by Marc Barenberg | Jul 28, 2021 | Storage Container FAQs
There have been a handful of leaders that saw the pandemic as an opportunity to create businesses to serve the new environment.
One of our customers, Tall Ships Restaurants in East Boston, has done just that.
With a vision, creativity, and containers from Portables 360, Tall Ships was able to transform an average pier space into a wonderful outdoor venue.
Navigating the Pandemic World
Only a few years ago the world was enchanted by various pop-up “experiences”. Pop-up art museums, pop-up light shows, and even pop-up ice cream parlors served as a fun outing.
Since the pandemic, it seems like this pop-up trend is only getting more popular. Pop-up bars and pop-up restaurants have become all the rave — some temporary, some more permanent.
The owners of Tall Ships decided to hop on this trend too. The group operates several indoor restaurants, but decided to build an outdoor pier to accommodate customers during the pandemic.
The venue offers food trucks, drink and food concessions, a sound stage, and stunning views of the Boston skyline. The group designed and operates an attractive destination, that otherwise would be a vacant lot.
The Process
With the vessels permanently docked to the pier, the owners designed an extraordinary outdoor social venue using modified steel storage containers.
Applying fresh coats of paint and cutting windows and doors goes a long way for these storage containers!
They also inserted cooler equipment to store the food and drinks.
All these renovations have made the pier a great place to sit back and enjoy the arguably the best view of Boston’s skyline!
To support such a tremendous venue, Tall Ships Restaurant has also leased Portables 360 coolers to store food and drink.
The pandemic brought challenges for everyone. At Portables 360, we’re proud to provide help and support businesses in their post-pandemic endeavors.
Have an idea for how you can revamp a storage container? Contact Portables 360 today!
by Marc Barenberg | Jul 28, 2021 | Storage Container FAQs
It’s always inspirational to learn about the journey of a successful startup.
Stani Dairy is a Greek yogurt company that began years ago on a family farm in Greece. The company’s founder Ignatios Vasilellis spent the bulk of his life learning about farming and dairy before moving to the United States to share that knowledge and pursue his dreams.
The company first entered a market saturated with other mass-producing Greek yogurt companies. Stani Dairy stood out by using only locally sourced dairy and creating every product by hand.
Since the move to the United States in 2015, Stani Dairy has grown and expanded.
Today, the company now imports and produces a private label feta direct from Greece!
With a production capacity of nearly 75,000 kilos of yogurt per month (roughly 165,000 pounds), the business is in need of acquiring additional products to support their growth.
Stani Dairy in Connecticut contacted Portables 360 to provide the products they needed for their expansion.
Second Refrigeration Unit
Within days of receiving a call about their need to expand, our team at Portables 360 coordinated the delivery of the second, 40’ refrigerated container.
Stani Dairy has grown so much that they required a second refrigeration unit in just two years!
The business now has two massive units: one for production and one for the final/deliverable product.
Walk-In vs. Container
One of the hardest parts about getting an additional unit is making the choice between a walk-in cooler or a container.
The cost was certainly a factor, but the customer at Stani Dairy realized that the installation of a walk-in would take too much time and capital investment. Additionally, a walk-in would take away too much space of the needed production floor.
Instead of building an additional walk-in cooler inside their warehouse, they opted to receive one of our containers. By parking just outside their production space, they have full and easy access to their Portables 360 container.
Portables 360 is proud to provide growing businesses with cold storage containers. Our team is committed to providing fast and professional service.
Does your expanding business need additional cold storage? Contact us today!
by Marc Barenberg | Jul 28, 2021 | Storage Container FAQs
The pandemic has certainly brought about unexpected changes for everyone.
For Caritas of Port Chester, the pandemic brought an influx of business for this meals on wheels company.
Our team at Portables 360 had delivered a cold storage unit to the business 3 months ago. In no time, the operation has grown out of the space and required an additional unit! Portables 360 quickly attended to their growing demand with a second unit.
The refrigeration units we supplied were less than 2 years old. Not only are these younger models powerful and efficient, but also cosmetically appealing.
These units are considered “like new.” As such, their fan bearings operate smoothly and minimize high decibels more common on older equipment.
Further, the machinery is equipped with scroll compressors, that run quiet and smooth! This compressor is energy-efficient, highly reliable, and less prone to mechanical failure.
Because Port Chester is such a thriving residential community, we wanted to make sure the box we delivered was clean (both inside and out) and that there were no visual rust marks.
Our Dedication to Customer Service
Our delivery team took great care to accommodate our customers’ needs after supplying them with top-notch equipment. Most truckers do not take part in repositioning the equipment, but our team at Portables 360 is dedicated to making sure we give the best service and assist our customers as best we can.
