Quality Shipping Containers at Great Prices

Shipping containers also known as a conex box are steel boxes that sit on the back of lorries, trains & ships and are used for importing and exporting goods. They are well designed and built to last a long time and offer an alternative use for short-term and long-term storage whilst being very secure.

The cost of buying depends on many factors such as their age & size, whether any accessories have been fitted or modifications made and the delivery charge. It is not possible to publish a price list as prices do tend to fluctuate due to factors that are often outside of our control.

Shipping containers can be stacked using a piece of equipment called twist locks. To stack, 1 twist lock will need to be installed in each corner cast and then the next container lowered on top and once in place, the twist lock is then securely locked.

A “new” or “single” trip container are mostly manufactured in China. They will have made one trip in order to arrive at our shores, and to keep costs down they will have been loaded with cargo for this purpose. Their cosmetic appearance will be far superior to that of a used container, but it is possible that there will be a small amount of evidence of handling from their one trip. A “used” container that come off shipping lines and are available to buy on the storage container market will typically be 10-15yrs old. That’s a lot of trips, and naturally the condition of the container will reflect this. Expect cosmetic damage ranging from dents, scuffs, scrapes, scratches to surface rusting and repair patches. The good news is that shipping containers are built to incredibly strong standards and rarely will the integral structure of a shipping container of this age be affected by its container appearance.

Delivery of shipping containers are 3-5 working days from confirmation of order subject to availability. Delivery of container conversions are 3-5 working days from completion of manufacture.

Shipping containers are categorised as temporary structures and so you do not normally need planning permission. However, if they are to be placed in a sensitive area or to be in location long-term then planning permission may be required. Planning authorities always say that it is best to enquire if permission is required.

When ordering a shipping container from Merit, we will ask if there are any delivery restrictions on site that may hinder the delivery of the container. For example, if there are any obstructions regarding access of the HIAB, and if there are any overhead cables. The location of the site for the container delivery cannot be over grass unless it is agreed prior. You can also send us some photos of the access that we can forward onto the haulier to check over.

Yes, you can arrange to collect your shipping container. When enquiring specify that you are able to collect, and we will arrange with the depot for you to collect the container.

Care must be taken with this. All surfaces where the container is to be sited must be flat hard standing. The loaded weight of a shipping container is designed to be supported on its 4 bottom corners which need to be level with each other to ensure the container remains square so the doors open & shut easily. The ground at each corner or the whole area must be solid concrete, concrete paving slabs, railway sleepers, a firm stone surface or similar.

Shipping containers are invariably made of steel – high quality Corten steel – and have a hardwood floor. However, there are variations, for example aluminium containers.

Shipping containers can be painted externally and internally, if you require a particular colour we can respray to the needed RAL code, ask our sales team for a quote to respray your container.

Shipping containers require relatively little maintenance. A new shipping container going straight into a secure storage use will require hardly any maintenance at all and this is why we recommend buying a new one. The steel work will barely deteriorate because the steel is of high quality and the paint work is excellent; you can realistically expect a 50 year life of a new container used for storage. The door hinges & locking bars may require oiling every couple of years but that only takes 10 minutes. Used containers require the same attention to the doors and also there may be small dents or corroded areas that may need repainting from time to time and possibly even a match welded on.

Yes, shipping containers are made for transporting goods across the oceans – often on decks of ships. They have heavy duty rubber door seals which keep out the elements. Used shipping containers sold into the storage and the re-used market can have damaged door seals or damage to the steel roof or sides but most companies selling used containers will ensure that they are inspected and repaired before they are delivered or released. There is a strong market for new and used shipping containers so expect to pay a fair market price for a good wind and watertight container.

Yes, we have a wealth of in-house experience in modifying containers for many uses including offices, offshore use, stores & many bespoke applications. We are at the ready to supply containers with basic modifications – such as unusual sizes, windows fitted, partitions, personnel doors etc. More unusual or bespoke modifications are carried out across our various container conversion depots throughout the UK.

We cannot put a definitive timescale on container conversions as all conversions are different. We can provide a timescale after our container conversion team have seen what the project entails. We will check stock availability and manufacturing time to provide you with a manufactured date for your project.

With container conversions, we manufacture to your specification. We can cut down containers to your required size and can also build bespoke container sizes.

With large projects, similar to smaller scale projects, we project manage every project to make sure we hit deadlines for manufacture.