One Trip Containers vs Used Shipping Containers for Chicago, IL

May 8th, 2012

Lets compare the pro’s and con’s of “One Trip Containers” vs “Used Shipping Containers”  for purchase or rent in Chicago, IL.

For years we have been selling both new and used containers for customers who have applied the container to countless applications. We have been asked over the years, which is better, and why buy a newer, “one trip container” vs a used container. Here are a few points that will help you make a decision.

Used-cargo-container-in-Chicago-Kwik-space

The first question you should ask yourself is how long you anticipate using the container.

Typically used storage containers are roughly 8-14 years old. If your  requirement is short term then possibly a used container is a good option, in this case you may also consider renting a storage container instead. If your needs are  long term and you are investing your money into something that you want to last, a new “one trip container” is the best option.

 

The second question relates to esthetic value of the container.

Like a new car a one-trip container will look great when you purchase it. Fresh paint, clean inside and out and does not have signs of the previous owner. In some circumstances this makes a difference… and for some it does not. For example scrap material storage, used tires, construction materials should not require a new or one trip container but that does not mean that you should ignore the other factors if that is your storage requirement.

Used-cargo-container-in-Chicago-Great-lakes-kwik-space

The third question relates to supply.

You are lucky enough to have one of North America’s largest ports, Chicago in your back yard. Chicago one-trip containers come straight in from Asia with one cargo load. Once cargo is offloaded Great Lakes Kwik space receives them and they are available for sale. Through times when shipping lines and leasing companies are not retiring used containers we still have a steady supply of one trip containers ready for delivery throughout the whole Chicago land area.

Fourth question relates to specification.

We have many customers who rely on a certain container specification for their custom container project and need each container to be virtually identical, same manufacturer, same wall thicknesses, and same color, for example. One Trip Shipping containers that come to Illinois from Asia are a great way to achieve this. Used Cargo Containers Chicago are a little bit different, they are typically labeled by the shipping line, available in a variety of colors and in most cases are difficult to match with one another unless they are repainted.

If you would like more information on new and used cargo containers, shipping containers, portable storage solutions throughout Chicago, IL give us a call today at (630) 264-9600  or simply request a free quote.

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Why Shipping Containers for Portable Storage?

February 27th, 2012

shipping containers as portable storage
For many the time has already come and gone but for you, today may be the day when you are making a critical decision regarding your storage needs.  You have already visited the local mega hardware stores’ selection of tin sheds that are constructed as sturdy as a toy you have bought for a child expecting it to last about a few years before they grow out of it, or get over it.  You then ask yourself; well maybe a few years is enough for this thing to last but then think back two years ago and wonder where the time has gone.  You think twice about making your purchase get back in your truck and head home.  You then wrestle the computer from your teen-age daughter and hop on the Internet and discover a world of opportunity that has arisen from re-purposing ISO shipping containers now being commonly known as storage containers.

 

Malcolm Mclean invented ISO Shipping Containers in the late 1950s.  The need for containerization came from the lack of uniformity that existed in the shipping industry.  Port cities struggled to come up with methods to transport cargo in various shapes and sizes without damage, theft and loss.  The ISO shipping container caught on quickly and is now one of many icons of industrialization.

 

What does this all mean to you?  Well the ISO, (International Standards Organization) has done most of the leg work for you requiring shipping lines, leasing companies and factories to come together in producing a vessel that is capable of being loaded with over 50,000 pounds of cargo, grabbed from the top and lifted into the air at over 20 miles per hour when transferred from dock to vessel.  They are also made to withstand the rigorous conditions that exist on the open ocean, and exposed to virtually every climate type throughout the world.   Materials are carefully selected to insure that the ISO shipping containers are not only strong but will also last for years and years to come.    A common misconception is that the former shipping containers that are sold as storage containers life is over when they are retired.  This is not true.  Storage Containers are available through your Container Alliance supplier in various conditions from Like New to As Is.

