Container xChange has acquired TankContainerFinder.com, the leading marketplace for tank container leasing and trading, further cementing the company’s position as a leading neutral provider for shipping equipment.
Members of Container xChange can now buy, sell and lease every type of tank container and dry container in one location.
Johannes Schlingmeier, founder of Container xChange, said: “TankContainerFinder.com generated more than US$40m since it was founded in 2017 and is at the forefront of digitalisation in the growing tank container market.
“Our customers have been asking for tank containers for a while and after a few conversations it was clear that joining forces with TankContainerFinder.com made a lot of sense.”
Through this acquisition, Container xChange will be able to bring more transparency to a highly fragmented tank container market, enabling small- and medium-sized companies to remain competitive by simplifying operational transactions when buying, selling or leasing tank containers.
TankContainerFinder.com members now also have access to the Container xChange platform and will be able to collaborate with over 800 vetted shipping companies without transaction fees.
The founders of TankContainerFinder.com, Léon de Bruin and Arthur van de Hoeven, will leave the company.
de Bruin said: “Getting the first tank container suppliers on the platform when we had no customers was a big challenge initially but having attracted hundreds of members over the course of the last five years makes us most proud.
“After seeing the network grow and making our members wildly successful it is now time for us to move on. After a few conversations, it was clear that Container xChange is the perfect partner and a great place for a our members to keep growing their businesses in an expanding market.”
The tank container market is booming worldwide, expanding by 5% in 2020 and, according to the ITCO Global Tank Container Survey, it totalled 686,650 tank containers at January 1, 2021.
More companies, especially in South-East Asia, are turning to tank containers and operators are successfully converting certain cargoes to tanks.
Schlingmeier added: “Container xChange is now the perfect situation to bring transparency, trust and efficiency to the tank container market.”
