Shipping container manufacturers in India have gradually started to increase production. Read this blog for all you need to know about the growing industry in this region, its top manufacturers and how to get the best deals on shipping containers.
Until a few years ago, the global container manufacturing industry was entirely dominated by China. Indian businesses relied on China to meet more than 90% of their container demands. However, in recent years we’ve seen the emergence of a growing container manufacturing industry in India.
Thinking of investing in shipping containers in this region? There’s never been a better time! Over the past year, container prices in India have been steadily decreasing due to increasing traffic at major ports. There’s now a surplus of containers in the market, which has driven prices down.
If you’re looking to buy containers in India, container xChange can help you find the units you need, at the most competitive prices. We’ve got 50,000+ available containers in 2,500+ locations globally – including several cities in India. Simply use the public search below to check out container offers in your location now.
Top list of container manufacturers & suppliers in India
We’ve curated a list of the top 5 shipping container manufacturers in India, just for you. Take a look at them below:
- Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, New Delhi
- Braithwaite & Co. Ltd, Kolkata, West Bengal
- DCM Hyundai Ltd, Faridabad, Haryana
- AB Sea Container Private Limited, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh
- Kalyani Cast Tech pvt Ltd, Rewari, Haryana
Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd
Founded in 1964, Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) is one of the largest government-owned engineering and manufacturing enterprises in the region. It falls under the ownership of the Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India. Bharat is involved in the design, engineering, construction, testing and servicing of a wide range of products, including cargo containers.
Braithwaite & Co. Ltd
Incorporated in 1931, Braithwaite is based in Kolkata. It’s a manufacturing company fully owned by the Indian government. This manufacturer works with the Steel Authority of India to obtain specialty steel. They pride themselves on creating containers of the finest quality.
DCM Containers (DCM Hyundai Ltd)
Established in 1993, DCM Hyundai is jointly owned by Hyundai Group of Korea and DCM Shriram Group of India. The venture runs its manufacturing operations from a well-equipped facility in Faridabad, India. DCM Hyundai manufactures and supplies containers, load carriers, and cargo-handling units.
AB Sea Container Private Limited
AB Sea is another prominent shipping container manufacturer in the region, established in 2007. This company provides container shipping, leasing, warehousing, and other logistics-related services. They operate from New Delhi and have state-of-the-art facilities including an inter-city transport service.
Kalyani Cast Tech pvt Ltd
Kalyani is a private company founded in 2012. They specialize in manufacturing 20ft and 40ft dry containers. They also make special containers including dwarf containers, cuboid containers and containers for two and three-wheelers as per international standards.
It’s important to note that most container manufacturers don’t sell their products directly to customers. Instead, they sell containers to suppliers who in turn, sell them to container trading or leasing companies.
If you’re wondering how to get your hands on containers from trustworthy suppliers, don’t worry. We’ll get to this later on in the blog. If you already know the process and are here to secure units at the best market price, click the banner below to find containers from reputable names in the industry now.
Overview of container manufacturing in India
The Indian container manufacturing industry is in its beginning stages, and the country is still heavily dependent on China for container supplies. However, we’re now seeing many countries, including India trying to reduce their dependence on China. And with that, the rising need for container manufacturing in India has caught the eyes of investors — both nationally and globally.
The shipping ministry has also been increasing its fund demand for a production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme. This is to encourage container manufacturing in India to compete with China as a global container supplier.
Moreover, India’s overall exports in May 2023 were US $60.29 billion. A number that speaks volumes about the rise in shipping container demand in the region.
For the domestic segment alone, Container Corp of India has a requirement of around 50,000 containers in the next three years. With this demand in mind, the Indian shipping industry will most likely start to manufacture containers domestically going forward.
Shipping container manufacturers India: Latest developments
As you can see, shipping container manufacturing on the Indian subcontinent is growing steadily. CONCOR — which last year placed orders to manufacture 8,000 containers from domestic companies, has now placed a second order for another 10,000 containers from a Bhavnagar (Gujarat) based firm.
However, manufacturing in this region will only be profitable with more demand. Currently, manufacturers only sell containers to public sector enterprises like CONCOR, with limited requirements.
To solve this issue, exporters have pitched for an Indian shipping line of global size, and say that the financial year budget would do well to provide for the initial investments. India’s own shipping line will create a complete ecosystem between manufacturers, freight forwarders in India and exporting companies – making manufacturing more profitable going forward.
How much does a shipping container cost in India?
With all of that in mind, let’s take a look at what containers cost in India.
In order to get the best container deals out there, you need to stay up-to-date with the latest prices. So you can spot good offers when they come along, and avoid overpaying. Currently, shipping container prices are at an all-time low in India – making it a perfect time to invest in them.
Let’s take a look at the price of cargo-worthy standard dry containers of various sizes below:
| Container type | Price (USD) |
| 20ft dry container | $884 |
| 40ft dry container | $1,567 |
| 40ft high cube container | $1,964 |
| 45ft high cube container | $3,600 |
Although the shipping container prices are currently low in this region, keep in mind that they’re always fluctuating. Being part of the shipping industry, it’s important to keep a constant eye on prices, so that you can seize opportunities when they arise, and maximize your profits. We’ve developed the xChange Insights tool for exactly this purpose.
Stay up-to-date with Container prices anytime, from anywhere
On Insights, you can access real-time container prices for 20ft, 40ft and 40ft high containers in 180+ locations globally – including several cities in India.
From the graph above, you can see that the prices for 20ft cargo-worthy containers in Nhava Sheva and Chennai have been steadily declining all year. Insights allows you to see the price development over days, weeks, months and even years, in order to determine the best times to buy or sell your equipment.
By checking Insights regularly, you can ensure you’re always ahead of the curve. This will give you more negotiation power, to help you make the most profitable deals out there. So why not give it a try right now? Just click here to try Insights for free today – no commitment, no strings attached!
How to buy shipping containers from 1,500+ trusted suppliers
Buying a cargo container in the traditional way can be a real headache. It starts with looking for suppliers, vetting them, and finally going back and forth with price negotiations via email. Then comes worrying about safe payments, on top of it all!
On Container xChange, you can avoid this tedious process altogether and connect directly with 1,500+ suppliers on one platform.
Each and every member goes through a mandatory vetting process before joining, so your days of painstaking background checks are finally over.
All you have to do is go to our container trading platform, type in your container requirements, and start browse available offers. You can also compare the prices of multiple options at the same time, to make sure you’re getting the best one out there.
Once you find the offer you like, negotiate the price directly with the supplier – right on the platform. Plus, we don’t charge any commission on your deals! Lastly, make all payments on xChange using our secure xChange Wallet – it couldn’t be simpler!
Container xChange makes it easy for you to find the containers you need. Just click on the banner below to schedule a call with our expert team today. We’ll show you the platform in action and help you find the containers you’re looking for, at prices that suit you.
Container manufacturers in India: Common FAQs
Who manufactures containers in India?
Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, Braithwaite & Co. Ltd and DCM Hyundai Ltd are some of the container manufacturers in the region. As of 2023, India seeks to manufacture its own containers and move away from sourcing units from China.
How much does a container cost in India?
A 20ft standard container in cargo-worthy condition will cost you around US $884. A 40ft will cost you US $1,457. These prices are dependent on the location, age, condition, and availability of the container.
Are containers manufactured in India?
Yes, India has started manufacturing its own containers. Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, Braithwaite & Co Ltd, and DCM Hyundai Ltd are some of the top manufacturers of containers in India.
