Do Companies Own or Rent Shipping Containers?

If your company is in the practice of shipping large quantities of goods – either raw or finished – you need to consider whether purchasing or renting a container (or collection of containers) makes the most sense. Which option do businesses typically opt for?

The fact is that companies do both – some will own, and others will rent; some may do both. Making the economical choice requires business owners to have an understanding of their future shipping habits.

Consider buying outright if:

 

• You’re planning to make regular, frequent shipments over extended periods of time. Rental costs will add up, and can quickly exceed the initial investment cost of a full purchase. An owned container can also remain in your company’s own warehouse full-time when not in transit, making loading quick and cheap.

 

• Customization is important to you. One factor many owners don’t consider is that owning a shipping container allows it to be outfitted to their exact specifications, so whether you need refrigeration, ventilation, or simply custom paint and logo placement, purchasing may be the right choice for you.

Consider renting if:

• Your company will be shipping infrequently. This isn’t as straightforward as it may sound – even if you have one product that ships on a regular basis, it may make more sense to rent on a case-by-case basis for your infrequent shipments and purchase a dedicated container for your recurrent shipments.

• Your standard shipments are quite small in volume. Container rental services typically allow the partial rental of containers – if your typical shipment is expected to take up only, say, half of a standard 20-foot container, the costs of rental may actually be quite affordable even with some frequency.

For more information on shipping services, contact Bonded Service today.