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| Used Shipping Containers |
Too expensive to return to their place of origin, used shipping containers pile up by the thousands at ports worldwide. The abundance and relative cheapness (some sell for as little as $900) of these containers during the last decade comes from the deficit in manufactured goods departing from North America. The goods come from Asia and Europe, in containers that are not financially feasible to ship back empty. So what can be done with the used containers that have reached their final destinations? UCG has an effective easy to scale solution for either residential or commercial construction alike and it’s re-purposing one way shipping containers. The fact that these containers have only undergone one voyage, means they are in pristine condition and perfect for our use.
The first step after a site has been chosen is to select heavy-gauge steel shipping containers that are fire resistant and strong enough to withstand earthquakes to hurricanes. UL rated insulation with sound proofing qualities and redefinition of power distribution to reduce energy and utility costs for the occupant. Each container is engineered for strength. They are also designed to be stacked and hold a total load of 80,000 pounds, which is far less than they would ever weigh in a building structure. This would allow for them to be stacked safely up to 20 stories, with minimal additional reinforcement. Although most structures would be built 10 stories or less.
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| Modular Housing Project |
Given the range of advantages, architects, contractors and individuals are increasingly using containers to build homes, offices, apartments, schools, dormitories, emergency shelters and retail stores across the world. Europe, China and New Zealand have successfully pioneered sustainable housing, utilizing shipping containers. For example, Travelodge celebrated the fourth anniversary of their completed hotel in London. The project saved approximately $900,000 in construction. We are the perfect solution to construction for all types of projects, With a growth rate of 20 percent forecast in the sustainable building industry over the next five years.
Prefabricated Shipping Container / Modular Based Construction is an extraordinarily well positioned solution. This is especially true for the U.S. commercial markets that are completely under served even as demand for this segment rises. For these reasons and more, our building options are extremely well received in both domestic and international markets.
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| Containers Sitting at Port |
Regarding costs between new and existing containers, a used shipping container in perfect condition will yield a dramatic savings over a new container, which typically costs $6,000. Will the cost of used containers rise as a result of increased demand, like any other commodity, the answer is going to be yes. When UCG’s MP’s started looking into this several years ago, shipping containers were running anywhere from $700 to $1,700, depending on the quality. Today, we are able to purchase them for $1,300, for units that are not in good condition, to up to $2,500 in like new, and still achieve over a 50 percent reduction on framing costs.
UGC has prepared for this and has negotiated with several large shipping companies, a bulk price for one way like new containers of under $1,000, as well as, guaranteeing a supply to handle many more projects than we anticipate for years to come. Our plan is to eventually commit to purchasing all available containers and take over their sales of used containers, by using their contacts to do so. Thus giving us a guaranteed endless supply.