20' High Cube Available in Detroit

20’ high cube containers, (20’ long, 8’ wide and 9’6” high), are fantastic when you can find them. We are lucky to have one available in Detroit. Detroit doesn't get unusual containers like this often, so it is great in a market that has a lot of exciting container projects in the works.  It was slightly damaged in transit, but not too badly. We had special-ordered the container for a project and the damage was not compatible with the project, so we have this particular one left over. Please check out the pictures to see how great it looks!

A little background on 20’ high cubes

20’ high cube containers are a great option when you need that extra height for storage, but need that shorter length. However, they are only available in one-trip condition. Even then, they are still not that plentiful. This specific sized high cube container is not widely used in commercial shipping, so used 20' high cube containers are hard to come by. As far as specialty containers go, the 20' high cubes are known to be most consistently damaged in transit. Often then when the container needs to be moved, they are put on a regular 20’ chassis, or container trailer.  Most 20' chassis are made for standard containers, which are a foot shorter than high cubes.. Therefore when going under a low bridge, which has enough space for a standard 20' container to clear, there is a big problem. The truck generally keeps going under the container, but the container crumples up. This generally results in totaling the container and damaging the bridge. In fact, that did happen to another container on this order! To see pictures, click here. Low-bridging is so common that most companies do not want to deal with the hassle of having a large percentage of their new, incoming, expensive containers being damaged, that 20’ high cubes tend to be harder to come by.

That is why this one in Detroit is such a great option if you are in the area.

The Parts Everyone Cringes About: The Moving and Delivery of A Container

This week’s blog was written by Super Cubes’ latest hire, Katie.

I got to be a part of my first container delivery.  We went to see two 20’ containers be delivered onsite. I first wondered what all was entailed with having such a large container delivered to a small parking lot, which in this case was a parking lot of an old grocery store and strip mall. When arriving, I questioned EVERYTHING! Imagine a parking lot in the shape of a square with commercial businesses on one side, a grocery store and two busy streets. I asked myself, “how is this huge tilt-bed semi-truck that is countless feet long could fit into such a tiny parking lot?”.  It was loaded with two 20’ x 8’ foot containers on the bed and a loooooong tractor pulling the trailer.

Sure enough with precise measurements and careful awareness to their surroundings, the driver from Dick’s Valley Service, the customer, and my boss figured out a way to maneuver the truck into the lot without a hitch! The two containers were gradually slid off the truck, which was very similar in my eyes to when two dominos hit one another, but stay standing straight up.

 The containers were placed exactly where the owner now has enough room to easily have their local welder make the desired container modifications. The right people made the delivery efficient and effective. I was really in disbelief how quickly and smoothly the delivery process went with the right amount of space marked off (and keeping other customers from parking in the way). If you are able to ever experience a delivery, you should take my word on it and be there.  It definitely was a neat process to see!

Going to the Yard – My First Visit to the Container Yard

This week’s blog was written by Super Cubes’ latest hire, Katie.

Last week, I was able to experience what “going to the yard” means. Being completely foreign to the cargo container business, it truly was my first time ever viewing and visiting an actual container yard. I didn’t really know what to expect besides dirt and piled containers. When arriving, my assumptions were correct for the most part. There were a countless number of containers lined up on the sandy dirt ground as I imagined. It was nice though to have such warm welcome to the yard. We had smiling faces of our container depot colleagues and our client, which was a great start to the day!

Going more on the actual site, I was able to physically touch and walk inside and outside of both used and one-trip 20’ cargo containers.  The closer I viewed and touched the container itself, I found myself seeing so much more than just steel sitting before me. I started picturing how this large piece of steel with corrugated sides could be turned into a restaurant or even a future home for my husband and I to live in. The stability the floors and ceilings provided when entering and wandering inside, the container made my visions that much more real. I even then came across the thought of we could actually get stuck in one of these and never come out if the heavy secure doors locked us in!  Scary, right? But honestly, having the right experts beside me, I knew there was no chance of that happening and there was no harm that could be done.

My first of many lessons were learned that day. Having the right people by you with examining and purchasing a cargo container is key to completing any project successfully. The right people are the ones that have built great relationships and continue ongoing connections with their container industry colleagues. Furthermore, the right people know not just the ins and outs of how the container process works, but more importantly, understands and grasps the physical aspect of each particular cargo container and how different modifications can affect them. Knowing the capabilities, the container physically has helps all working people create the vision their customer is desiring. Bottom line, really going with the right person and business does make a difference. They will guide and provide you with the best answers to the many questions you will come across as I did when I was on site. As a result, the best experience will be had and YOUR cargo container vision will be created.