 

ISO Shipping Containers or Storage Containers are also available in various sizes: 20ft storage containers are manufactured predominantly to transport heavy weight items being that the gross cargo capacity of a 20ft storage container is roughly the same as a 40ft Storage Container.   You can also find containers that are reconfigured to various lengths from 8ft to 45ft High Cube Containers.

 

Seems to be a pretty easy decision and millions of users will agree that ISO Shipping Containers are the best choice for your storage needs.  Shipping Containers being used as storage containers are over-engineered and built to last for years and years to come.

 

Author:  Geoff Fargo,  Container Alliance

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KWIK SPACE BIKE BOX

December 9th, 2011

kwik space bikebox

The Kwik Space Bike Box can be set up in either a 20’ or 40’ storage container.

Your Bike Box uses a specially designed, patented bracket along with security strapping and a very well designed, functional hanging hook for easy storage.

The 20’ Bike Box only takes up one parking stall and safely and conveniently holds 34 bicycles, 17 on either side with an aisle down the middle.

The 40’ Bike Box can hold up to 70 bicycles, 35 per side. For a few additional dollars you can get a double door container which will allow you access from either end.

The Bike Box is ideal for temporary or long term storage and allows for safe, ground level access that provides on site storage. Join major retailers, local bike shops and police evidence lockers for just a few of the uses of this special unit.

Call us today and you could have your bikes secured and out of the way by tomorrow.

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Creative Uses – 20ft Storage Containers – Superman Movie Set

November 23rd, 2011

November 23, 2011 – Plano, IL

20ft storage container

Photography provided by: Chris & Don MacAskill

The new Superman movie, The Man of Steel, will be released in December of 2012.  The town of Plano, Illinois has gone through a dramatic change.  Hollywood and the Warner Brothers mega million-dollar production has come to a normally very quiet rural down – In the Superman comic, the town of Smallville is an important piece of the puzzle.  To the producer and director of Superman, Plano, IL represents the perfect Smallville.

Filming for a portion of the movie was recently completed in Plano.  This small but growing rural community 50 miles west of downtown Chicago was transformed into a Metropolis for a couple of weeks in August. The historical downtown district was closed to business while the movie was being filmed.

Photography provided by: Chris & Don MacAskill

Sections of the town were temporarily changed to incorporate a barbershop, bank, fake 7-11 and other stores. As you can see from the pictures, they are just “storefronts” built in front of a structure that consisted of 20′ storage containers stacked and lashed in place three high.

So you may ask yourself why shipping containers?  And what do they have to do with Superman? Well shipping containers are as strong as superman himself.  They are made to be stacked 8 or 9 tall loaded with cargo.  The structure of the container when lashed down is capable of withstanding category 5 hurricanes with ease.  It has been reported even that during very powerful tornados, storage containers if secured to the ground are the only structures that survive.  Storage containers have been used on countless movie and television sets for many different reasons.  Often the shipping containers serve as a backdrop to create an industrial setting.  They can easily be arranged like building blocks to create the ideal setting.  They can also be used as portable structures, such as in Superman.  The portability gives a non-permanent structure that can be setup quickly and efficiently.  In addition to being convenient, they are also affordable.

20' Storage Containers Super Man Set

Photography provided by: Chris & Don MacAskill

The twenty four (24) 20ft storage containers were supplied by Great Lakes Kwik Space, Aurora, IL.  Great Lakes Kwik Space was happy to provide a solution for the Superman set and are pleased to hear that the movie created a positive economic impact for the local community in Plano, IL.

By the way, the fake 7-11 store gets blown up, (the shipping containers remain safe) and half the “town” gets destroyed…  but we think Superman will prevail.

Author:  Geoff Fargo, Container Alliance Co.  gfargo@containeralliance.com

 

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Customize Your Storage Container with Accessories

July 15th, 2011

Customize your storage container with accessories

Now life has become even easier with a customized storage container that will help you get better organized.  You know you need extra storage, and you realize you want to maximize the storage and capacity of your container.  Instead of just a box, you can design that box exactly the way you want it. Now there are storage container accessories available to customize your container to fit your specific needs. Choose from the following accessories to get better usage and visibility in your container.

