Why Shipping Containers are Great for Disaster Recovery

Shipping containers used to be all about transporting cargo. Now they are used in a wide variety of situations. People have used them for everything, from storage to office buildings. After all of the recent natural disasters, a conversation has begun about using shipping containers for disaster recovery.

The two things that make shipping containers ideal for disaster situations is the fact they are designed to be mobile and secure. Let’s take a look at some other reasons why they are the perfect fit.

Availability

There are very few parts of the country where shipping containers aren’t already available. Freight is continuously being transported between locations using these containers. Besides that, they are stored at facilities around the world, waiting to be used or sold after they are retired. Using these after a disaster only makes sense.

Anywhere a semi-truck can go or where a train can be unloaded can also receive shipping containers. Containers can also be shipped to islands or more remote areas rapidly. And if the shipping containers are transporting goods to the disaster area, once there they can be repurposed.

Versatile In Deployment

Shipping containers are already built to carry just about anything. That makes them very versatile in how they can be used during a disaster. Your first idea might be to use them to store items. However, there is typically a more immediate need after a catastrophe. Shipping containers can serve as homes after a natural disaster. They can be used to set up a command center to control response or triage facility for medical needs.

Made from steel, shipping containers are straightforward to modify. Adding windows, doors, ventilation, floors, and walls are easy.
Quick Setup, High Durability

Once on-site, a shipping container needs minimal setup. Depending on the conditions you might want to secure it to the ground or provide drainage around the base. Other than that, they are ready to go as soon as they are placed on the ground. Even with this minimal setup, shipping containers maintain fantastic durability. These containers are designed to travel across the ocean exposed on the deck of a ship.

During disasters, there could be a lot more done with shipping containers – from creating a home for displaced victims to securing survival goods.

For more ideas on how shipping containers can be converted for other uses, contact Carolina Containers at 919-562-9187.

What’s Different Between Ground Level Offices and Office Trailers?

When searching for a temporary mobile office, there are two options available: office trailers and ground-level offices (aka GLO). Each option supplies functional space for employee and customer access. When an office is needed temporarily, such as at a construction site or when a company needs a low-cost alternative to putting up a brick and mortar building, these offices may be the solution. Before making a decision on which option is best for your business, let’s look at the differences.

An office trailer is a structure set on wheels as the base. The trailer sits off the ground and requires stairs to enter. These trailers are constructed using steel and aluminum for the framing with walls made from fiberglass, vinyl, plywood, aluminum, or a combination of those materials.

A GLO is a converted shipping container. A GLO sits directly on the ground, so there is no need for stairs for access. A significant benefit of a GLO is its basic construction. Being made of steel, breaking in is near impossible. This extra security helps prevent robberies from occurring on the job site. Items inside the office are safe once the steel doors are closed and locked.

The one requirement for both office trailers and GLOs is that the location for placement needs to be flat and dry.

Transporting either an office trailer or GLO is easy. Office trailers are permanently mounted on wheels. Attach a semi-truck to the trailer, and it’s ready to move. A GLO requires a crane, a forklift, or a tilt-bed truck to move. No need to remove furniture or office equipment. This easy transport makes either option the ideal solution for businesses that have temporary locations.

With an office trailer, weather conditions need to be considered when placing on the site. Trailers are especially susceptible to strong winds since they sit off the ground. GLOs, on the other hand, are built to be weathertight and being set directly on the ground are less affected by wind.

Since the costs are similar, there is one other factor that needs to be considered. If the office is permanent or rarely moved (i.e., at a school or church), an office trailer will be perfectly acceptable and last about 20 years. If the office will be moved frequently or moved over unpaved roads or rough terrain, a GLO is a better choice. GLOs can withstand this rough handling with minimal maintenance.
Whatever the needs of your business, there is a mobile office solution. Office trailers and GLOs can be outfitted with multiple offices, electricity, restroom, conference room, doors, windows, or extra storage.

For more information on how a shipping container can become your new mobile office, contact Carolina Containers at 919-562-9187.