“Made in China”, the rise of a new label

From djcadchina.files.wordpress.com

“Made in China” is probably what you find the most since decades on all the products you are buying during your shopping sessions. Your outfit is probably manufactured by some Chinese people thought.

But let’s come back on the reputation of the “Made in China” seen by the Western countries. When you hear the mention “Made in China”, you probably suppose products of bad quality, bad conditions of the workers and reminds you some scandals which happened at some times.

We can’t say that these facts don’t exist, but we can moderate what you’re thinking.

From veille.tn

Chinese workers are not today working for $1 per day, in wretched conditions. In fact, in 2013, the average cost of labor in China is only the average of half the cost in the US and increase each year on an average of 20%, and could reach 60% in 2015 according to the Boston Consulting Group.

China is today too expensive for most of the western companies of the textile industry which desire to reduce their cost of production. Western countries rather relocate their production in India, Philippines and Bangladesh which are looking like Chine 15 years before.

The problem of most of the Chinese companies is not limited technologies, or unskilled workers, the biggest problem which explain sometimes the fact that the quality is not good enough is really strict bill of specifications. Western companies want large quantities in very short delays at really low prices. The thing is that today, to respect the short delays of the Western companies, some Chinese companies rather deliver products with a lower quality by respecting the delays and low prices.

Marco Polo on the silk road, Catalan Atlas, XIV century. BNF

China have been during thousands of years for Western countries the manufacturer of products really appreciated as silk, spices, jewelry, cashmere, carried on the silk road in direction to Europe, which were synonyms of a high quality and a know-how inimitable.

Today Chinese companies want to go back to this time when hallmarks of Chinese products were synonym of high quality. The Chinese government is investing in some companies as Xiaomij and Lenovo which are breaking the rules by creative innovating products making forget for the buyers the “Made in China” label.

With a massive workforce and a government engaging his companies to innovation, Chinese companies should see their reputation raised in the next few years. As an encouraging observation, today we found 6 companies based in China on Forbes’ Most Innovative Companies List.

From shanghaimetal.com

Today, Shanghai Metal Corporation also wants to set things right for their “Made in China” label, providing excellent services, products of a great quality at attractive prices and secured packaging to their customers to insure the security of their orders. SMC has many certifications proving the quality of their products and is ready to receive potential customers to their factories to show them the respect of the certification restrictions.

So don’t hesitate to visit our website or to contact us for any information needed about our products.

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Damien / SMC Editor

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The attraction for copper nowadays

Du cuivre
Photopqr – Le Parisien – Daboval Adeline

It’s a good and an unfortunate assessment at the same time that we are able to do each year.

In fact, the attraction for copper have increased the business of this type of metal for manufacturers but unluckily for our customers, the steal of copper is a real problem in Europe, until the point that it became a scourge for European countries.

Italy is one of the most important victims of these thefts in Europe. According to the newspaper Le Figaro, between 2010 and 2011 the number of thefts has known an increase of 300%, from 408 to 1226 cases. These thefts represent almost 631 tons of copper which have been stealed during this period. And the numbers are not decreasing. In Belgium the observation is even worst, from 290 cases of thefts in 2009, the Infrabel Group reported 1 362 cases in 2012. The value of the copper robbed was approximately of 8 millions of Euros which is significant for the Infrabel Group according to the Fedra newspaper.

In the United Kingdom, France and other European countries, the observations are the same. In the UK, the police have made of this problem their second preoccupation after terrorism, which is quite representative of the scope of the thefts.

From thorneandderrick.com

The railways are not the only targets of the organized gangs. Electrical communications, communication networks, construction sites or private houses, are also concerned about this problem. The fact of stealing is not the only problem for these companies, there is many consequences for the companies’ victims of the piracies.

These thefts are creating delays for the companies, and for the railways companies, the cost is huge. In the United Kingdom, the thefts and delays of the trains have created 770 million pounds or 900 million Euros in 2011 of loss. In Belgium these thefts have resulted of 66 440 minutes of delay for the SNBC Group.

