A system of constructing shipping container structures developed by George & Harding together with engineers Bupo Happold is set to be unveiled as one of the UK’s newest hotels.

The method of construction is said to be twenty five percent quicker than traditional methods and exemplifies the cost effectiveness of the project.

The containers used have been shipped over from China and are easily transported and stacked together. Further savings are made due to the fact that this method does not employ a steel frame.

Travelodge Verbus, who are overseeing the project, have also invested in a similar construction within Uxbridge – close to Heathrow Airport. Each container embodies two rooms which are fully fitted with the normal bedroom features and when placed, create a corridor which generates easily access to each and every room.

The containers are positioned carefully by a mobile crane, which staggering only takes a matter of minutes to complete. When the container has been placed in the required position, they are secured with steel bolts. At this point, the cladding can be developed and the structure completed.

So next time you are residing in a Travelodge hotel, make sure you have a look at the structure and determine if you are lucky enough to be staying in one of these novel and impressive structures!

We have previously highlighted many of the roles which storage containers can play in today’s society. As part of this we have looked into the benefit these can have on a local community both financially and also in terms of the added opportunities which they provide.

However, depending on the function of the container, we would advise that in certain circumstances extra special care is taken.

The case in point refers to a little boy in a Manchester nursery who was locked in a container which was being used as a toy store. Benjamin Sangi became locked in the container for several hours before anxious parents and staff members found him.

When employing storage containers to benefit young children, particularly within a nursery or school setting, then it is imperative that you make certain that nobody is still inside the structure when you come to lock it. Due to the properties of the structure small containers make struggle to make the required amount of noise to indicate that they are still in it, and therefore you should conduct a thorough check that it is empty before leaving.

A little common sense in using the containers will mean that these continue to play a safe and valued role within every setting possible.

In today’s society, many people decide to get married abroad and this trend is rising every year. This is most commonly carried out during the summer as people travel to the hottest places on the planet to conduct their special event.

After the actual ceremony itself, the most important thing to arrange is the reception and the celebrations following the event. Depending on where you conduct the marriage will determine how easy this is to conclude. Commonly countries within the EU are easier to sort out the technicalities than those outside.

Many people want to supply their own catering for the wedding and this sometimes proves to be problematic in terms of the transportation of it. Refrigerated Containers are very accessible within the UK, yet the problems surround the actual transportation of the products.

There are many ways around this, although you do have do bear in mind the amount of people who will be present at your wedding, and whether this method of transportation will be the most effective. If a relatively small number of guests will be present then there may not be much point in paying a large amount for your products to be shipped.

Should you wish to talk about this, or any other issue surrounding refrigerated containers then please do not hesitate to contact us.

We all seem to spend most of our time working in one capacity or another ,and as a result many companies are encouraging what is called a work-life balance.

This can embody anything from flexible working hours, to a programme of events and programmes which help you to switch off from the pressures of work and take some well deserved rest.

One popular way of doing this is to go for a night out at the theatre – and this country is blessed with a large number of both local and national groups who regularly perform eclectic and interesting plays.

However, one thing which many local organisations are short of is space – maybe not performing space , but certainly storage space.

This is where effective use of storage containers can help your local community in a pertinent and worthwhile way. Many groups of actors rely on people’s garage space or lofts to store costumes and props, and when the shows are over, far too much is confined to the scrap heap when with a little thought, these could be preserved for generations to come.

If this sounds like a problem which you are experiencing then do not hesitate to contact us with your exact requirements and safeguard your items forever.

Storage containers can play a fundamental role within local education facilities within your area. We have already seen how some schools have employed these structures as temporary classrooms meaning that children are not suffering in their education due to a lack of teaching space.

Many local government authorities are now placing much emphasis on extra curricular activities which build on the skills and the knowledge base which are formulated within the classroom.

However, the amount of free space within schools in general is limited at best and therefore there may not be adequate facilities for children to develop these skills as far as they could do.

For example, many initiatives further children’s artistic or scientific development, yet there is precious little room for them to create their masterpieces or conduct their experiments. This is one area which can be aided with the addition of a container structure.

From a sports side of things, we are all aware of the dangers of obesity and the levels of people who fall into this category at the moment. Much of this starts within childhood and this is why there is a large emphasis being place on sports at schools.

The addition of proper changing rooms or a small scale gym may be just the think to encourage more children to take their physical activities more seriously and lessen the risk of obesity in the future. Again, storage containers can be the cost effective method in which children’s overall education can be exemplified well beyond the norm.

