Posted on

FFSC Lifeboat Day 2017

FFSC, RNLI, Harwich Lifeboat, lifeboat, fundraising, charity, sponsorship, Billie Box sponsor

Billie Box will be sponsoring a couple of different charities this year and the first is FFSC Lifeboat weekend in September 2017.

FFSC, Fundraising, RNLI, Billie Box sponsorship,  

Fundraising For

fundraising, charity, RNLI, FFSC, Billie Box sponsor,

Jane & Matt are members of the FFSC (Felixstowe Ferry Sailing club) and their sailing club is holding a whole weekend fundraising events for the Harwich RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution). 

RNLI is Such a worthy cause, they save lives at sea everyday of the year. RNLI is run by volunteers and rely on public donations to keep their organisation going. It cost £485,000 per day in 2016 to run the RNLI.

During 2016 the RNLI rescued 23 people everyday of 2016, they trained and equipped over 610 lifesavers and 8,851 lifeboats were launched throughout 2016.

FFSC are holding a weekend of events:

Friday, 22nd September 2017 – 6.30pm to 10pm

  • Opening by the Mayor of Felixstowe
  • Fish & chip supper
  • Live music by ‘Bits & Pieces’
  • Beer tent

Saturday, 23rd September 2017 – 12 noon to 11pm

  • RNLI Fundraising stalls
  • Live music by local Pop and Folk bands and artists including ‘Troublesome Reach’
  • RNLI Lifeboat viewing
  • Try sailing taster
  • Children’s entertainment
  • Beer tent
  • All day BBQ, Tea & Coffee
  • Evening curry
  • Rowing machine
  • Fly your Teddy!

Sunday, 24th September – 12 noon to 6pm

  • RNLI fundraising stalls
  • Live music by local Pop and Folk bands and artists
  • Children’s entertainment
  • Duck race
  • All day BBQ, Tea & Coffee
  • The Traditional – Golf Ball over the river competition
  • Tombola
  • Seamanship Race
  • Fly your Teddy!
  • Tug of War

So if you fancy a day or even a weekend out in September, why not come on down to the Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club and support the RNLI. Or if you can’t make it, why not donate today!

You know it makes sense.

 

 

Posted on

Billie Box is 5 years old

Billie Box special offer, free hat, shipping containers, chemical stores, portable offices

Billie Box is 5 years old on 12th August 2017!

Since Billie Box started trading on 12th August 2012 the business has gone from strength to strength. Starting at the tail end of a national recession; certainly, made for an interesting ride. Expertise has certainly won through; with Jane Billing’s 30 years of knowledge and experience of the container industry gave their customers peace of mind when dealing with Billie Box.

Billie Box has not only offered a great container sales and rental service. In July 2013 they introduced shipping container conversions, into Chemical stores for many industries such as farming, education and manufacturing. This year they offer 20ft portable steel offices, canteens and office/stores. All this is with delivery around the UK.

With business increasing year on year for Billie Box, it proved too much for Jane. So in 2016 Matt Boyle joined the company and he has proved to be a great asset to the company. Matt is learning the ropes and making sure that Jane has support wherever possible.

Throughout the last 5 years, Billie Box has actively been involved in fundraising for many charities. In 2013 Jane held a grand draw for Cancer campaign in Suffolk. In 2014 she held the first Billie Box Ball in aid of Cancer Campaign in Suffolk. In 2015 Jane cycled with her sister-in-law from London to Paris for St. Elizabeth Hospice, Ipswich. In 2016 Billie Box had their second Billie Box Ball for the Clic Sargent Cancer charity for the young. In 2017 Billie Box have sponsored many worthy charities, some include the Papworth Trust, Age UK, Princes Trust & East Anglian Childrens Hospice, Ipswich. To date Billie Box has raised over £21,000 for various charities. The plan for the future is to continue supporting many charities.

By way of a celebration Billie Box is offering a Free Baseball cap with every order paid from now until to 31st August 2017.

Billie Box special offer, free hat, shipping containers, chemical stores, portable officesSo why not call for a quotation today T: 0800 121 7388

Or Click here

 
Jane Billing
 

Posted on

How to buy a shipping container

shipping container, buy a container, purchase a container, buy a shipping container, Billie Box, customer service,

Many people ask ‘How do I buy a shipping container’? Well Billie Box can help you with that.

