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.

Many shipping containers are made from steel or aluminium, and certainly in the early days of mass shipping these were the favoured materials used. However as things have progressed, different techniques and materials have been developed to satisfy the massive demand for the structures.

Although there are several variations to how the structures are built, there is one common method which is commonly adhered to.

The majority of new shipping containers are now made from a type of steel called Corten which has the advantage of not being as liable to rust as traditional steel.

The traditional steel frame which has been fitted with eight corner castings to help support the weight, are filled with high strength steel panels which are commonly between one and a half to three millimetres thick.

Present at one of the ends is two regualr sized doors which are put in place using four locked bars which connect the bottom to the top of the frame.

It is very common that shipping containers embody a twenty seven millimetre thick wooden ply flooring, which is held in place by crossbearers which are roughly twelve inches apart. Under normal circumstances this would mean that the container can withstand weights of between twenty and thirty five tons – this is obviously dependant on the size involved.

We are often asked how much maintenance our storage containers require. The answer to this is really up to yourself and depends on your exact specifications of it.

Some people require additional security items to be implemeted on to the container, whilst others do not need this.

In terms of the actual working potential of the structure, then usually no maintenance is required. This is due to the fact that all of our containers are built to exceptionally high stanards, and with durability at the forefront of our minds.

Some customers however, require their container to be a certain colour, and this may be as a result of fitting in with other structures nearby, or as part of their storage process. Red containers may store different items than blue ones for example.

From an aesthetic point of view therefore, you may want to adapt the containers to your own requirements, and we can give you all the help and advice you need for this.

The most important area of maintenance however, is to regularly ensure that the doors are kept in pristine working order and that the locking rods and hinges are lubricated on a regular basis. This will make certain that the entrance points are kept well treated and will perform to the highest standards, irrespective of the amount of usage which they are subjected to.

One question which we are frequently asked here at Boxtainer, is whether or not storage containers are liable to experience problems with condensation. This is particularly relevant within the closing months of the year where the general levels of this are higher.

The short answer to this is no, the storage containers which we provide should not have major problems with condensation. You do have to remember though that the vast majority of items which you will store within the container will embody some level of water. As a result, on a particularly warm day, this water is going to become heated and evaporate as a gas. Once the external temperature falls again, then this gas is going to condense around the edges of the structure. It is the degree of this which can potentially cause a problem, depending on the goods which you have stored.

Please do ask us about your exact requirements and we can advise the best way to minimise the threat of condensation. Within some storage containers for example, moisture traps can be implemented. These last for approximately three months and represent non toxic devices which can be recycled.

Further to this, should your situation require it, the ceiling can be covered with Grafo coating. This absorbs the majority of water vapour and therefore represents a  more long term solution to condensation issues.

It is a sad fact of reality that in today’s world pretty much all of our belongings need to be insured. You can literally insure pretty much everything, and for some people this even includes body parts!

In terms of storage containers and portable storage then this is very important to consider, as you could potentially be leaving a lot of high value items within these structures, and require some additional piece of mind.

Whether this be as part of your business, or self storage facilities, insurance is certainly an area which you should seriously look into. This is also an area which we can help advise you on when you inform us of your exact specifications. However you do want to check your existing insurance policies and what they cover.

There are so many different insurance policies out there and it is imperative when considering how to properly insure your goods, that you are aware of exactly what your existing policies offer. This may mean that you read over your household contents insurance policy or your business insurances as you may find that you are already covered.