In fact, our trucker even assisted the customer in unpacking and repacking the original container after the move!
Our team is unlike any trucking company out there. At Portables 360, we are focused on making sure you are satisfied and feel good about your products… and we do it all with a smile!
If your business needs on-site cold storage for food or other supplies, contact Portables 360 to learn more about our refrigerated and cold storage solutions.
by Marc Barenberg | Apr 22, 2021 | Storage Container FAQs
It is important to keep refrigerated containers clean, especially when storing fresh or perishable materials. Similar to how our refrigerators and air conditioners get extra attention during spring cleaning, regular cleaning of refrigerated containers is essential to keep them in good shape.
Reefer containers are similar to refrigerators and AC units at home, so much so that they need love and care to operate efficiently. As the change of weather brings pollen, dirt, dust, and the start of humid warm air, regular cleaning is key to reducing the potential for mechanical issues down the road.
When considering how to start cleaning your refrigerated unit, Portables360 likes to break it down into two parts – the exterior and interior. The guide below will review how our units can be efficiently cleaned so they can run smoothly and use less energy, saving you time and money.
Cleaning the Exterior of a Refrigerated Container
The exposed components can be divided into three sections:
1. Compressor
For Portables360 units, the compressor is not a major or time-consuming concern because the majority of the ones in our fleet are scroll compressors. These energy-efficient and quiet compressors are hermetically sealed, making it difficult for the weather and ambient conditions to impact the unit.
2. Compressor Fan
This is the large fan behind the grates on the outside of the container. Over time the fan, fins, and bearings get dirty and/or wear. A dirty fan (and components) can cause a louder fan operation, strain the motor, and speed up wear on the bearings.
3. Condensor Coils
The compressor pressurizes the refrigerant, turning it into a hot, high-pressure gas. This gas leaves the compressor and flows into the condenser coils.
This is where the refrigerant releases much of the heat. As it cools, the refrigerant changes from a hot gas to a hot liquid. The condenser fan pulls outside air through the coils’ metal fins helping cool the refrigerant gases.
As air passes through the coils over time, the dust, pollen, debris, leaves, etc. will accumulate and clog the coil and fins.
Clogged coils will not only put excessive wear on the fans, but the reduced airflow limits the refrigeration units’ efficiency. Moreover, it could cause the system to overheat and shut down.
Cleaning the Compressor, Compressor Fan, and Condensor Coils
Cleaning the three components is simple: simply turn the unit off using the power button (Thermo King units) or I/O toggle switch (Carrier). Once the unit is powered off, you can remove the metal plates using a Phillips head screwdriver or socket wrench. You can also clean without removing the plates.
Next, with the unit turned off, take a low-pressure hose (i.e. garden hose) and rinse the fan and the coils until the water runs clear. You can flow the water upward through the fins or down/outward from the fan blades. Make sure to fully rinse as many rows as your water can access.
Finally, replace the metal plates/grate and turn the machine back on.
Once the unit is back on, we always recommend forcing it into a manual defrost. This will activate the heater on the evaporator coils, and melt any accumulated ice. This cycle can run from 5-to-20 minutes and will automatically return to the normal operating cycle.
Cleaning the Interior of a Refrigerated Container
The reefer units are equipped with two massive evaporator fans hidden behind the inside back panel of the unit. Most people don’t realize how much air enters the unit every time the doors are opened. When on, these fans are circulating and pulling return air from the box and doorway when the doors are open.
While we always recommend powering down while entering/exiting the unit, we know that’s not always feasible. To limit the air exchange as much as possible and Portables360 installs vinyl curtains at the doors. Meanwhile, the air entering the unit is “wet” air that typically cycles directly to the evaporator fans and freezes on the evaporator coils.
Regular defrosting cycles help to reduce the ice coating on these coils. Similar to the dirt on the condenser coils, ice on the evaporator coils will both limit airflow and make it difficult for the unit to drop and/or maintain low temperatures.
Separate from the defrost cycles, we always recommend customers consider the occasional full-box defrost. To do this, you have to remove all cargo, set the temperature to 70°F, and operate the unit for 24 hours. This will melt any accumulated ice on the coils and/or ice that settled on the ground in front of the supply vent.
We also recommend checking the drain holes inside the box. Every box is equipped with 4 drain holes at each of the interior corners. The finite screen and/or float balls frequently get clogged and limit the amount of water expelled from the interior.
