Quick Answer: Van Blanc delivers all seven container sizes to Delaware and the Middlesex Centre concessions from our Brantford yard, 105 km up Highway 403 to 401 to 402. Fast 1 to 3 day delivery from our four Brantford yards. Cash, draft cheque, or e-transfer on delivery, no deposit, no upfront wire. Family-run since 1995, 4.9 stars across 137+ Google reviews.
Part of our London and Southwestern Ontario service area. See the regional hub for the full lineup of container grades and delivery details plus nearby coverage including London, St Thomas and Aylmer.
In This Guide
- Delaware between London and the corn fields, the buyer mix that follows from that
- Delaware village lot or concession-line placement, the practical difference
- Why does the 20ft lead what Delaware buyers order?
- Sizes, grades, and honest 2026 prices
- The 105 km Brantford to Delaware run, Highway 403 to 401 to 402 to Longwoods
- Why a Brantford yard beats franchise-online for a Delaware delivery
- Frequently asked questions
Reading time: 9 minutes
Delaware Between London and the Corn Fields, the Buyer Mix That Follows From That
Delaware sits 10 kilometres west of London on Longwoods Road, the historic Highway 2 corridor that runs from London to Chatham along the north bank of the Thames River. The community is small. The driveway count is in the hundreds. The wider Middlesex Centre township that surrounds it, formed in 1998 from the amalgamation of the former Delaware, Lobo, and London Townships, runs to roughly 18,000 residents and roughly 60 per cent farmland by area, dominated by corn, soybeans, and dairy.
That polarity, a tight historical village on one side and a working agricultural concession network on the other, drives the entire Delaware container demand profile. The page you are reading now exists because the Delaware buyer is rarely shopping the same product as the buyer in downtown London or in the GTA. Delaware buyers are usually one of three people:
- The Middlesex Centre farmer running corn and soybeans on the concession lots between Delaware and the Lobo line. He has had at least one used 40-foot sea can on his back pad for decades. He needs another, or a replacement, every fifteen or twenty years.
- The London-commuter homeowner on a Delaware estate lot or in nearby Komoka and Kilworth, replacing a leaky wood shed with a 20-foot steel container that will outlast everything else on the property.
- The light-industrial buyer on the small Longwoods-Road industrial corridor west of Delaware proper, using a container as on-site materials storage or a jobsite office for the next stretch of subdivision build-out.
The terminology shifts with the buyer. The Middlesex Centre farmer almost always says sea can, the London-commuter homeowner usually says shipping container after watching YouTube tutorials, and the light-industrial contractor calls it a c-can on the jobsite and a container on the invoice. They all order the same eight-foot-wide steel box. Our job is to make sure they all get one that arrives on time, in the grade we promised, with no deposit and no surprise fees.
Delaware in one paragraph for the buyer
Approximately 10 kilometres west of London on Highway 2 (Longwoods Road), part of the Municipality of Middlesex Centre. Surrounded by corn, soybean, and dairy farmland, with a small commercial spine through the village and a light-industrial corridor running west along Longwoods. Heritage anchor: Battle of Longwoods (1814) and the Skah-Nah-Doht Iroquoian village reconstruction at Longwoods Road Conservation Area. Population pull is from London proper and the growing commuter belt around Komoka and Kilworth. Container demand mirrors the township profile, mostly agricultural with a steady residential thread and an active jobsite-contractor segment.
Delaware Village Lot or Concession-Line Placement, the Practical Difference
The single biggest variable on a Delaware quote is not size or grade, it is where on the property the bin will sit. Delaware splits neatly into two placement worlds: the half-acre to two-acre village and estate lots inside the historic core, and the deep working farms running back into the Middlesex Centre concessions. The truck does the same drive either way, but the placement decision changes the buyer’s sizing choice almost by reflex.
On a village or estate lot, the 20-foot is dominant because it fits the side or back yard without dominating sightlines from the road, leaves room for a tilt-deck flatbed to swing in and out of the driveway without backing through a hedge, and reads less industrial when viewed from a neighbouring property. Buyers replacing a leaky wood shed or staging a back-yard renovation tend to land here, and the broader pattern across 20-foot container uses across Canada covers the residential, reno, and jobsite use cases that overlap with the Delaware village-lot buyer almost exactly. The 20-foot Wind & Water Tight at the budget end or 20-foot One-Trip at the high end is what we deliver to most Delaware village-core addresses.
On a working farm running back into the Lobo or London-township concessions, the 40-foot is dominant. The back pad behind the equipment shed is the standard placement spot, the bin sits out of sight from any public road, and the additional volume justifies itself across grain-handling spares, season-spray equipment, irrigation manifolds, and the tooling that does not fit in the main shed. Pricing on the 40-foot for a working Delaware farm tracks the national pattern; our pricing benchmark for 40-foot containers across Canada is the easiest way for a first-time farm buyer to sanity-check the all-in number on our quote against the rest of the market. Honest Ontario farm quotes look like one another; quotes that are wildly above or below the benchmark deserve a second look.