First of all you need to find a friendly container company like Billie Box that will give a you a quote in a timely manner. Billie Box will ask you for the following information:

  1. What size shipping container would you like? 8ft, 10ft, 20ft or 40ft
  2. Would you like to buy or hire?
  3. If you would like to buy, would you like New or Used? By the way we sell 20ft and 40ft in new or used condition and 8ft and 10ft in new condition only.
  4. Where would you like delivery of your container? A postcode would be best.
  5. We would require your email address so we can send you a written quotation.

Once we have this information, we will then research a transport cost and send you a written quotation via email. We often manage to reply to customers within 1 hour, occasionally, it can take a little longer if we are checking stocks for availability.

Billie Box then follows up with you within a few days, if we have not already heard from you.

To buy a shipping container, please can you let Billie Box have the following details:

  1. Your Invoice name and address
  2. Your delivery name and address (if different)
  3. Site name and number for the driver to call on the day of delivery
  4. A purchase order number for the invoice (if you require it)
  5. Your full equipment specification, with accessories and delivery.

Once Billie Box has these details, they will prepare and email you an invoice and any relevant paperwork.

Once Billie Box receives your payment, then they will confirm a mutually agreed delivery date.

 

On the day of delivery, our driver will call your site contact 1 hour prior to his ETA.

Billie Box will call you after your delivery to ensure you are happy with the goods and services provided. 

We keep you informed at every stage of the sales process.

Why not have a look our Customer Reviews here, we pride ourselves on our excellent service, making life a simple as possible for our customers.

shipping container, buy a container, purchase a container, buy a shipping container, Billie Box, customer service,
Billie Box makes life simple for you.

 

 

So call Jane or Matt on 0800 121 7388 for a quote today or visit our GET A Quote page.

 
Jane Billing

Posted on

Self Storage

self storage, self store,

Self storage businesses are popping up in many places around the UK. It is a growing industry in the UK and has been since the 1980’s. Many self store businesses actually use shipping containers . The containers act like rooms for each customer. They are lockable and secure. They can be placed side by side and stacked at least 2 high.

Stacks of 20ft containers, self storage site, self store

Many customers of self storage sites want to keep their possessions but just don’t have anywhere to store them. Customers range from retailers, wholesalers, private individuals, construction firms to many, many more.

The  Farming community, in particular, are diversifying into Self storage, because they have the land already with great access for their customers.

The average occupancy of self storage units has grown by 4% to 73% and income per sq ft has grown by over 5% to £22.15 during 2016, according to the Self storage association UK. (SSA UK)

It is difficult to calculate accurately the number of self storage businesses trading as there is no organisation that actually tracks the self storage industry around the UK. The SSA UK. estimates that there are now around 1077 self store sites in the UK, of which 195 offer container storage only.

We at Billie Box offer shipping containers that will suit a Self storage business perfectly. We always recommend New (one trip from China) containers as they are usually clean and tidy. Self storage customers want to store in a nice tidy space. All our new containers are fitted with a lock box and padlocks on a master suite basis are available for sale.

2016 Statistics from SSA UK make very interesting reading

Click here for more information

Self storage association UK

How to set up a Self Storage business

  1. Find the land
  2. Apply for planning permission
  3. Make the land levelled and accessible
  4. Put up a fence and maybe a swipe card system for added security.
  5. Start marketing your self storage business. Get your customers lined up to rent the space.
  6. Buy shipping containers from Billie Box to place on site. Often our customers start with 10 x 20ft units and then build onto the site with more as and when the first ones are full.
  7. Rent the containers out to your customer
  8. Before you know it, your site will be full with customers and you are receiving a nice tidy income.
  9. Remember you can stack 2 high. Staircases and walkways would be required for access.

So in conclusion, call us today on 0800 121 7388 or GET a Quote to see how Billie Box can help you to start up your self storage business.

 
Jane Billing

Posted on

Cost effective, secure alternative to Prefab buildings

portable office, site office, site canteen,

Finding office space and canteen space can be challenging for businesses who find their space is at a premium.  Some businesses (like motor dealerships) sometimes simply do not have any indoor space at all.  Providing your staff with a warm, comfortable and productive working environment is an important consideration for any business.  Ensuring your staff have somewhere comfortable to take work breaks and eat meals is important for morale.
In the past increasing the size of a work environment involved either building an extension, or investing in a modular building.  Building work may either be impractical, or impossible.  Modular buildings come with challenges that mean they are not always the best solution for every situation.

