Pacific Northwest Equipment

What Pacific Northwest Equipment does

Pacific Northwest Equipment Inc. (PNW) is a privately held designer, manufacturer, seller, and lessor of cargo containers and intermodal equipment founded in 1980 and headquartered in Kent, Washington. The company operates two purpose-built cargo container terminal facilities strategically positioned between the Port of Seattle and the Port of Tacoma, and serves customers across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Hawaii, Western Canada, and the Western Pacific.

PNW's core product portfolio spans standard and high-cube dry containers (10' through 53'), refrigerated containers, open-top containers, platform and flatrack containers (flush-folding, collapsible, fixed-post), half-height bins, chassis, mafi-style roll trailers, rail cars (gondolas, flatcars, boxcars, hopper cars), and a broad tank container line covering asphalt, cement, gas, and IMO/UN-rated bulk liquid cargo. Specialty offerings include T304-stainless-steel Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs), IP 2-certified containers for radioactive-contaminated cargoes, sludge containers, walkway containers, and bespoke custom equipment. The company holds many North American patents in intermodal equipment design.

Revenue is generated through (i) one-time sales of new and used intermodal equipment, (ii) leasing arrangements (short- and long-term, with lease-purchase and financing options) that produce recurring revenue, and (iii) custom design-and-build engagements. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales via a phone-based sales team. End markets include tug-and-barge lines, maritime shipping, waste, mining, construction, oil and energy, rail, retail and transportation, port operations, aerospace, and military and defense. Certifications include CSC, UIC, IP 2 (CFR 49 173.465), and UN/DOT approvals for hazardous and non-hazardous bulk liquid transport.

Name

Pacific Northwest Equipment

Legal name

Pacific Northwest Equipment Inc.

Website

https://pnwgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pacific Northwest Equipment Inc. designs, manufactures, sells, and leases cargo containers and intermodal equipment from two terminals in Kent, WA, serving enterprise customers in maritime, rail, mining, construction, oil and energy, waste, aerospace, and military and defense across the Pacific Northwest, Western Canada, and Western Pacific.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cargo Containers & Intermodal Equipment

NAICS

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (336), Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924)

SIC

Miscellaneous Transportation Equipment (3790), Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537), Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590)

akta.pro primary industry

Cargo Handling & Lifting Equipment (Cranes, Derricks, Hoists) (IMAJAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Intermodal Equipment & Container/Chassis Pooling (Leasing/Management) (TLADAFAD), Container Chassis & Intermodal Trailer Manufacturing (IMACAGAK)

Keywords

• Cargo containers
• Intermodal equipment
• Container leasing
• Shipping containers
• Intermodal logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Kent

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: PNW sells new and used intermodal equipment including dry containers, open-top containers, tank containers, refrigerated containers, flatracks, platforms, chassis, rail cars, and specialty containers. Both new production and used equipment available for purchase.
2. Equipment Leasing: PNW offers leasing options for cargo containers and intermodal equipment including short-term and long-term lease arrangements. They provide lease purchase options for customers who wish to eventually own the equipment.
3. IBC Sales and Leasing: Pacific Northwest Equipment Inc. both sells and leases IBCs (Intermediate Bulk Containers) for the transport of hazardous and non-hazardous products.
4. Financing and Lease Purchase Options: PNW offers financing and lease purchase options for new equipment orders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Pacific Northwest Equipment designs, manufactures, sells, and leases cargo containers and intermodal equipment. The company offers a comprehensive range of intermodal equipment including dry cargo containers, open-top containers, tank containers, refrigerated containers, flatracks, platforms, chassis, rail cars, and specialty containers for industries such as maritime shipping, mining, construction, oil and energy, rail, aerospace, and military and defense.

