Bringing the industry together in Birmingham
The recent CSTA’s Annual Meeting brought together all sectors of the industry at the end of June. In addition to valuable networking opportunities, key industry topics were explored during the Conference.
The 2026 Annual Meeting of the Container Self-Storage and Traders Association brought together container self-storage operators, traders, converters, suppliers and innovators for 24 hours of conference sessions, round-table sessions, workshop and networking opportunities.
The Event commenced with a networking cocktail reception and buffet dinner on Monday 22 June, a chance for participants to catch up with each other in a relaxed and enjoyable environment.
On the following day, Tuesday 23 June, there was a full programme of conference sessions, workshops, round-table discussions – concluding with the CSTA Innovator Awards.
Morning sessions
The conference opened with an industry outlook from John Fossey, Head of Container Equipment & Leasing Research at Drewry Maritime Research. His session considered recent changes in the container shipping industry, the outlook for the remainder of the year and the continuing effect of supply-chain disruption on container availability and supply-demand dynamics.
Container self-storage market developments were then explored in an interactive session led by Sarah Manning, Managing Director of Secure Stores Nationwide. Delegates were encouraged to consider changing customer expectations and the practical measures operators can take to maintain a competitive edge. Topics included marketing and branding, sustainability initiatives, insulation, security and CCTV provision, access solutions, container toppers and technical solutions to paint fading.
Nigel Dawson, Chief Operating Officer of easyStorage, addressed the opportunities and challenges involved in developing a multi-site storage operation. His session focused on finance, the use of technology to create operational efficiencies, and the benefits of centralised procurement, branding and operating systems.
The programme also included a session from independent consultant Tom Williams on the operational systems used by container trading businesses. The discussion examined the challenges of balancing stock, pricing, depot movements and commercial decision-making, as well as the importance of integration, reporting and visibility as businesses grow. Emerging opportunities created by artificial intelligence were also considered.
Security was another key theme. Ant Hebblethwaite, Sales Director of DSOC, discussed current patterns of break-ins at container self-storage facilities and the practical steps operators can take to protect sites and prevent incursions.
Sebastian Haymann, CEO of BlueGreens, introduced the company’s modular, container-based systems for sustainable food production, while Des Staggemeier of the Intellectual Property Office led a discussion around the Tick Box scheme and its role in helping self-storage businesses guard against criminal use of their facilities.
Workshop and Round-Tables
In the afternoon, Rahul Vekaria, Managing Director of Amax Marketing, led an interactive workshop entitled The Occupancy Race. Delegates worked through the challenge of growing a storage business from 40% to 85% occupancy within 12 months, considering investment priorities including websites, search engine optimisation, reviews, paid advertising, local partnerships, customer follow-up and service experience.
The meeting concluded with a lively series of hosted round-table discussions. Participants had the opportunity to meet representatives from Basil Fry, Hontas Manager, Amax Marketing, BlueGreens, Movers and Storers Network, Janus Europe, Container Innovations, Kinnovis, OpenTech Alliance, Stora and Tick Box.
The CSTA 2026 Meeting demonstrated the breadth of innovation taking place across the sector, from digital operating platforms and security technology to container design, site development and sustainable modular solutions. The event was supported by sponsors and exhibitors Stora, OpenTech Alliance, Hontas Manager and Kinnovis.
www.containa.org
Images from the day can can be found and dowloaded HERE
Presentations are available to Members in the Members Resorses section HERE