Why does the 20ft lead what Delaware buyers order?
Delaware orders skew toward the 20-foot more than any other size, for two practical reasons.
First, the Middlesex Centre lots that surround the village are mostly half-acre to two-acre estate lots, larger than London city lots but smaller than the deep-concession farms further west. A 20-foot steel container fits onto a gravel pad behind the house without dominating the property line, and it leaves room for a tilt-deck flatbed to swing in and out of the driveway without backing through a hedge. A 40-footer needs about 80 to 100 feet of clear approach, which most Delaware estate lots can provide but with less margin.
Second, the Delaware buyer tends to be replacing a wood shed or adding capacity rather than running an industrial yard, and a 20-foot Wind & Water Tight bin at the budget end or a New (one-trip) 20 at the high end gives them more storage than the rotting shed it replaces, painted to match the house and parked for the next thirty years.
Paul LeBlanc, owner: “Delaware has been on our weekly southwest run for two decades. The buyer there knows what he wants before he calls. Most of the time it is a 20-footer for the back yard or behind the corn crib, sometimes a 40 if he is running a serious operation out the concession line. We do not get a lot of last-minute panic orders out of Delaware, the buyers are calm, they have done their homework, they want a fair price and a real lead time. That is the whole story.”
The Middlesex Centre farm sea can
Out the Lobo line and the Komoka concession, the dominant farm purchase is a 40-foot Cargo Worthy or Wind & Water Tight container parked on a back pad. The bin holds the season’s grain-handling spares, the spray equipment that lives there from October to April, the irrigation manifolds, and the tooling that does not fit in the equipment shed. Most farms run two of them, the older one used for archival farm records and tooling that gets used twice a year, the newer one used for active-season storage.
The Delaware estate-lot homeowner
The estate-lot buyer is replacing a shed that has been leaking for three winters and has decided that a steel container will outlast everything else on the property. The 20-foot New (one-trip) is the dominant order here. Painted, screened with a row of cedars, lockbox-fitted, used for tooling, the off-season furniture, and the bicycles the kids will not ride until June.
The Longwoods Road industrial buyer
The light-industrial corridor on Longwoods Road west of the village is small but active. We deliver Cargo Worthy 20s and 40s for site-office use and secure materials storage during the build-out of the next subdivision phase or industrial expansion. These bins move every six to eighteen months as the project rotates, which is part of the reason Cargo Worthy is the dominant grade for this segment, the bin needs to be tough, not pretty.
Sizes, Grades, and Honest 2026 Prices
Delaware delivery is the same inventory we keep at our Brantford yard at 90 Morton Avenue East. Nothing is “Delaware-only” or marked up for distance. Pricing is by size and grade, the delivery fee reflects the 105-kilometre haul, and you see both line items separately on the quote.
| Size | External (m) | Internal volume | Best fit for Delaware |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft Standard | 6.06 × 2.44 × 2.59 | 33.2 m³ | Estate-lot residential, hobby farm, contractor jobsite, narrow concession driveway |
| 40ft Standard | 12.19 × 2.44 × 2.59 | 67.7 m³ | Working farm back-yard, light industrial materials cage, large estate lot |
| 40ft High Cube | 12.19 × 2.44 × 2.90 | 76.3 m³ | Pallet-stacked inventory, tall equipment, conversion-to-office candidate |
| 45ft High Cube | 13.71 × 2.44 × 2.90 | 86.0 m³ | Large industrial yard storage, max single-unit volume |
| 53ft High Cube | 16.15 × 2.59 × 2.90 | ~107 m³ | North American intermodal length, larger industrial buyers |
| 20ft Reefer | 6.06 × 2.44 × 2.59 | ~28 m³ | On-farm cold storage, dairy buffer, climate-controlled inventory |
| 40ft HC Reefer | 12.19 × 2.44 × 2.90 | ~67 m³ | Larger food-processing or pharmaceutical climate-controlled inventory |
The three grades and what each one is right for in Delaware
- New (One-Trip). Manufactured overseas, used for a single cargo trip, then sold here. Cosmetically near-new with original factory paint and minor handling marks, fully CSC-plated. The right grade for the Delaware estate-lot homeowner who wants the bin to look new for the next decade, or for any conversion into office or shop. Price range about depending on size and current market.
- Cargo Worthy (CW). CSC-plated and structurally sound, certified for international shipping. Surface wear consistent with prior commercial use. The right grade for working farms, jobsite security, and industrial yard storage where the bin is a working asset rather than a feature. Price range.
- Wind & Water Tight (WWT). No longer rated for ocean shipping but remains weather-sealed for stationary storage. Doors close, no light leaks, no rust holes. The right grade for the budget-conscious buyer who needs a box that keeps weather out. Price range.