From LeSoir.be

The cause of the increase in the attraction for copper is that the copper is becoming rare and as a consequence the price is sharply rising. In 2011, the price of a tone of copper represented 8 000 Euros, five times more than ten years before. Sold in the black market the copper means a lot of money for the organized gangs.

The copper is not the only metal attracting these groups, zinc, steel and nickel are also famous metals experiencing a resurgence of thefts.

From Europe1.fr

Shanghai Metal Corporation, as a manufacturer, exporter and supplier of different types of metals as copper, steel, aluminum, etc, provides you, considering the actual issues encountered by many companies, products with competitive  prices and a high quality incomparable to the harmful effect surrounding the label “Made in China”.

For more information about our products, feel free to visit our website to discover a large range of products that could probably match with your needs. And do not hesitate to contact us for specifications.

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Damien / SMC Editor

Metal industry driving force behind fast growth in dry bulk shipping demand.

According to MarketReportsOnline.com the demand for steel in 2015 will grow at a tremendously fast pace. This fast paced growth will consequently send the dry bulk shipping sector a boost that will drive up the demand growth for that industry. In the research report of 56 pages published by MarketReportsOnline.com it states that Iron ore and coal will be the driving forces behind the anticipated growing demand for dry bulk shipping.

The dry bulk shipping industry is predicted to have a much better year in 2015. Growth rates for the first quarter of this year are expected to be higher than they were in 2014. The global dry bulk shipping industry holds an essential place in maritime transport, carrying large volumes of unpacked products. These products are carried in 20 feet bulk containers, that can carry up to 192 tons of bulk goods.

The latest innovation on these containers, like the one designed by Shanghai Metal Corporation, offer fast and efficient ways to load the bulk goods via the roof and unload through the latch on the bottom of the front door.
bulk

Contact us for an inquiry on our newest solutions for bulk shipping or for more info go to our website.

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By Youssef el Issaoui//SMC Editor

Credits: SMC website, Google Images

 

The Container Shops of Alluring Asian Beauties

In our previous articles, we have discussed how shipping containers can be turned into convenient mobile pop-up stores. Container shops have already been applied all over the world. At least, this peculiar example from Taiwan gives some evidence to that theory.

In Taiwan there is a unique business concept of selling paans. They are betel nuts wrapped in a betel leaf that together make a powerful drug that gives energy boosts like caffeine. It is also a very dangerous drug that causes oral cancer. It is mostly used by truck drivers to stay awake during night shifts. Selling betel nuts is only allowed outside the capital Taipei.

The vendors of betel nuts are young local girls that sell them from small glazed kiosks. In order to attract drivers along the road, the girls wear revealing clothes. The transactions take place outside the kiosk letting the drivers stay in their cars.

A Polish architectural photographer Magda Biernat discovered a set of scattered shipping container betel nut stores when she visited Taiwan with his husband. During her journey she compiled a set of images that were displayed in her exhibition, “The Betel Nut Beauties”. (via Inhabitat)

Even though we might have negative opinions about the ethics of this business, it won’t deny the fact how shipping containers success in constantly defining new business concepts. This story also shows how fully operational real estate can be built in an environmentally friendly way by using abandoned materials.

Shanghai Metal Corporation is experienced provider of shipping containers. Our large variety of containers ensures that you will find the best product for you. We also offer prefabricated container buildings for office spaces and housing. Check our websites for detailed specifications or send us questions through this form. Visit also our social media platforms.

    

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Pictures and original articles: Inhabitat, CNN, Wikipedia

Shipping Container Beer Garden – Sacramento’s Little Germany

Thanks to the trade deficit with China, the ports of the USA are filled used shipping containers that are rarely sent back to their original destinations. Luckily people have found a way to use them in, say, housing, retailing and restaurant business. One instance is a container beer garden in Sacramento.

The German style Biergarten is built out of two shipping containers that are welded together. A 40 ft container operates as a kitchen, bar, storage and an ordering station. Another 20 ft container is attached to operate as a restroom.