Converted shipping containers

Here at Billie Box we offer a cost-effective solution to your business space problems. We convert new shipping containers into offices, canteens and office space with secure storage.  When we convert a container to include storage space the split is typically 50 / 50 between office space and storage space.  

Let’s take a look at some of the advantages of using a converted shipping container as your office or canteen.

Cost

Converted shipping container offices and canteens work out around £100 per square metre cheaper than prefab buildings.

Security

Our converted containers are built from high-tensile Corten steel.  The doors are anti-jemmy proof and are kept securely locked with a ten lever locking system.  Windows can be fitted with lockable steel shutters, secured from inside with a shoot bolt.  These features are a small example of why our offices and canteens are considerably more secure than modular buildings.

Comfort

Our offices and canteens are insulated with rock-wool and finished internally with tidy melamine paneling.  Your converted container will be fully fitted out electrically.  Every unit is fitted with lighting, heating and double power sockets.  Converted containers are also supplied with anti-slip flooring.

 

Shipping containers that have been converted into an office, canteen (or other business facility) are entirely self contained.  They can be supplied with an open plan layout or with an internal wall to provide additional secure storage within the unit.

Our offices and canteens are a cost-effective, secure and simple alternative to traditional modular buildings.

 
Jane Billing
 

Posted on

Rural Crime stats 2016

rural crime stats from NFU

Rural crime stats are showing a huge problem to farmers and those that live in the countryside. Rural sites are so exposed and unmanned in many cases, hence, why crime is on the rise. The perpetrators can access sites easily and abscond with many high value items without anyone noticing.

We at Billie Box take these rural crime stats very seriously indeed. We supply steel secure shipping containers for storage with delivery to your door. Farms and countryside residences often have sufficient room to add another shed to their site.

Visit our site for Sale or Hire of shipping containers.

Rural crime
New (once used from China) 20ft x 8ft storage container being delivered to site

 

Every year rural crime costs millions of pounds and causes anxiety to the victims across the UK.

In 2015 the data reveals that the cost of rural crime to the UK has reached £42.5 million.

Stats from the NFU website.

rural crime stats from NFU

Agri-Expo

The NFU Mutual reported that, there are certain areas being targeted more than others. The North East and East of England in particular. In 2015 it cost the victims in the region of £7.9 and £6.9 million respectively. The Midlands and Northern Ireland crime figures are on the rise by 10% and 13% respectively.

Theft of ATV’s rose by 50% in the Essex area last year alone, according to NFU mutual.

ATVs can be easily stored in a 20ft lockable container. Containers are a perfect solution, as all sides are blocked and the thieves cannot see whats inside. Who knows what’s in a container?

Equine tack such as saddles and bridles, being very high value, are perfect for the burglar. Again a shipping container is a great product to store your horse-riding equipment. I know some of you are worried about condensation; however, we do have the Absorpole which can rectify this problem.

Billie Box’s Shipping Containers are fitted with a lock box and then a hardened steel padlock will fit inside. This will stop unlawful access with Bolt croppers.

Our padlocks have an anti-drill, anti-pick and anti-saw shackle.

In conclusion, prevention is better than cure!

Please click here for a Quote
Jane Billing

Posted on

Cereals 2017

Cereals Event 2016 exhibition stand

In 2017 we are investing further in meeting the needs of the agricultural community.  As a result we are proud to announce that we will be exhibiting at the Cereals 2017 arable farming event in Lincolnshire in June.

The annual Cereals event is one of the biggest in the agricultural calendar, with over 24,000 attendees. Roughly half of the people who attend Cereals are farm owners and managers. Exhibiting at the event gives us a valuable opportunity to meet farmers, and gain a better understanding of how we can serve this vital sector.

Our time at Cereals 2016 was a great success. We were able to build on our knowledge of the issues that matter most to arable farmers. As we have mentioned in previous posts, one of the biggest issues facing today’s farmers is the need to store chemicals safely. In answer to this problem we will be exhibiting one of our popular secure chemical stores at Cereals 2017.