Storage containers, as we have already seen, can be used in a variety of diffent ways, and give added financial potential to many clubs and events.

For a relatively small fee, the amount of income which could be generated from one of these structures, if employed in the correct way, is amazing. Many groups and organisations have already experienced the benefit of this and much of the time this has had a significant effect on their long term dreams and aspirations.

At this time of year it is common that summer fetes and barbeques are occuring up and down the country. For many places, particularly close knit villages, this provides the focal point of the year, when many of the inhabitants join together in a communal event which everybody can enjoy regardless of age.

In this regard, storage containers can help the event become an even bigger success. These can be employed as a cafe area or a games room for example which can help generate a substantial amount of profit to aid the whole event.

In a way the only thing which will constrain the functionality of the structures themselves is your own creative imagination. So whether it be cream teas or playstation competitions, let your imagination come to reality with a storage container unit.

We have previously documented the fact that storage containers are incredibly versatile structures and as a result they are employed in an eclectic range of different ways. If you take a trip around your local town centre and make a conscious effort to notice all the storage containers which you come across, then you will be astounded by the sheer number which you see.

One common way in which storage containers are employed is within the sports industry. Here, containers can be used as a clubhouse, a club shop or even dressing rooms. This is particularly popular at ambitious non league football teams who are able to provide facilities which are above that experienced at other teams in their league.

The advantage of this of course is the fact that for a relatively small expense, the club will be able to utilise the structures in a way which they will generate a vast profit from their investment.

This is very something which is important to look in to if your team aspires for future development as the potential return on the investment will be well worth the spend, as well as enhancing the matchday experience for players and fans alike.

Storage containers are predominatly used within business and in particular the merchant shipping industry where they are employed in an abundance. However they can prove to be an ideal resolution to your own self storage needs.

We all have a vast amount of belongings which we dont really know what to do with, but just cant bear to see them been thrown away. This can range from mementos from throughout your life to items which reflect your own hobbies and interest which take up an excessive amount of space within your house.

Self storage units as well as storage containers can provide to be a cost effective method of solving your domestic requirements in a safe manner.

Obviously you will need to think carefully about many of the issues which we have raised within other articles, however the main question will be the location of the structure. You may think that you do not really have anywhere to place the structure, however with a little thought and creativity you can successfully resolve this problem.

If you have an excessive amount of belongings which you really dont have the room for within your house, then you should think very carefully about moving these into a structure which will provide you with safe and reliable storage, not to mention a great deal of free space at home.

As always, should you have any questions or queries, then please do not hesitate to contact us.

It has been revealed by the Panama maritime authority that they expect that the country’s volume of shipping containers to experience a marked increase over the next twelve months. The authority forecast that this could be as much as ten percent of the current levels despite the global credt crunch which is affecting so many nations.

At the moment, the authority has stated that ports within Panama operate by handling just over five million, twenty foot shipping containers and this is to be increased to five and a half million by 2009.

The country has already seen marked growth in the shipping container industy over the last twelve months with the number of structures rising by over one and a half millin since 2007.

This has resulted in the main from an increase in demand for raw materials from the Chinese, coupled with the developing export market in finished goods.

The whole of the Latin America region is experiencing a massive growth within the industry and as a result vast amounts of money are being invested into the infrastructure to support this. Over $1.6m has already been spent on developing shipping facilities within Panama and this sends clear signals that the industry within the region is here to stay.

When considering where to place you storage container there are many issues which you will have to consider before the actual structure can be positioned. Here at Boxtainer we are dedicated to providing you with the best possible advise to enable you to get the positioning and layout exactly right.

One question which is raised time and time again is whether or not you should place anything below the storage container for it to rest on and how that will affect the functionality of it.

The first thing to mention whilst answering this is to state a fairly obvious fact, and that is that ideally the container must be placed on a level surface. There are numerous reasons for this, the most important however is that if this does not occur then you may experience problems opening and closing the doors of the container. This potentially could cause untold amount of frustration and therefore it is advisable that this is avoided by making sure that the surface on which the container will rest is level.

Paving slabs or sleepers are excellent at solving the problem of an uneven surface, these are ideal for placing below the structure and will eradicate the problems highlighted above.

Although it is the customers responsibility to ensure that the surface is flat, we are of course always available to listen to any of your container related queries, and will provide sound advice to ensure that you have every eventuality covered.