Shelving

If you are using a storage container to store personal household items, or extra inventory for your business, to store business records, small boxes, and or items that can be lined up or stacked, then shelving is a great solution. The new three high shelving on each side along the walls option are a great add on feature for multiple uses. Or design the shelving to suit your needs. It is an efficient and cost effective way to maximize a space. You can find things easily and have a space for everything.

shelving

Lighting

Once you have stored all your inventory items, and or records, you want easy access. Easy access also means good lighting. It is hard to find stuff in the dark or with minimum light. Now with pre-installed lighting, you can see all the items stored day or night and be able to function fast and efficiently!

Loading Ramps

Just like a moving truck or any elevated space the job is much easier with a ramp. If the boxes or materials being stored are heavy, a ramp will help you avoid back injuries and unnecessary weight lifting or drops.  Now you can choose from either a ramp designed for hand carts that will support up to 750 lbs, or a heavy duty ramps that will allow a small forklift to have easy access to your container and  support up to 10,000 lbs.

shelving2

With lighting, shelving and a ramp, you have now created an inviting and comfortable storage space that makes finding things easier, faster and safer.

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Portable Storage Helps Prevent Construction Tools Theft

June 20th, 2011

If you work in the construction business you need  the right construction tools to do your work properly – sometimes you may need special tools or machinery depending on the scope. Your tool inventory probably includes many expensive items, large items, machinery, special tools, and even rental equipment.

If these are stolen, or otherwise becomes suddenly unavailable in the middle of an important job, your business may be in jeopardy, you could lose money on the project, be affected by replacement cost, loss a client, and or worse not be able to replace those tools and equipment fast enough.

Knowing these things can happen upfront can help you make a more informed decision about your tool purchase and storage. Depending on what type of construction tools you are getting, you will also need to think about transportation and storage. If you can carry the tools in a tool belt, storage is pretty easy. If you need to rent a larger space warehouse for a lot of tools, it’s a good idea to have your plan in place before you purchase a bunch of tools and have no place to put them. In fact it is better to have a portable container or trailer for better efficiency on the job.

Weather conditions can ruin or affect your tools, machinery and equipment. Bad weather such as winds, heavy rainfall, or frost can be a factor in job stoppage and having a secured storage may save you money and prevent theft and destruction of your tools.

Once you purchase your construction tools, other items like hard hats, safety glasses, heavy duty gloves, and steel-toe boots, also need storage. You might find yourself with a large inventory that is needed on the job site. Shipping Containers are great, they are extremely strong; virtually theft-proof, weather tight, and portable! Endless modifications can make them a dream solution to all your construction storage needs.

Storage containers are inexpensive, offer easy temporary storage solutions that can blend into their surroundings, and be gone when your project is complete.

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Building Hybrid Green Homes out of Shipping Containers

June 20th, 2011

Sustainable thinking and design is leading the way by using shipping containers to build innovative homes. The practice is a diverse and full-service design collaborative that examines and explores practical ways to integrate client needs, project cost limitations, physical construction, energy conservation opportunities and innovation with local climate and living systems in a responsive way.

It embraces the philosophy that all things are inter-connected and merely exist at different levels of perception and reality, and with a whole systems thinking approach to problem solving, it explores patterns at all scales from macro to micro to explore and develop ways to integrate natural and man-made materials and systems.  This style of design is a problem-solving approach that considers design, engineering and space-making as an organic process of investigation, discovery and collaboration.  It results in a practical and functional, yet aesthetically balanced and responsive, organic architecture.

Using a building kit approach that utilizes plug-in components, the hybrid design approach is like the Prius hybrid automobile design, it combines different building technologies and energy systems to maximize energy, spatial and cost efficiencies that result in practical solutions while achieving substantial architectural variety and flexibility.   Using conventional building systems and materials combined with innovative solutions to solve new problems.

