Walk past almost any building site, mine camp or busy warehouse yard in Australia and you’ll spot one. A shipping container, usually doing a job that has nothing to do with shipping. And quite often, it’s been hired rather than bought.
Shipping container hire is a practical option for plenty of businesses and households. So why rent a box instead of owning one?
Cash flow beats a big upfront spend
For many businesses, the decision starts with the numbers. Buying shipping containers outright means a large upfront cost, and the asset sits on your books long after the project that needed it has wrapped up.
Hiring turns that into a predictable monthly expense. A monthly hire fee is easy to budget for, and easy to stop paying once the job’s done. For a startup or a growing small business, keeping cash free for stock, staff or marketing usually makes more sense than tying it up in steel.
Projects have end dates
Construction, infrastructure and mining work all run in stages. A site might need three site offices and a lunch room for eighteen months, then nothing at all. Container hire fits that pattern neatly. The boxes arrive when the project kicks off, stay as long as they’re needed and get collected once the last tradie packs up.
On these sites, hired containers turn up as site offices, tool stores, ablution blocks and first aid rooms, often modified before delivery so they’re ready to use on day one.
Businesses need space, and they need it quickly
Extra warehouse space isn’t always easy to find at short notice. For retailers and online sellers who run out of room in peak season, a container can fill the gap.
A 20ft or 40ft box dropped in a car park or yard gives instant, lockable storage for overflow stock. When the rush is over, the container goes back. No long lease and no fit-out required.
No lock-in contracts
Flexibility is a big drawcard. Some suppliers offer month-to-month hire with no lock-in contract, so you keep the container for as long as you want it and simply make a call when you’re finished.
At Tiger Shipping Containers, for example, monthly hire starts from $130 + GST with no lock-in contract. When you no longer need the box, they’ll come and collect it free of charge.
That suits businesses with unpredictable demand. It also takes the guesswork out of planning, because you don’t have to know today exactly how long you’ll need the space.
Delivery can be quick
Suppliers with local depots can often deliver quickly, sometimes within a day or two. Containers arrive by tilt tray, side-loader or Hiab crane, depending on the site. For a business that needs extra space by Friday, that kind of speed matters.
Households have caught on too
Renovations, house moves and downsizing all create a short-term need for secure storage. Shipping container hire lets people keep their furniture and belongings on their own property instead of driving back and forth to a storage facility. Once the reno’s finished, the container leaves and the driveway’s clear again.
Hire or buy?
Hiring isn’t always the right call. If you’ll need a container for several years, or you’re planning to modify it into a home, pool or permanent workshop, buying can work out cheaper in the long run. That’s when it pays to look at shipping containers for sale, whether new or used.
A simple rule of thumb: if you can see the end date, hire. If you can’t, add up the monthly cost over the time you expect to keep the box and compare it with the purchase price.
What to check before you hire
- What’s included in the monthly rate, and is GST extra?
- What are the delivery and collection fees?
- Is there a minimum hire period or a lock-in contract?
- What condition is the container in, and is it wind and water tight?
- Can you get a high cube, side opening or refrigerated container if you need one?
- Does the supplier have a depot near you?
Tiger, which has been in the container business for more than 30 years, offers container hire right across Australia in 10ft, 20ft and 40ft sizes. Its hire range includes general purpose, refrigerated, high cube, side opening and dangerous goods containers, both new and used.
Space on your terms
The appeal of shipping container hire comes down to something pretty simple. Businesses want space they can get quickly and hand back easily. A hired shipping container does exactly that, without the cost of buying one.
