What is CSTA and what does membership mean for our customers

In 2019, we joined the Container Traders and Innovators Association (CTIA), which evolved into the CSTA (Container Self-Storage and Traders Association). This is the international trade body for our industry. We thought it would be useful for our customers for us to provide some information about the organisation. In this post we set out how it operates and who runs it – and, if necessary, to indicate to our clients how they can check or validate our CSTA membership.

This article also explains why we believe this is an important organisation – which is beneficial not just for our customers, but also for the industry in general.

What is the CSTA?

The CSTA is the international trade body for container traders and for any company retailing, reselling, converting or otherwise involved with helping the public and end users source shipping containers for their own use. Its also the trade body for self storage yard owners, offering a range of support to both area of the industry. Further information on www.containa.org.

Who Runs the Association?

The Association is managed by Patrick Hicks and Colin Rubery, who between them have over 80 years’ experience in the shipping container industry. They also manage two other organisations – the Container Owners Association and the International Tank Container Organisation, which have different membership profiles – but are linked by the magic word “container”. These other trade bodies have generally much larger companies as members by turnover, asset value and global coverage.

Notably, they do not run their own container trading business, thus ensuring that they can offer independent oversight of the organisation – without private interests in the field.

How is the CSTA developing?

The CSTA has grown considerably since it was launched in January 2017.  It has now expanded to over 50 members – based both in the UK and internationally. With the change to CSTA the organisation continues to grow at a healthy pace.

It provides its members with technical guidelines and information documents. it organises training and awareness courses and it also organises regular members meetings. A great chance for members to exchange best practice and technical information in a dedicated environment. This formal exchange of ideas and best practice has not been available to the industry before.

Having established itself over the past three years, the CSTA now looks set to enjoy many years of strong growth, especially as the global market is now recognising the CSTA’s position as the international trade body for our industry sector.

Why Buy from a CSTA member.

There are a number of good reasons to buy from a CTIA member.

Avoiding scammers.

• The UK as well as other countries have been targeted by professional scam websites in recent years. these scammers pretend to be legitimate traders with professional looking website and service levels.
• Its actually very hard to get a scam website taken down, however is  a scam website takes the CSTA logo and publishes it on their own website to add legitimacy, its then very easy to get the website taken down or de-listed from google. In this case there would be a clear and obvious breach of copyright.
• Please also check out shippingcontianerscams.com if you want to check if you are potentially dealing with a scam container website in the UK

Members Code of Conduct

• All CSTA members sign a code of conduct. This code of conduct ensures that all members are financially stable, trade within the law and and all established, professional outfits.
• Members may conduct business slightly differently to each other but this gives the end user a degree of confidence that was now available before.
• You can read and download the code of conduct on the CTIA website at: https://www.containa.org/accreditation

Traceability

• Traceability. If you want to check if someone is a member, you can check the CSTA website. The member will more than likley have the CSTA logo on their website home page as well.

A United Industry Voice

• A United voice. As a small and very specilaised area of a huge industry, container traders, sellers and converters have had little to no representation at national or international level.
• The CSTA allows us container traders to have a voice outside of our very small corner of the industry.

Looking to buy a Shipping Container

Whilst we would say any member is good, there is certainly one member we would like to recommend!

Budgetshippingcontainers.co.uk offer the UK’s largest online range of shipping containers for sale with a nationwide network of storage and conversion yards and crane equipped delivery vehicles.

If you need a shipping container feel free to browse our online range of shipping containers for sale. You can also call us on freephone 0808 1234 215 any time 9am – 5pm weekdays and our team will be happy to discuss your requirements. Alternatively, you can use our online shipping container quote form or request a telephone callback. In both cases we aim to get back to you within 1-2 working hours (may take longer for more detailed quotes).