A solid economy and continued growth in Taranaki has seen demand for shipping container products increase across everything from the oil and gas sector through to back yard sleep outs.
Royal Wolf, the largest provider of shipping containers in Australasia, opened its office in New Plymouth a year ago to meet demand which has continued to ramp up including being used for on-site event offices, pop-up retail spaces and sleep outs to combat the region’s rental crisis.
A local Oakura couple are turning a 20-foot shipping container into a home – complete with a potbelly stove and insulation – that will be built into the side of a hill further down the Taranaki coast in Opunake.
Other customers are purchasing containers to convert into granny flats, workspaces, and Man Caves.
At the last Pukekura Park Festival of Lights a kiosk container was used as the information centre and an openside container was modified into an entertainment stage.
Paul Creighton, Royal Wolf Executive General Manager, says the company recognised the potential in New Plymouth, and the wider Taranaki region, a number of years ago and demand for containerised solutions has continued to increase since establishing the office in August 2018.
“New Plymouth used to be serviced from our Palmerston North site, but demand has continued to increase in Taranaki and having locals on the ground and product ready to go means we have been able to service customers more efficiently.
“The region has had a number of recent challenges but typically it’s looking to the future and it continues to be a go-ahead area.”
For a large-scale project at Balance Agri-Nurtients site in Kapuni in South Taranaki Royal Wolf supplied more than 20 containers, including dangerous goods containers and 40-foot units.
Todd Energy has been using a number of Wolf Lock Containers – a patented Royal Wolf product with a new lock design that makes container doors easier and safer to open – as well as site offices and lunchrooms at its McKee Mangahewa oil sites in Tikorangi.
Royal Wolf specialise in the hire, sale and modification of new and refurbished shipping containers, and portable container buildings. It has a wide range of products including everything from kitchens and lunchrooms through to public safety walkways (hoardings) and offices.
The New Plymouth facility in Paraite Rd, Bell Block, is run by Senior Sales Executive Emma Davies, a local who is focussed on helping Taranaki businesses grow.
Mr Creighton says having staff on the ground with local knowledge is key to ensuring the company has the right product on hand to meet a customer’s needs and to ensure quick and efficient deployment of containers.
“From our New Plymouth branch, we work closely with local businesses and consumers around the region to help them solve any storage, safety, or shelter problem as efficiently and easily as possible.”
Mr Creighton says the beauty of Royal Wolf is that it can provide simple and reliable storage solutions for everyone from consumers, sporting associations, and community groups through to schools, retail outlets, and innovative construction projects.
“You really can do anything in a Royal Wolf. Our containers can be specified to meet portable storage requirements for general purpose, refrigerated or hazardous goods and are available in a variety of sizes.”