Shipping Container Home

ECOTECHBUILD COMPLETES THE FIRST SHIPPING CONTAINER HOME IN THE MOJAVE DESERT

The hybrid house, a kit-like housing product is being offered for the first time to homeowners who want more than what is currently available with pre-fab and manufactured housing, even custom construction.

Some of its unique features include:

  • hybrid house design: combines diverse pre-engineered building and energy conservation features to maximize efficiency and cost savings, while offering architectural design flexibility and variation.
  • all steel construction: an integrated, steel framing system provides extraordinary strength, earthquake, fire and wind protection, as well as large window and door openings to maximize natural day-lighting, ventilation and evaporative cooling.
  • solar home shading system:  a bolt-on, adjustable steel frame and shade system creates 50% solar heat, glare and wind reduction on the building and solar breezeway that allows for plug-in attachment of future solar electric and water heating panel arrays.
  • living roof: movable, bolt-on module add-ons use grey water irrigation and are planted with native desert plants and sedums to absorb heat, glare, dust and CO2.
  • water conservation: integrated grey water, water harvesting and storage systems.
  • finished construction costs at 50% of equivalent, locally available, prefab alternatives.

The hybrid house consists of cargo containers and pre-engineered steel building components that can be erected and combined together at the site, often in less than an hour, are green and sustainable.

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Container turned into a Sandwich Shop

May 4th, 2011

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Why On Site Storage Containers Have Grown in Popularity Over the Past Few Years

April 29th, 2011
  • Need a place to store seasonal or surplus inventory?
  • Need convenience and fast access?
  • Need secure and durable storage?
  • Need temporary storage?
  • Need temporary office?

If you answered yes; then secure steel portable storage containers are your holy grail. On-site storage containers are portable and meant for the accomplishment of business and commercial purposes. They are usually made up of steel, are durable and keep your goods completely safe from the weather, vermin, fire, and theft. Their growing popularity among the business circles is chiefly due to their portability, various layouts and dimensions, and promise of security.

The options for endless: housing, work space, and storage. They are a low cost alternative to many business expenses. They save precious time and money which is usually spent on looking for a storage facility particularly for rental purposes. Onsite storage containers have emerged as the most convenient storage facilities for commercial purposes.

If your business has grown and you need to hire new employees, but lack space for them, you should think about using shipping containers. They make great workplace areas and are cheaper than adding on to your building. If, however, you have decided to renovate, they are also great to use in the interim. You can also use containers to store items during a business restoration.

Another plus of container utilization for your business is extra storage space. If you own a store and get a good deal on a bulk purchase of products, but you don’t have enough space, you may like the idea of using a shipping container. Storage containers, especially the larger sizes, also make great store fronts. If you have a small business such as a road-side stand, or a newspaper kiosk, the affordability of a second-hand container is appealing.

Another great use is for flea markets. Many flea markets simply have outside tables where people can sell their goods with no protection. If you own a flea market, you may consider offering shipping containers for rent. Vendors can use these containers to house their merchandise, as a walk-in store, and save them from loading and unloading each weekend. And by installing a locking pull-down door all items would be safe from burglary.

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Odd and Innovative Uses for Storage Containers

February 16th, 2011
Storage cargo containers provide many unique and innovative uses.  While they are sturdy, durable, and secure; they also have amazing possibilities.  And with all the custom modifications and applications available, your mind is the only limit. Allow your mind’s creativity to imagine all that is possible and see what might just happen.

A Dream Shed

So, let’s start with your yard. You have been dreaming of building a shed for years, and time always seems to slip away?  Stop worrying and get a perfect solution with a storage container. A refurbished cargo container will provide you with:

  • Easy access to tools and materials
  • Clutter reduction
  • Aesthetic value
  • Pride of accomplishment and ownership

Your backyard experience will become enriched with the appearance of your shed. You can paint and decorate the appearance of the container to suit your home and style.

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