Which Container Type is Best for You?
Whether for storage needs or transportation, many industries rely on shipping containers. Steel shipping containers provide excellent protection for many goods and can be easily customized to fit your facility’s needs. However, when selecting a container, what type is best for you? Would you do better with a standard, dry container? Perhaps your needs align more with the capabilities of a reefer container? What’s even the difference between the two? Allow USA-Containers to provide insight on the difference between a reefer and a dry container.
Dry Shipping Containers
Dry shipping containers are standard containers used for transporting goods that don’t require temperature control. Built from durable steel, dry containers are secure and weather-resistant, ensuring the safe movement of non-perishable products across long distances. While dry shipping containers are available in various sizes, the standard sizes range from 20 to 40 feet. A dry shipping container’s strength, simplicity and security make it a popular choice for a business or individual’s shipping and storage needs.
Refrigerated (Reefer) Containers
Refrigerated, or reefer, containers are specialized shipping containers designed to transport goods that require preservation under precise temperatures. Unlike dry containers, reefers are equipped with built-in refrigeration units that help maintain temperatures ranging from -30°C to +30°C (-22°F to +86°F). This makes them ideal for transporting perishable or delicate goods. The insulation and cooling systems within reefer containers ensure that your products remain fresh, viable and undamaged, making reefers essential for industries where temperature-sensitive logistics are a concern.
What Can Each Container Type Carry?
As mentioned, the significant difference between dry and reefer containers is their ability to store perishable or non-perishable goods. Dry containers aren’t equipped with the same cooling units as refrigerated containers, meaning the items you can store for dry containers are limited. Examples of common goods you can keep in a dry container include:
- Furniture
- Clothing
- Commercial Products
- Industrial Equipment
- Building Materials
- Raw Materials
- Vehicles
- Tools
Refrigerated containers, on the other hand, can store most anything a dry container can, but with the addition of perishable or delicate goods like:
- Pharmaceuticals
- Food Products
- Beverages
- Frozen Goods
- Flowers
- Delicate Electronics
- Sensitive Chemicals
How Can We Customize a Container?
At USA-Containers, we offer unique customization options for every shipping container. However, the customization of reefers and dry containers differs, as refrigerated containers are only practical for temperature-controlled storage or transportation. Conversely, separate from functioning storage, dry shipping containers can be customized into various unique structures. For reefers, our clients can choose additions like smart temperature controls, roll-up doors, single-phase chillers, interior shelving, etc. Our dry containers can also be customized with shelving and doors. However, we can go further, creating offices, concession stands, grow rooms, cattle pens, dog kennels, and more from a steel container’s shell.
Find the Perfect Container Today
Whether a dry container or a reefer container is what your business needs, know you can find the best, most affordable containers for rent or purchase with USA-Containers. We thoroughly test and inspect each container before sale or rental, ensuring they’re always safe, secure, and functioning at peak efficiency (for reefers). To learn more about USA-Containers and our available shipping containers, contact us at 309-325-7201. USA-Containers is located at 1069 Township Road 1950 East Smithshire, IL, 61478, serving clients across the United States.
