The Conex Connection: Learn About This Affordable, Adaptable Storage Solution
When you’re looking for ample storage capacity and rugged durability in a form that offers flexible transportation options, you should be looking at a Conex box. From shipping to shopping to settling down, you may be surprised to learn all the potential ways you can use these sturdy steel containers.
What Is A Conex Box?
You probably have seen pictures of steel storage boxes at ports, and perhaps you’ve seen them being hauled via tractor-trailer or train. Maybe you’re more familiar with such structures being called “shipping containers” or a similar description. What do Conex boxes have to do with those containers?
To find the beginnings of the Conex box, you have to look back to the middle of the twentieth century, when the U.S. military was looking for logistics solutions between the Second World War and the Korean War. During this period, the Army Department of Transportation developed the strong, versatile and readily transportable steel container that would become the Conex box.
What is Conex? Originally, Conex was a shortening of “Container Express,” the name the Army gave to these handy steel boxes. The value and versatility of a Conex box lies in the fact that its spacious capacity for storage is matched by its readiness for transport.
How Big Is A Conex Box?
If you’re thinking about purchasing a Conex container, one of the most basic questions you’ll likely have is how big a typical container is. While Conex box dimensions have changed a great deal over time, today’s containers come in a few standard configurations. You’ll find that most modern Conex boxes are 8 feet wide and 8 and a half feet tall. When choosing the container that fits your needs, your primary sizing consideration is length.
The two standard lengths for Conex boxes are 20 feet and 40 feet. Although there are other sizes available, these dimensions are by far the most prevalent and useful for a wide variety of applications. For most individuals or businesses, the ultimate function for which the Conex box is intended will make the preferred length obvious.
So how much does a Conex box weigh? Each container’s weight may vary slightly, but the standard sizes do allow a good approximation of what you can expect. On average, an empty 20-foot Conex container will weigh at least 2200 kg (4850 pounds), while a 40-feet container should weigh around 3800 kg (8378 pounds).
What is their cost?
Whether you are shopping for your business or personal use, the cost of a Conex box will no doubt be a primary consideration. The durable construction and increasing popularity of these versatile containers probably have you anticipating an exaggerated price tag to match their outsized advantages. It’s true that the combination of growing global shipping with the ever-increasing variety of uses for Conex boxes means that demand for these logistics superstars has never been higher.
Despite their long life span and broadening appeal, however, Conex boxes may not demand as large a hit to your pocketbook as you fear. Each container’s condition and features will determine the final price you pay, but you’ll find the most popular 20-foot and 40-foot versions listed in a range between $2,500 to $5,000.
The difference in size is often not as big a factor in the cost as you might think. Special modifications or customized features that you need are likely to add more to the cost of your container than a few extra feet of length. Even choosing a used Conex box in good condition instead of a brand new one can sometimes have a bigger impact on price than the size. The takeaway here is that you don’t have to downsize your plans to save money. You can likely find a larger box that fits your budget just as easily as a smaller one.
What Can You Do With A Conex Box?
Conex boxes offer a multitude of uses, whether your needs are personal, commercial or social. Conex boxes outperform traditional buildings in both their mobility and their ability to stand up to punishing conditions. For this reason, these containers can easily slide into a diverse array of circumstances and functions.
The most obvious applications are industrial and logistics-related. As mentioned before, you are most likely to have seen Conex boxes in the context of shipping cargo, whether by boat, truck or rail. If you work in construction or a related trade, you’ve probably already witnessed the convenience and security these containers offer in terms of storing equipment, tools and supplies.
On the other hand, Conex boxes can be useful for your company even if your work doesn’t require a hard hat. Conex containers are commonly modified and adapted in various ways depending on their intended use. Properly equipped and adapted, a Conex box can become your office, studio or workshop. This versatility means you can almost certainly get a Conex box to suit any type or size of business.
Your organization doesn’t have to be a for-profit business to make use of Conex containers. If your school district doesn’t have the budget for a major building project, Conex boxes can quickly and affordably add needed classroom or administrative space. Containers also offer great benefits for your community garden or park, providing storage for landscaping and gardening supplies and equipment.
Perhaps your interest in Conex boxes is more personal than public. If your design taste is non-traditional, Conex containers are an exciting alternative to a conventional home. You may choose to use your box as an addition to an already-existing house or as an outdoor entertainment space. Thanks to their robust steel construction and built-in secure locking abilities, the physical security of your belongings is better protected with a Conex box than with a standard backyard shed.
Lock Down Your Conex Box Quote Today
You can see that Conex boxes offer functionality, flexibility and mobility that are virtually unparalleled when compared to other storage and construction options. If you’d like more information on how Conex containers can fit into your plans, contact Norcal Containers for a free quote today.