Our chemical stores are converted shipping containers and match the specification dictated by the Health and Safety executive. Farmers are increasingly under pressure, not just from government departments, but are also being challenged to change the way they store and handle chemicals by the companies they supply. For example, the Tesco ‘Natures Choice’ scheme imposes very specific guidelines for farmers. Our chemical stores are a cost effective, long term solution to the increasing problem of safe and secure chemical storage.

In addition to our chemical stores we also offer new containers for farmers who are interested in diversifying their business by offering self storage.

Consequently we are very much looking forward to meeting with existing customers and meeting some new people at Cereals 2017. If you would like to arrange a meeting during Cereals 2017 or would like to discuss how we can help you now please get in touch by calling us on 0800 121 7388 or emailing us.

Find out more about our Chemical Storage for Farmers…
Find out more about Cereals 2017…

Here is what it looked like last year:

Storage Containers at Cereals 2017

So please do come along and see us.

For more information: GET a Quote here or T: 0800 121 7388

 
Jane Billing
 

 

Posted on

Storage containers for Football clubs

Football clubs often require storage containers for their unmanned sites.

Football Foundation

Did you know that the Football Foundation have set up a funding scheme for the purchase of a storage container? Click on Funding scheme for more information.

So, English and Welsh Football clubs can purchase steel secure storage containers from us at Billie Box. We offer 20ft and 40ft steel shipping containers fitted with a lock box and padlock. These containers are perfect as a secure lock up.

Billie Box has a variety of sizes and types of containers:

 

Second hand 20ft x 8ft storage container
Example of a Second hand 20ft x 8ft storage container (approx. 12 years old)
Example of a Second hand 40ft x 8ft steel storage container
Example of a Second hand 40ft x 8ft steel storage container
New (once used from China) 20ft x 8ft storage container
New (once used from China) 20ft x 8ft storage container
20ft Opensider
New (once used from China) 20ft x 8ft Opensider container
40ft tunnel container for sale
New (once used from China) 20ft or 40ft Tunnel container

More photos can be seen on our Gallery page.

Delivery and Offload

Billie Box arranges transportation to your site with a Hi ab lorry, that will offload the container to the side of the vehicle. More information about the delivery conditions, please visit our Delivery page.

Container accessories

Accessories for storage containers are available for purchase from Billie Box via Paypal, please view our Padlocks, Absorpoles and LED lights pages for more information.

Planning Permission

Within the conditions of the Football Foundation funding scheme, you must apply for planning permission. When you speak to your local planning department, you can advise them that the storage container is a ‘Temporary structure and can be moved at anytime with specialist equipment’. This may result in no planning permission required. However, according to the funding scheme, you will still need to get this confirmed in writing.

Storage container Rental

If the funding scheme is not the route your football club would like to take, we do offer storage container rental around England and Wales.

GET a Quote today

So please contact Jane or Matt for a quotation by either T: 0800 121 7388 or click on GET A Quote
Jane Billing

Posted on

Secure storage for Schools, Colleges & Universities

Rural crime

There are so many industries that could benefit from secure storage – anyone who values their business and it’s assets should consider Billie Box’s services when deciding how best to house their goods. Whilst some companies may seem like obvious targets for burglary it is often those that are overlooked in terms of security that can be the most devastated by its impact…

That is why the number of shipping containers being used by schools, colleges and universities is on the rise as educational institutions increasingly find themselves the victims of theft. When a building is only occupied during the weekdays and daylight hours criminals and opportunists take note, hence why shipping containers for sports clubs are also rapidly expanding in popularity. A fixed and secure static storage space is essential in combating this ever-growing problem.

shipping container, buy a container, purchase a container, buy a shipping container, Billie Box, customer service,
Billie Box makes life simple for you.

 

The key to our success is the genuine reliability in what we provide.
Jane Billing discussed utilising Billie Box’s recourses with the headmaster of a school in Kent but found he was reluctant to use a shipping container for storage. She discovered that his concerns were due to the fact that his existing containers had previously been broken into.

It transpired that the school had employed the use of a standard padlock fitted container. These are incredibly easy to penetrate as an exposed padlock does not offer much protection at all. Jane explained that our company use what is known as a ‘Lock Box‘ – essentially a steel shrouded area to securely house the padlock. This extra layer of protection makes all the difference; breaking and entering is practically impossible as regular bolt croppers are made redundant. The headmaster went on to buy a 20ft container.

