LAMMA 2020

Jane on October 29, 2019

Billie Box at Lamma 2020

We are pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting at Lamma on the 7th and 8th January 2020.  We have been a part of Lamma for a number of years and are pleased to be a part of the show at the NEC in Birmingham this year.

Lamma is a large exhibition focused on the agricultural industry.  It is a great opportunity for the farming community to see some of the latest developments in farming technology.  The wide range of exhibitors also gives farmers an opportunity to catch up on the latest techniques, equipment and cutting edge technology.

Jane and Matt from Billie Box Ltd will be manning the stand in the exhibition hall 20 stand no. 20.300.  They will be on hand to answer questions about setting up a profitable self-storage business.  

Safe, legal, compliant chemical storage on farms is a hotter topic than ever before, so this year Jane and Matt anticipate increased interest in the Billie Box chemical stores.  Billie Box chemical stores are constructed from converted shipping containers and are cost-effective, secure and proven as a way of storing farm chemicals safely, and without breaking the bank.

Please come and visit us on stand 20.300.  

Exhibitions like Lamma are a great opportunity to catch up with existing customers, as well as a great chance to make some new acquaintances.  If you would like to reserve your BASEBALL HAT then please get in touch using our contact page

Many good reasons to diversify into self-storage on your farm

Jane on October 17, 2018

Shipping containers are perfect for self-storage businesses, and an increasing number of farmers are cashing in. Setting up a self-storage business is a great way for farmers to make extra money from their farms, with minimal effort and investment.

Setting up a self-storage business can be as simple as placing a group of shipping containers on a piece of land. You can then make good money renting the secure space to local people and businesses.

Self-storage; good reasons to diversify

  1. You can earn additional income from land that may otherwise be left unused.
  2. Existing land can easily be converted into a self-storage facility.
  3. Self-storage provides you with a regular income from a relatively low initial outlay.
  4. Payback from the initial outlay is only approx. 2-3 years depending on the price charged for storage.

Why use shipping containers?

  1. Shipping containers are secure – high strength ‘Corten’ steel construction and fitted with a lock box to protect the padlock.
  2. Shipping containers are durable – in addition to being built from high strength Corten (non corrosive) steel, shipping containers are coated with a marine grade paint.
  3. Containers maintain their resale value – used shipping containers have a resale value if you want to sell them.
  4. Tax advantage – you can depreciate containers which will give you a tax advantage.
  5. Shipping containers can be stacked – this allows more units to be stored on your land and therefore more revenue for you per square metre.
  6. Scalability – you can buy more units as you require them thus giving an advantage over storage buildings. You can also sell individual units if you want to free up land.
  7. Easily moved – shipping containers come with forklift pockets and can be easily moved with the right equipment.

Things to consider when starting a self-storage business

  1. Land must be hard standing to ensure that the containers are level; this ensures the containers don’t twist and doors don’t stick.
  2. It is recommended that new (once used from China) containers are used as opposed to second-hand (10-15 years old) ones.
  • They will look more attractive to potential customers
  • They will be the same colour
  • They will have less issues with condensation
  • They will last longer
  • They will require less maintenance over time
  • They are easier to finance
  1. Plan your site to maximise the number of containers that can be accommodated but ensure that customers can easily access their units; they may bring large vehicles to offload their goods.
  2. It is best to provide your own locks to ensure they fit into the lock boxes. They can be supplied with master keys so you can access if required.
  3. It is best to set up direct debits or standing orders so that you are guaranteed regular payments and don’t waste time chasing monthly payments.
  4. Containers can get condensation so you could offer ‘Absorpoles’ as an extra to your customer.
  5. Keeping your site and containers clean will make it more attractive to customers allowing you to target the higher end of the market, they will be willing to pay more and will be less likely to default on payments.

How Billie Box can help you

  1. We supply new 10ft, 20ft and 40ft containers with delivery to England and Wales
  2. We deliver shipping containers using a hi-ab vehicle that will offload your containers in the required location.
  3. Our drivers are happy to assist you in ensuring that the container is level.
  4. We can ensure that additional containers can be supplied in the same specification and colour.
  5. Our new containers come with a lock box already fitted and we also supply compatible padlocks.
  6. The locks can be supplied with master keys that allow you to open all locks used on the site.
  7. Our new containers come with air vents to help reduce condensation. If required we can also supply ‘Absorpoles’ which help prevent condensation.
  8. We can supply stacking cones and also stack the containers on top of each other (only 2 high) if required.
  9. If stacking, we can recommend a ‘Staircase’ company too.

Call us today for a quote on 0800 121 7388

Self Storage

Jane on February 23, 2017

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 1980s. 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 safe but just don’t have anywhere to store them. Customers include retailers, wholesalers, private individuals, construction firms and 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 in 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

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 customers.
  8. Before you know it, your site will be full of customers and you will be 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.

About Jane Billing
Jane Billing has over 30 years’ experience in shipping container supply. During that time Jane has gained a very broad knowledge of the whole shipping container industry. From construction to shipping, to adaption and conversions, if you have a question about any aspect of the shipping container industry Jane will likely have the answer for you. After many years working for some of the biggest names in the shipping container industry Jane set up her own company, Billie Box Ltd, in 2012. Since launching, Billie Box Ltd has sold well over 1500 new and used containers.

Comodo SSL