Whether you are shipping goods or need onsite portable buildings, choosing old or new is an important question that you must face. This is a question that many industries face on a daily basis, it’s a simple conundrum of life. It is a question of price, quality and at the heart of its reliability.

So, what are the advantages and the disadvantages that can be found for a used or new shipping container?

New Container Advantages and Disadvantages

For new shipping containers or portable building the advantages include:

• Great choice of style and size.
• Peace of mind over quality.
• Likely to not have had toxic chemical treatments to protect it from the sea.
• Customisation is possible.
• Increased availability – you will be able to buy the same container in bulk, rather than worry over whether or not the same type is still in production.
• Comes with a multi-year guarantee.

However, there are also some disadvantages to be found when buying a new container:

• The price – it can be up to three times more expensive to buy a new container versus a used one.
• Waiting periods for your new container to arrive can be quite long also, whereas you may be able to walk away with your new container on the same day.
• It is not environmentally friendly compared to buying a used container.

Used Container Advantages and Disadvantages

Now, looking at the advantages of a used container, they include:

• The price of a used container is much lower and you still can find a variety of sizes/styles on the market.
• There is an abundance of unused containers on the market, meaning there is plenty of supply to your demand.
• In turn, this means no wait time for your shipping container to be built.
• Fast turnaround for use on site in regard to a portable building also.
• The largest benefit is the environmentally friendly nature of the used container. Re-using an item which would otherwise take up space and decay to negatively affect the environment, without using even more finite resources to construct another.

Again, there are some disadvantages:

• Rust, damage and even an unsound structure could come with a used container or building.
• Pesticides and toxins to battle seawater could have been used on the outside.
• Visiting the container in person to ascertain the quality can be time-consuming and costly.
• The previous contents the container shipped is uncertain as there are no laws to keep such logs. Uncertainty over the containers history could be troubling.

As you can see, you have a lot of options when it comes to choosing a new container and isn’t as cut and dry as you might think!

Made up your mind? Then buy your new or used container units today!