Billie Box has assisted many schools across England in supplying a secure storage container on a sale or rental basis. We always recommend a lock box and padlock is fitted to ensure that they are doubly secure.

Schools often have sufficient space to place an 8ft, 10ft, 20ft or 40ft box with plenty of room for our vehicles to drive and offload the container. For an example of this please see our video demonstration.

Any company or institution wishing to discuss secure storage should call us today on 0800 121 7388 or 01473 557409. Alternatively please visit the ‘Get a Quote’ section of our website.

Lighting

Many schools, colleges and universities, find that they have to position the container in a remote place (not near buildings) this can cause a problem with lack of light. We offer a great portable, rechargeable 20W light that allows staff to access the container in the dark.

20W portable and rechargeable Light

 

 

 

 

 

So, in conclusion, why not call us today for more information: T: 0800 121 7388

Or GET A Quote here
Jane Billing

Posted on

Sports Clubs & Leisure Centre secure storage

Rural crime

Many sports clubs and leisure facilities in the UK use a shipping container to hold their ever expanding array of equipment. If space and protection are factors you value when considering how to securely store your businesses assets then you are not alone…

TeamGB_logo

Team GB’s unprecedented success at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic games inspired our nation, prompting a vast increase in membership to sports clubs and leisure facilities across the country. These institutions have greeted the UK’s re-ignited love of sports with a surge in purchasing of new equipment – much of this it extremely expensive. The continued success of these companies rely on their ability to deter and repel criminals through the secure storage of their property.

Billie Box supplies new and second hand shipping containers throughout England and Wales on a sale or rental basis. These storage units are constructed from Corten steel and built with a unique ‘Lock Box’ locking system: this offers total protection from the outside elements and most importantly makes near enough impenetrable to any would-be intruders. Condensation within the box itself is combatted through our own ‘Absorpoles’ – designed to reduce the amount of moisture inside a container and keep equipment dry.

Shipping containers are perfect as a secure store for sports equipment

The shipping containers come in 20ft (with an internal storage area of 1,170 cubic feet) and 40ft (a gigantic 2,386 cubic feet); huge amounts of storage space delivered directly to the door of practically any UK based gym or sports club.

20ft Shipping container

Balls, rackets and clubs are all well and good but not all sports are based around easily handled equipment – that is why Billie Box also offer a 20ft Opensider shipping container, this gives a longer length full side opening. An extremely useful addition when storing long or hard-to-manage items is a daily routine.

 

 

 

 

Lighting

Also if you are in a remote area and trying to access your container in the dark, then we have a portable, rechargeable, extra bright LED light. So flexible for access. Have a look here for more information: Lighting.

20W LED portable light

The options of sports clubs and leisure facilities are endless, but here are few of our existing clients. Why not view our Reviews which shows you how we have been successful in supplying our clients.

  • American Football
  • Archery clubs
  • Badminton clubs
  • Boxing clubs
  • Canoe clubs
  • Cricket clubs
  • Cycling clubs
  • Equestrian centres
  • Fencing clubs
  • Football clubs
  • Gliding clubs
  • Golf Clubs
  • Gymnastics clubs
  • Hockey clubs
  • Ice Hockey clubs
  • Karting clubs
  • Lacrosse clubs
  • Leisure centres
  • Lifesaving clubs
  • Martial arts clubs
  • Motorcross clubs
  • Mountaineering clubs
  • Netball clubs
  • Polo clubs
  • Pool & snooker clubs
  • Rowing clubs
  • Rugby clubs
  • Sailing clubs
  • Scuba diving clubs
  • Shooting clubs
  • Ski clubs
  • Squash clubs
  • Surf clubs
  • Swimming clubs
  • Table Tennis clubs
  • Tennis clubs
  • Trampoline clubs
  • Volleyball clubs
  • Waterski clubs
  • Watersports clubs
  • Weightlifting clubs
  • Windsurfing clubs
  • Yacht clubs

In conclusion, a shipping container is a perfect way to store your equipment safely and securely, which gives you peace of mind and protects your members interests.

Any company or institution wishing to discuss secure storage should call us today on 0800 121 7388 or 01473 557409. Alternatively please visit the ‘Get a Quote’ section of our website.

Jane Billing