There are many ways to clean the drain holes, such as:
- Compressed air
- Pressurized water
- Simply pulling the drain gizmo from the hole and rinsing it
Portables360’s fleet is the youngest in the marketplace, therefore requiring less ongoing maintenance than any other leased unit. That said, seasonal cleaning is about taking steps to ensure your unit is energy efficient and removes any debris or contaminants inside the unit that may damage your future cargos.
Contact Portables360 to find an easy-to-maintain container for your storage needs!
by Christina | Mar 23, 2021 | cold storage containers, Storage Container FAQs
Proper chemical storage is vital. Chemicals are used in different applications each day. Things you may not even think of as a chemical, such as cans of paint, must be stored properly. Storing chemicals properly prevents accidents. In addition, the product will be safe. If a chemical is a stable compound, the plastic bottle that it is in must be kept in a temperature-controlled setting. In this way, the bottle does not deteriorate and crack. Correct chemical storage also prevents spills.
Improper storage of chemicals leads to dangerous situations. When stored improperly, chemicals become unstable and lead to explosions. Noxious fumes leak. There are many serious issues for people as well as the environment. The only solution is to have proper temperature-controlled chemical storage in place.
The Solution For Chemical Storage
Portables 360 has the solution for your chemical storage needs. We provide converted shipping containers. We convert a shipping container into the perfect temperature-controlled storage for your chemicals. Many benefits exist when using a converted shipping container for your cold storage.
- Our cold storage units maintain a temperature of -30F to +70F. These units are very popular with the food industry. They meet all the temperature control requirements to store food safely.
- A single walk-in door is located at the end of the trailer. This keeps the temperature steady.
- The flooring in the container is aluminum T-flooring. This allows for efficient air delivery and easy to clean. Additionally, the metal helps keep the interior cold.
- Have the container designed to sit flat on the ground or at dock level.
- Containers are equipped with a 50′ power cord. They require three phase 208v or 440v to power up.
- If you move your business, you can take the storage container with you. Storage containers are easily transported using a semi-truck.
Portables 360 will deliver your container once it has been prepared and customized to your needs.
Do you need to safely store chemicals for a short time? In addition to selling customized shipping containers, Portables 360 offers short and long-term rental options on refrigerated containers.
Finding the right storage solutions for your chemicals is necessary for safety and protecting the products from loss. Portables 360 can customize your shipping container to accommodate any cold storage needs.
by Christina | Mar 16, 2021 | shipping containers, Storage Container FAQs
Following are 7 storage container uses as well as why Portables 360 has your solution for storage! At some point, every business discovers that they need storage space. Their business is expanding. They need to increase inventory and need space to store equipment when it is not in use. Whatever the reason, businesses always need a storage area.
So what is the solution? Do you move your business to a new location? Construct a new building or add on to your location? Pay to have offsite storage space? Portables 360 recommends converting a portable shipping container into your new storage space.
Shipping containers provide the following benefits:
- 320 square feet of secured storage space
- Easy to customize for your needs
- Quick solution for storage space – no long waits for construction
- Very affordable
Storage container use has increased significantly in the last few years. More people are seeking ways to repurpose storage containers. Portables 360 outlines seven creative storage container uses that may help your company.
Popular Uses for Storage Containers
1. Mobile Repair Shop
Equipment breaks. This is a fact for any construction company. Create a mobile repair and welding shop for your construction sites. Added benefit: it’s portable! Easily have on-site repairs. Your storage container will have 220v power capabilities and a generator hook-up.
2. Landscape Company Storage and Office Space
One of our most popular storage container uses is for landscaping companies. Partition your storage container to create a place to store equipment. In addition, have a nice office space.
3. Compartmentalized Storage
Make up to four compartments in a 20-foot storage container. Each of these compartments has its own access door. This allows businesses to distinguish what is stored in the container as well as who has access.
4. Dry Goods Storage – Climate Controlled
Canned goods and dry goods should be stored at a temperature between 50 and 70 degrees. This temperature setting helps extend the shelf life of your products. You can have your container customized for temperature control and special shelving installed for the ultimate storage area.
5. Climate Controlled Garage Area
Another popular storage container use is creating a climate-controlled garage area for specialty vehicles. Many racing teams find that these containers are perfect for storing and working on their vehicles.
6. Business Records Storage
Several businesses are required to keep records on-site instead of sending them to storage. Create a spacious and organized area for keeping your records on-site without having to take up valuable space in your office. In addition, save money!
7. School Sports Equipment
Schools often find that they have limited space when it comes to storing sports equipment. Storing equipment off-season or storing other necessary items in a storage container is a cost-effective way to free up space in the school buildings while retaining quick access.
If you need additional storage space, Portables 360 has the solution. Contact one of our knowledgeable staff members to discover how we can customize a shipping container for your needs.
