What CONTAINER SALES (UK) LIMITED does

Container Sales (UK) Limited is a privately held, family-run distributor of shipping containers founded in 2002 by Keith Wilson and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. The company sources, holds, and sells newbuild (one-trip) and used shipping containers across sizes ranging from 8 to 40 feet, including general purpose, hi-cube, double door, full side access, tri-door, refrigerated, open top, and flat rack variants. It serves self-storage companies, rental companies, and container traders in bulk, as well as individual buyers purchasing single units across Scotland and North East England, and operates distribution depots in Gateshead and Cumbernauld to support that footprint.

The core product technology centers on industry-standard Corten weathering-steel construction with CSC gross-weight plating, multiple door configurations (3-handle cargo doors, bi-fold full side access to 180 degrees), and specialized variants such as Thermoking/Carrier/Daikin refrigerated units supporting -30C to +30C. The business model avoids refurbishment and conversion, focusing exclusively on the buy-stock-sell-deliver value chain. Container pricing is quote-based (no public price list), excludes delivery, insurance, packing, and VAT, and is supplemented by a £10 surcharge on orders under £100 value. Approximately £2 million of stock is held at any given time, financed internally. The company wholly owns Orange Box Self Storage Ltd in Sunderland as an adjacent operating subsidiary.

Revenue is generated through two streams: one-time hardware sales of containers (the dominant stream) and bundled HIAB delivery with crane placement. Go-to-market is exclusively direct sales via phone (0191 565 0111), email ([email protected]), and website quote forms, supported by a content-marketing blog and email newsletter. There is no app, API, or third-party channel integration. The company employs a leadership team of four directors plus operational staff with over 100 years of combined container industry experience, and has recently added sales and administrative headcount across 2023-2024, suggesting measured organizational scaling.

Name

CONTAINER SALES (UK) LIMITED

Legal name

Container Sales (UK) Ltd

Website

https://containersalesuk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Container Sales (UK) Limited is a family-run distributor of newbuild and used shipping containers founded in 2002, serving self-storage companies, rental firms, traders, and individual buyers in Scotland and North East England from depots in Sunderland, Gateshead, and Cumbernauld with HIAB delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Shipping Containers

NAICS

General Warehousing and Storage (493110), Specialized Freight Trucking (4842)

SIC

Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

International Packing, Export Crating & Containerization (HSAKACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Container Yards & Inland Depot Storage (Empty Container Depots/ICDs) (TLALAAAI)

Keywords

• Shipping containers
• Newbuild containers
• Used containers
• Container delivery
• Self storage containers

Headquarters

HQ city

Sunderland

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Container Sales: One-time sale of new one-trip and used shipping containers. Customers purchase containers outright for storage, shipping, or conversion purposes. Stock includes various sizes (8'-40') and types (general purpose, hi-cube, double door, tri-door, full side access, open top, refrigerated, flat rack). Prices are quote-based and exclude delivery, insurance, and VAT.
2. Delivery Services: HIAB lorry delivery service for transporting containers from depot to customer location and onwards to port of departure. Includes crane lift placement on customer site.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Container Sales (UK) Limited sells newbuild (one-trip) and used shipping containers in sizes from 8' to 40' for storage, shipping, and conversion purposes, alongside an in-house HIAB delivery service that places containers on customer sites and transports them to ports for overseas shipping. Product lines include General Purpose, Hi-Cube, Double Door, Full Side Access, Tri-Door, Refrigerated, Open Top, and Collapsible Flat Rack configurations, all constructed from Corten weathering steel and CSC plated.

Product overview

CONTAINER SALES (UK) LIMITED is the largest independent supplier of shipping containers in Scotland and the North East of England. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of newbuild (one-trip) and used shipping containers across multiple sizes (8', 10', 20', 30', 40') and specialized configurations. The product range includes standard General Purpose Containers, Hi-Cube Containers with extra height, Double Door Containers for dual-ended access, Full Side Access Containers with opening side panels, Tri-Door Containers with multiple access points, Refrigerated Containers for temperature-controlled storage, Open Top Containers for tall cargo, and Collapsible Flat Rack Containers for oversized loads. The company also provides Self Storage Containers specifically designed for self-storage business operators. All products are available for sale throughout Scotland and North East England from depots in Gateshead and Cumbernauld, with HIAB delivery services offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Orange Box Self Storage Ltd: Self storage facility operated by Container Sales (UK) Ltd in Sunderland, offering 24/7 access, CCTV and lighting for domestic and business storage.

Quantifiable outcome

• Containers available nationwide for general purpose, available throughout Scotland and North East England for specialized types

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• JC Containers: UK-based container supplier offering new and used containers for sale and hire, including specialized configurations (refrigerated, open top, side access). Direct competitor in the same customer segments and product categories.
• Elliotts Container Hire & Sales: UK-based supplier of containers for sale and hire, including specialized configurations. Operates in adjacent geographies (South Coast / Southern England), complementing Container Sales UK's regional footprint with similar product mix.
• Willbox: UK container conversions and sales company offering new and used containers plus bespoke modifications. Comparable as a direct competitor for new/used container sales, with added conversion capability that Container Sales UK has explicitly avoided.
• Cleveland Containers: UK-based independent container sales and hire specialist offering new and used shipping containers across a wide range of sizes and configurations. Directly comparable to Container Sales UK on product range, customer segments (self-storage, traders, individuals), and go-to-market model.
• Containerbase: UK shipping container sales and hire company with depot network across multiple regions. Comparable as an independent multi-depot supplier targeting self-storage, construction, and trade customers.
• S Jones Containers: Long-established UK shipping container sales and hire supplier serving self-storage operators, construction, and individual buyers. Closely comparable regional independent with similar depot-based model and broad SKU range.
• Container Conversions UK: UK supplier of new and used shipping containers with optional conversions for self-storage and commercial applications. Comparable product range and target customer base (self-storage operators, traders).
• SBF Freight Management: UK freight and container logistics company offering container sales alongside haulage and storage services. Comparable product line with bundled logistics capability that Container Sales UK partially matches via its HIAB delivery service.

Broad incumbents

• Mobile Mini UK: UK arm of a large national/international portable storage and container rental specialist. Broader incumbent that competes in the self-storage and rental customer segments with deeper capital and a national depot network.
• Algeco UK: Major UK modular space and secure storage provider. Notable as the acquirer of founder Keith Wilson's earlier company (Container Sales & Hire Ltd) and a referenced customer relationship; competes in adjacent container-based storage markets at significantly greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/container-sales-uk-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 CONTAINER SALES (UK) LIMITED