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Intermodal Container Leasing in Australia - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Anthony Kelly Anthony Kelly Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: October 2024 ANZSIC OD5174

Revenue

$351.8m

2024-25

$351.8m

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xm

Employees

787

Businesses

204

Wages

$XX.Xm

Intermodal Container Leasing in Australia industry analysis

The Intermodal Container Leasing industry supplies a range of containers to downstream markets for transporting and storing goods. Most rental revenue comes from long-term leases, mainly for portable storage or freight applications. Excess global shipping and container fleet capacity and the constant threat of substitution by alternative containers like pallets, skids and intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) play on the industry’s long-term performance. Leasing companies have actively developed a broader market for intermodal containers, including for household furniture removal and secure business storage.

Trends and Insights

  • A spike in merchandise trade with the removal of pandemic restrictions underpinned a surge in leasing intermodal containers to a 2022-23 peak. Container leasing facilitates the transport of intermediate and finished goods through the supply chain.
  • Growth in merchandise trade has lifted freight container rental, the source of over one-quarter of industry revenue. Freight containers, typically 20-foot equivalent units, are used in upstream shipping services for domestic and international merchandise trade.
  • A skew in industry activity towards Queensland reflects its dependence on intermodal shipping containers. Queensland's spread of settlement along its coastal fringe lifts the state's reliance on containerised transport for moving merchandise and goods by sea and rail.
  • Pricing details are generally transparent across the industry, obtained through company website listings or general enquiries. Buyers understand market pricing and can easily switch suppliers without incurring additional costs.

Access hundreds of analysis and data

  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 1.7 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $351.8m in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Container leasing surged with a spike in merchandise trade

  • Freight container leasing is crucial in the logistics supply chain, facilitating the transport of intermediate and finished goods to their final markets. The industry has been responsive to subdued trends in the Wholesale Trade division and accelerated growth in merchandise exports and imports.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Intermodal Container Leasing in Australia
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

The household and construction markets are set to provide favourable trends

  • Many of the industry's small-to-medium enterprises will likely benefit from projected growth in housing transfers, which will underpin demand for temporary storage and shipping containers. Population growth and falling interest rates will support moderate growth in housing transfers, but rising house values may constrain this trend.

Biggest companies in the Intermodal Container Leasing in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($m)
2025
Royal Wolf
99.0
SCF Group Pty Ltd
37.0
ANL Container Line
24.0

To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Intermodal Container Leasing in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Freight containers, Portable storage and Specialist storage. Freight containers is the largest segment of the Intermodal Container Leasing in Australia.

Trends and Insights

Portable storage rental is falling with weaker spending by resource and manufacturing companies

  • The main products leased out by the industry are general containers used as portable dry storage. This category generates well over half the industry's revenue but is expected to contract marginally through 2024-25 in response to weaker trends in the resources, manufacturing and construction markets.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Industry firms lease intermodal containers for long- and short-term needs of transportation companies and shippers. Intermodal containers can be transported on ships, trains and trucks.

What's included in this industry?

Portable storage container leasing (short and long term)Freight container leasing (short and long term)Specialist storage container leasing (short and long term)

Companies

Royal WolfSCF Group Pty LtdANL Container Line

Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

TWNETY-FOOT EQUIVALENT UNIT (TEU)LOGISTICSINTERMODAL CONTAINERINTERMEDIATE BULK CONTAINER (IBC)FRAC TANK

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 6619 - Intermodal Container Leasing in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

A spike in merchandise trade with the removal of pandemic restrictions underpinned a surge in leasing intermodal containers to a 2022-23 peak. Container leasing facilitates t...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Growth in merchandise trade has lifted freight container rental, the source of over one-quarter of industry revenue. Freight containers, typically 20-foot equivalent units, a...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

A skew in industry activity towards Queensland reflects its dependence on intermodal shipping containers. Queensland's spread of settlement along its coastal fringe lifts the...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Pricing details are generally transparent across the industry, obtained through company website listings or general enquiries. Buyers understand market pricing and can easily...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

A handful of prominent companies contribute half the industry’s revenue and tend to dominate intermodal freight container leasing. The largest container companies have links ...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Royal Wolf's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of SCF Group Pty Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of ANL Container Line's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Royal Wolf, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for SCF Group Pty Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for ANL Container Line, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Intermodal containers are essential for transporting non-bulk merchandise trade to and from ports and air terminals using containers. Escalating merchandise trade during 2021...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Profit margins have widened with a surge in intermodal container leasing to cater for merchandise imports and exports. Freight container suppliers have been able to widen the...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Intermodal Container Leasing industry in Australia in 2024?

The market size of the Intermodal Container Leasing industry in Australia is $351.8m in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Intermodal Container Leasing in Australia industry in 2024?

There are 204 businesses in the Intermodal Container Leasing industry in Australia, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.0 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Intermodal Container Leasing industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Intermodal Container Leasing industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 1.7 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Intermodal Container Leasing industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Intermodal Container Leasing industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Intermodal Container Leasing market in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the Intermodal Container Leasing market in Australia are Royal Wolf, SCF Group Pty Ltd and ANL Container Line

What does the Intermodal Container Leasing in Australia include?

Portable storage container leasing (short and long term) and Freight container leasing (short and long term) are part of the Intermodal Container Leasing industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Intermodal Container Leasing in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in Australia is Royal Wolf.

How competitive is the Intermodal Container Leasing industry in Australia?

The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Intermodal Container Leasing industry in Australia.

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Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.