Product overview

Pacific Northwest Equipment Inc. (PNW) is a cargo container and intermodal equipment sales and leasing company established in 1980. The company operates as a single unified product line focused on intermodal transportation equipment, offering an extensive portfolio of container types and related gear. The core product portfolio includes dry cargo containers (10', 20', 40', 53'), refrigerated containers, tank containers (asphalt, cement, gas, liquid), flatrack containers (flush folding, collapsible, fix post), platform containers, half high bin containers, insulated containers, sludge containers, and intermediate bulk containers (IBCs). Supporting equipment includes chassis, rail cars, gen sets, roll trailers, and miscellaneous container gear (lock boxes, twistlocks, windows, roll up doors, stacking cones, turbine vents). Specialized offerings include IP 2 containers for nuclear industry use and custom equipment solutions. PNW also offers new production manufacturing and serves industries including maritime shipping, mining, construction, oil, energy, rail, retail, aerospace, and military/defense. The company holds multiple North American patents in intermodal equipment design and provides both sale and lease options across its product range.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dry Containers Corrugated steel dry cargo containers in 10', 20', 40', and 53' sizes with standard and high cube configurations, designed for general storage and intermodal shipping across maritime, rail, and road transport.
• Open Top Containers Open top containers for cargo that requires top loading or oversized items that cannot be loaded through standard container doors, for industrial and shipping applications.
• Platform Containers Pallet-style containers with no walls or posts, featuring steel outer shell with hardwood or steel flooring, available in 20', 24', 40', and 53' lengths for transporting oversized cargo like tractors, boats, and lumber.
• Tank Containers ISO/CSC approved tank containers including asphalt/bitumen, cement, gas, and liquid tanks for hazardous and non-hazardous bulk commodities transport, available in various sizes with configurable options.
• Flatrack Containers Collapsible and fixed post flatracks with flush-folding ends, designed for side loading of oversized cargo such as lumber, large equipment, construction materials, and break bulk products.
• Half High Bin Containers 20' steel deck open-top bin containers for hauling scrap metal, bulk products, and dirt, with 79,465 lbs payload capacity and heavy-duty fork pocket tunnels.
• Chassis Container and tank chassis designed and built for the intermodal industry, available for sale or long-term lease with custom configurations for bridge formulas and weight distribution.
• Custom Equipment Custom-designed intermodal equipment solutions built to meet specific customer requirements for specialized transport and storage applications.
• Refrigerated Containers Refrigerated containers in 20', 40', and 53' sizes with refrigeration units, raised T-floors, temperature range 80°F to -18°F, available in diesel or electric power for temperature-sensitive product transport.
• Sludge Containers Specialized containers for sludge material transport and storage in waste management applications.
• New Production Manufacturing New intermodal equipment manufacturing including dry containers, IMO tanks, cement tanks, asphalt tanks, refrigerated containers, platforms, flatracks, bin containers, and specialty containers, with financing and lease options.
• Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) T304 stainless steel intermediate bulk containers for hazardous and non-hazardous product transport, with fork pockets, lifting eyes, sloped bottom, and 2" ball valve for discharge, suitable for UN II and III dangerous goods.
• Walkway Containers 20' or 40' steel cargo containers modified with full end openings, window cutouts, non-skid flooring, lighting hooks, and crane lifting eyes, serving as safe pedestrian alternatives to scaffolding on job sites.
• Insulated Containers 20' or 40' non-working refrigerated containers for temperature-sensitive products and condensation control.
• Rail Cars Leasing and sales of used railcar equipment including gondolas, flatcars, boxcars, TOFC/COFC railcars, double-stack container cars, and covered/uncovered hopper cars.
• Mafi Style Roll Trailers Terminal and Ro-Ro equipment trailers for transporting oversized or odd-sized loose cargo, available with fixed or removable gooseneck and capacities from 70 ton to 120 ton.
• IP 2 Containers 20' x 8' x 8'6" steel floor containers certified for radioactive contaminated cargoes, CSC and UIC rated with 64,270 lb payload, certified for ship, barge, road, and rail transport per IP 2 Standard CFR 49 173.465.
• Gen Sets Diesel-powered generators for running refrigerated containers, available in chassis mount or nose mount configurations.
• Miscellaneous Container Gear Accessory products including container lock boxes, twistlocks, windows, roll up doors, stacking cones, and turbine vents for container security, ventilation, and access.

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Beacon Intermodal Leasing: One of North America's largest chassis and container pool providers, headquartered in Atlanta, GA. Directly competitive with PNW's chassis leasing and intermodal equipment leasing operations and overlaps with PNW's chassis product line for sale and long-term lease.
• CAI International: Container and railcar lessor with significant intermodal container leasing operations. Overlaps with PNW in container leasing and railcar sales/leasing (used gondolas, flatcars, boxcars) for rail industry customers.
• SeaCube Containers: Specialized refrigerated (reefer) container leasing company with a global fleet. Directly comparable to PNW's refrigerated container sales/leasing business (20'/40'/53' reefers) and competes for cold-chain shipper customers.
• Stoughton Trailers: US-based manufacturer of intermodal chassis, trailers, and specialty transportation equipment. Directly comparable to PNW's chassis manufacturing business and other intermodal equipment build capabilities.
• Triton Container International: Global container lessor with a large dry, refrigerated, and special-equipment fleet. Competes directly with PNW in intermodal container leasing and overlaps in refrigerated/tank container segments where PNW has specialty designs.

Emerging players

• Bison Group: Manufacturer of specialty intermodal equipment including containers, chassis, and accessory products for military and commercial markets. Comparable to PNW's specialty equipment catalog (custom equipment, IP 2-style containers) and serves similar defense/commercial crossover customers.

Broad incumbents

• Maersk Container Industry: Manufacturer of refrigerated containers and inland container equipment, owned by A.P. Møller - Mærsk. Competes with PNW in refrigerated and specialty container manufacturing and serves global shipping line customers.
• Florens Container (COSCO Shipping): Global container leasing arm of COSCO Shipping with a large intermodal container fleet. Broadly competes with PNW in container leasing and equipment supply, though primarily serving ocean carrier customers at global scale.
• CIMC (China International Marine Containers): The world's largest manufacturer of shipping containers, tank containers, and intermodal equipment. Competes broadly with PNW across all container categories but at vastly greater scale and with global reach; PNW's specialty designs and patents are its differentiation against this dominant incumbent.
• Hyundai Translead: Major North American trailer and chassis manufacturer serving intermodal, dry van, and refrigerated transportation. Overlaps with PNW's chassis and refrigerated container production but as part of a broader commercial trailer portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pnw-equipment-inc

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pacific Northwest Equipment