Der Biergarten is at K and 24th streets. The outdoor watering hole will serve 32 draft beers, but not mass-market beer. It also will offer a light menu of traditional German food.

The construction needed also some reinforcement materials. Paneling was done with stainless steel and diamond plate aluminum was used in flooring. They used 6-inch tiles to cover the space between the walls and the floor.

The Biergarten sells 32 different draft beers and and traditional German food including German sausage that in procured from Sacramento’s German butcher. This open-air beer garden closes at 9 pm from Sundays to Thursdays. Fridays and Saturdays they close an hour later. They are closed on rainy days.

 

Shipping containers accompanied with appropriate building materials lets people start new business with relatively low costs. We sell a large variety of containers and building materials in Shanghai Metal corporation. Visit our websites for detailed descriptions or send us your inquiries through this form. Check also our social media channels for future updates.

    

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Pictures and original articles: The Sacramento Bee, The Biergarten, Sacramento Local,

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The Many Architectural Applications of Shipping Containers vol.7

Shipping containers are a perfect solution for setting up a pop-up restaurant or a mobile kiosk. As we already covered in our blog about container stores, they can be installed almost everywhere and are very likely to gather a lot of crowd. Some very well know companies have already set up a mobile restaurants and kiosks.

Subway Skyscraper Containershipping container, shipping container architecture, shipping container restaurant, subway, freedom tower, new york city, world trade center

In 2010 Subway had a shipping container restaurant on top of the five story Freedom Tower in New York. Subway established the restaurant for the construction workers who would otherwise have needed 45 minutes to get down from the construction.

 

Shipping containers are also a form of sustainable building and offer an eco-friendly and a low-cost solution for starting restaurants.  One of the world’s best coffee shops, Starbucks, has also used shipping containers and build such an eco-friendly drive-thru cafe in Seattle.

 

As a new business idea, shipping container restaurants are an ideal low-cost choice. During these hard times in the economy, people who have always wanted to start their own restaurants but do not have enough capital, seem to have found a solution.

Setting a container kiosk is a smaller scale but still a considerable business.  Container kiosks are also used to implement CSR in developed countries. For instance Coca-Cola has taken this concept to Africa, Asia and Latin America by installing kiosks called Ekocenters that offer locally tailored mix of products, services and resources that also include sustainable energy, wireless communications, refrigerated vaccination storage, health education, and other functionality to jump-start entrepreneurship opportunities and community development.

ekocenter-and-goods

If you are looking for containers to start or expand your business, we in Shanghai Metal Corporation can offer them. We have many kinds of containers with different door solutions. You can check our website for further details or send us a message through this form. Check also our social media platforms for new updates.

    

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Pictures and original articles:  Coca-Cola Company, Coca-Cola Company Press Release, Food and Beverage News,  Designboom, 3BL Media, Expok NewsInthrald, Weburbanist, Urban Times,Inhabitat, Inhabitat, Westphoria

Continue to chapter 8.

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The Many Architectural Applications of Shipping Containers vol.6

Before, garages were the only option for affordable business facilities. Now they can be replaced with shipping containers. What’s interesting, shipping containers can also be converted into garages.

wpid-shipping-container-designs

Many companies including Apple , Disney, Hewlett-Packard, Harley-Davidson, Google, Amazon and Mattel started their businesses in garages. Today’s start-ups, or, the multinational corporation of tomorrow can start their businesses in low-cost container facilities. Imagine what if Apple was started in a shipping container.

Cmglee_Container_City_2

Shipping containers are a modular building material that is also durable and feasibly priced. Because of their physical properties, start-up business managers are able to design customized offices.

Adorable-dark-green-shipping-container-garage-plans-with-glass-doors-and-green-sloped-roof-design-also-outdoor-metal-lightings

Shipping containers are in many ways an ideal building material. They are designed to resist harsh environments and therefore they can offer shelter even for natural disasters. They are also designed to be modular what makes it easy to use additional construction material to complete the buildings.

