for fitted pool liners, some containers have even been opened on one side to provide underwater viewing.