11 Types of Businesses That Can Use Shipping Containers

Shipping container modifications have become one of the most innovative building and storage products around. It all started with eco-friendly initiatives and has grown into an entirely new industry. There are many new ideas coming to light, helping to meet the needs of many different businesses.

Innovators have discovered new uses for shipping containers for companies looking for solutions for everything from storage to office space. Here we take a look at 11 types of businesses loving the container modifications Ontario storage companies offer.

1. A trendy place for food and drink

Some of the hippest new hotspots for food and drink are located in trendy storage containers. This affordable, eco-friendly mode of commercial space is an excellent option if you want to attract a hip, young crowd. The containers can be converted into any type of setting you want, and their look alone is enough to attract your ideal customers for a café, bar or restaurant. Whether it’s a fast-food vegan spot, an edgy bistro or a place to drink and dance all night, the humble converted storage container is creating hotspots around the globe.

2. Tourist attraction as gift shops

Gift shops are often tiny and can be placed in areas with plenty of foot traffic. You can find a way to introduce an excellent, convenient gift shop in any area where space allows. This self-contained structure can be designed with shelving and display cases, and special doors that open up to allow you to easily display items to attract passersby. With the right city approvals, you might be able to plant yourself at an ideal spot, without interfering with the integrity of the area. Your container can also remain mobile so you can arrange to move from site to site throughout the peak tourist season.

3. Art galleries

Whether you are an aspiring artist, a community of local artists or even a major art gallery, storage containers are an excellent way to bring your art to the people. Artists can help take their destiny into their own hands by setting up an affordable, small gallery space or large galleries can create a travelling mobile gallery to share their artwork with different communities. They also make excellent workspaces as art studios.

4. Yoga and meditation studios

If you’ve always dreamed of opening your own yoga or meditation studio, a shipping container offers many opportunities. They can be adapted to create peaceful spaces, with plenty of room overlooking the great outdoors. You can either have them placed in urban spots on your own property or in a peaceful setting in the country. They can accommodate a class, or provide the ideal spot for one on one mentoring.

5. Well-stocked library for book stores

Book stores are perfectly at home in shipping containers offering plenty of space for shelves filled with best sellers or rare finds. It’s even better for specialty bookstores, such as children’s books or used bookstores. They create a cozy space where customers feel at ease browsing titles. As with galleries and gift shops they can also be used as a mobile bookstore bringing your unique selection to different communities each weekend!

6. Affordable and scalable office space

Small startups are finding the convenience and affordability of container office space. From backyard home offices to small spaces to accommodate a growing startup, shipping container transformations are highly customizable and can be designed to suit a number of office needs. It is also a trendy office that speaks to your brand’s innovation and commitment to the environment, improving optics for social responsibility. Scalability is easy, as you can add additional containers as your business grows, either by stacking them or creating “wings”.

7. Carpentry and artisan workshops

If you have built your business using your craftsmanship to meet the growing demand for bespoke work for your customers, storage container conversions are the ideal size for workshops. They can be equipped with your tools of the trade to suit a long list of artisans from carpenters to sculptors and from ironwork to furniture repurposing shops.

8. Mechanic and repair shops

Practical in their appearance, storage containers are the ideal size for workshops. Mechanics and repair people offering specialty services such as repairs for bicycles, lawnmowers, vacuum cleaners, computers/mobile phones, sewing machines, small appliances and more have the ideal workshop solution. You can work quite handily from your storage container repair shop where you’ll have ample space for your equipment, parts, storage and a serviceable workstation.

9. Additional storage facilities for retailers and more

Any business that finds it has outgrown its storage space can greatly benefit from shipping containers. Since their main purpose is storage, they are designed to optimize space and keep items safe and secure. They protect against the harsh elements of Canadian winters and can be used by any company in need of storage space whether it is for materials for manufacturers or finished products ready to sell. You can keep them on-site so you can access what you need, or fill them and have them picked up and delivered to a storage facility.

10. Construction, Builder and Contractor Businesses

Construction and contractor companies, as well as builders, can put storage containers to good use in many ways including:

• Onsite mobile site offices
• Storage for tools and materials
• Lunch/change rooms for work teams
• Sheltered workspace for flooring installers, roofers, eavestrough installers etc.
• Onsite meeting rooms for builders and their clients
• Sales offices for builders of new condo and housing developments

The ready-made storage containers can be kept on-site so the equipment or materials required are always at your disposal. What’s more, investment in a mobile office saves money down the road as you can move the office from site to site for each new project.

11. Storage Industry

More and more storage facilities have begun to offer rental storage containers to their customers. It adds a convenient way for customers to store their items, with storage containers delivered to their site, loaded at their leisure and then picked up and delivered back to the secure storage facility. It is an excellent way to expand a storage facility business, which can quickly see excellent ROI.

To learn more about buying or renting a shipping container for your business, call Sigma at 1-877-225-7762 or contact us here.