Harley

Shipping container construction is said to have lower labor costs compared to traditional construction. This can be explained by their simple steel structure that only requires welding and cutting procedures to be modified. Building a garage for your Harley-Davidson, BMW or Mercedes could not be more pleasant!

For start-ups, container offices are an excellent approach for creating expendable business facilities in relatively little time. They take offices out of garages and create new business opportunities. Shipping containers have another connection with garages. Containers can become them. If you plan your own DIY garage project or plan on starting a business, I recommend sending a price inquiry in Shanghai Metal Corporation‘s contact page. You may also check our prefab office solutions. Visit also our social media platforms.

    

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Pictures and original articles: Hola.com, Wikipedia, Popsugar, Forbes,Irish Mirror, Wikipedia,  World Home Design Ideas Magazine,Retire@21Wikipedia, HD History & News, Home in a Box, Totaho.com, Youtube, Nealev in Blogspot

Continue to chapter 7.

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The Many Architectural Applications of Shipping Containers vol. 1

There are many ways how to use shipping containers to create affordable and sufficient real estate for housing or business use. In these series of blogs we will briefly discuss some of them. The volume one takes you to container homes, hotels, and retail outlets.

demaria-Redondo-Beach-Container-House-Rear-View

The benefits of container homes have been recognized worldwide. For instance, in Finland, container housing is becoming a great solution for offering affordable student homes.

This is the woodland cottage of your dreams.

One of the benefits of shipping containers is their modularity. Containers are like Lego blocks. You can pile them up and thereby even create a multiple floor or a multiple wing mansion. Still, sometimes only one container is enough for building a home.

beach

A container hotel system is a new trend to take the hotel business closer to a specific clientele. Besides, the hotel solutions are made for luxury consumers offering them a wonderful experience. For example an UK company Snoozebox offers portable hotel services to any location or any events. The portable lodge has 40-400 rooms and each room has a flat screen and a Wifi.

adidas shipping container pop up Boston Marathon Boxman Studios 13 adidas shipping container pop up at Boston Marathon, by Boxman Studios

Conventional retailing includes setting up a store in a fixed location and paying the rent for the use of the real estate. Modern retailing on the other hand, is mobile, meaning that instead of waiting for the customers to come to you, you will be able to easily relocate your business closer to your customers. This simple procedure is going mainstream and it can only be done with shipping containers.

Caravan-044-1024x764

If one already has an online retail business, it can be easily expanded offline with shipping containers and create a combined retail infrastructure that has all the advantages of both online and offline retailing.

uniqlo_container_shop

Shanghai Metal Corporation  sells shipping containers internationally. We also make prefabricated shipping container housing and office solutions. Please visit our website on containers and container buildings for detailed descriptions. Follow us also on these social media platforms.

    

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Sources: See our articles on container homes, hotels, and retail outlets.

Continue to chapter 2

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Coca Cola Saves Lives with Shipping Containers!

One of the world’s most valuable brands Coca-Cola is utilizing shipping containers in its corporate social responsibility program in developing countries within the bottom-of-the-pyramid (BoP) category. Together with Deka R&D and other major investors including UPS and IBM, the beverage company is installing container kiosks that will provide drinkable water for three billion people in the world that suffer from the lack of it.

These Ekocenters are to provide purified water for communities that have a limited access to safe drinking water. The modularly designed kiosk is made out of a 20 ft shipping container. The container is empowered with Slingshot technology that is responsible for the purification of water.

 

The kiosk is also meant to generate entrepreneurship in developing countries, especially among women. Along with these kiosks Coca-Cola has also launched their 5by20 program that aims to generate 5 million women entrepreneurs by the year 2020.

As discussed in our previous article about container shops, setting a container kiosk is a considerable business also in developed countries. Coca-Cola has redeveloped the concept and is now using the Ekocenters for offering locally tailored mix of products, services and resources that also include sustainable energy, wireless communications, refrigerated vaccination storage, health education, and other functionality to jump-start entrepreneurship opportunities and community development.

This CSR project begun in 2013 as Coca-Cola set up its first Ekocenter in South Africa. The company aims to install 1,500 to 2,000 Ekocenters by 2015 in Africa, Asia and the Latin and North America.

As shipping containers gain more ways of use, we in Shanghai Metal Corporation are also becoming happier in offering our international customers high-quality standardized shipping containers. For details about our large variety of products, please visit our website or just send us an inquiry and our English speaking staff will contact you. Meanwhile please remember to follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

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Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Pictures and original articles: Coca-Cola Company, Coca-Cola Company Press Release, Food and Beverage News,  Designboom, 3BL Media, Expok News

New Trend in Modern Retailing Inspired by Japanese ‘Origami’

Inspired by Japanese paper folding ‘origami’ new trend in retailing is portable and aesthetically appealing. The Kiosks created by London-based architecture firm, Make Architects, in collaboration with metal fabricators, Entech Environmental Technology Ltd are a success and use models of origami throughout the design process. Two unique prefabricated retail kiosks opened to the public for the first time at Canary Wharf’s Ice Sculpturing Festival in London in the beginning of this year.

Modular Aluminum Koisks, London, Make Architects

“It was only when we were making [physical] models that we suddenly realized something was jamming, and that was really interesting.” Later, the designers built a full-scale mock-up out of cardboard and foam board. “That way we could really understand how it works,” explains Sean Affleck, Make Architects’ lead project architect.

kiosk2

The outer shell is made of 2-millimeter-thick aluminum plate which is crucial to mimic paper due to its lightweight and easy manipulation. Any other material would be too heavy.

Although lightweight the aluminum shell is not less resistant; the powder-coated aluminum cladding panels are highly durable against weather and graffiti, requiring minimal maintenance. The rest of the body uses stainless steel fabricated in-house.

To create a proper system that allowed opening and shutting the pop-up store with easiness the metal was folded, pressed and rolled. Such a process created an integral hinge into which a stainless steel rod was inserted. Very convenient a remote-control can do the job of opening and closing the kiosk with no stress.

“[The kiosk] had to be solid, but lightweight, so then that led us to origami,” says Affleck. “[You] end up with something very flimsy; add a few folds and creases, and suddenly the strength appears. In the folds, the shape appears.”

The vibrant opening is attractive to the public who also finds a shelter underneath the ‘origami’ roof. When okiosk3pened the inside of the sculptural rectangular box measures 2m deep and 3m wide, perfect for multitude of purposes; from serving coffee to information points to even a spot for DJs at events. The interiors lined with steel frames and a plywood-stressed skin can be customized by the vendors, depending where and when they are used. It is very comfortable to stand inside the rectangular ‘origami’ box, rain-skin cladding panels protects the changing vendor stories from insulation and reduced solar gain.

AN INTEGRAL HINGE AT EITHER SIDE ALLOWS THE KIOSK TO EASILY OPEN AND CLOSE (MAKE ARCHITECTS)

“Our solution on the modern street kiosk is a distinctive sculptural rectangular box that transforms when it opens and its function is revealed. The internal fit-out elements can be adapted to suit the needs of individual vendors”, says Affleck.

make architects folds prefabricated origami kiosks designboom

Aesthetically pleasing, the prefabricated pop-up stores are a great solution as urban furniture. When closed, the booths appear as futuristic sculptures, their matte grey exteriors evoking the steel and stone of the city, enhancing and revitalizing the public space.  The aesthetic form of the kiosks coupled with new activities and landscape would be able to provide a new urban platform for both tourists and locals alike.

kiosk1

Shanghai Metal Corporation offers a wide range of metals such as aluminum, widely used in the fabrication of prefabricated ‘origami’ pop-up stores. To find out more, please visit our Website or send your inquiry here. Our English speaking personnel will be more than pleased to help you. Follow us on  LinkedInTwitter, FacebookInstagram and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Or you could try our new mobile app by scanning our QR code.

Source and Photo credit: sddretail.co.uk, sklim.com, blog.archpaper.com, alucobondusa.com, archiloci.com, bestpaperz.com

Camilla G.//SMC Editor

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