These are honest 2026 ranges, including delivery to the Delaware area. Anyone offering you a sea can below this on Facebook is showing you a scam, not a discount.
Most Canadians call them sea cans or shipping containers. Industry buyers say intermodal container or ISO container. The military still calls them conex boxes. Contractors shorten it to c-can. They are all the same eight-foot-wide steel box, and we deliver every type from our four Brantford yards.
The 105 km Brantford to Delaware Run, Highway 403 to 401 to 402 to Longwoods
The Delaware delivery is one of our regular southwestern Ontario routes. The numbers: roughly 105 kilometres from our Brantford yard to a Delaware-area address, about 1 hour 15 minutes for a tilt-deck flatbed running at the legal limit. The route is Highway 403 east to Highway 401, west on the 401 to the 402 split at London, west on the 402 to the Highway 4 or Wonderland Road exit, then south or southwest onto Longwoods Road and into Delaware. Most of our drivers have been on this route dozens of times. They know which Delaware driveways take the long bin and which need the 20.
Lead time, what 1 to 3 days actually means
From the moment you confirm the order, the container will arrive at your Delaware address in 1 to 3 days from our four Brantford yards. The Delaware corridor sits in our standard southwestern Ontario delivery zone, alongside London, Komoka, Strathroy, and Glencoe. We do not run “5 to 10 day windows” any more, that was the old policy and it is dead. Every quote comes with a real lead time, not a hopeful one.
Tilt-deck placement on a Delaware driveway
Our trucks are tilt-deck flatbeds. The deck lifts hydraulically and the container slides off onto your prepared site under controlled gravity. We place the container exactly where you point. We do not require a forklift, we do not require a crane, we do not require a poured concrete pad. A level gravel base is ideal, a level patch of compacted dirt works, and an existing concrete slab is fine. Our drivers refuse to place a bin where it would damage your driveway, your fence, or the container itself, that is a feature, not a constraint.
What a Delaware site needs ready before truck day
- A level placement spot, gravel, compacted dirt, or concrete pad. The bin sits flat or it will twist over time.
- About 60 feet of clear approach for a 20-footer, 80 to 100 feet for a 40 or 45.
- Overhead clearance, no low-hanging branches, hydro lines, or barn eaves above the placement spot.
- An adult on site to point the driver to the exact placement and complete payment when the bin is on the ground.
Why a Brantford Yard Beats Franchise-Online for a Delaware Delivery
A Delaware buyer who Googles “shipping container near me” sees mostly two kinds of suppliers. The first is a national franchise with a logo, a 1-800 number, no Ontario yard, and a drop-shipping model that rents trucks and inventory from third parties. The second is a Facebook Marketplace listing for a “Pristine 20-foot at ” with no business number, no Ontario address, and no pickup option. Van Blanc is the third option.
What that means in practice for a Delaware delivery is straightforward. Our Brantford yard at 90 Morton Avenue East is open during business hours for buyers who want to walk the inventory before paying. Some Delaware buyers make the 105-kilometre drive, some do not. Either way, the container they order is the container they get, because the inventory is sitting on our yard, not on a third-party lot we have never seen. Paul has 19 years specifically in the container industry and four decades in Asian trade going back to import-export of footwear and bulk goods before he pivoted Van Blanc to containers in 1995. Christian, his son, has been working the yard full-time for four years and has been travelling to Asia with Paul since he was 15. The family runs the yard. The family answers the phone. The family signs the bill of sale.
Why we have never asked a Delaware customer for a deposit
Every container scam we have seen, and the BBB has documented dozens across Canada, hinges on the buyer paying before the container is on the property. Wire transfer to a bank in another province, e-transfer to an unverified email, “escrow” through a third-party site that does not exist. Once the money has moved, the container never does. Van Blanc’s policy since 1995: no deposit, no upfront wire, no payment until the container is on your Delaware property and you have inspected it. Cash, certified draft cheque, or e-transfer on the day, after the bin is on the ground. If the unit does not match what was sold, the truck leaves with the container and you owe nothing.
For the deeper read, our blog post on shipping container scams walks through the ten red flags every Canadian container buyer should know.
Ready to price your container?
Tell us the size and your postal code and we’ll send back an honest, all-in number, container, delivery, and placement, usually within 1-3 days. No pressure, no mystery fees.
Family-run in Brantford since 1995 · 200+ containers in stock · 4.9★ across 137+ Google reviews · every box graded by a person, walk it before it lands.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a shipping container cost in Delaware, Ontario?
Honest 2026 ranges, including delivery to a Delaware-area address: a Wind & Water Tight 20-footer about, a Cargo Worthy 20 about, a New (one-trip) 20. The 40-foot equivalents add roughly across each grade.
Where can I buy a shipping container in Delaware?
You can buy from Van Blanc in Brantford with delivery to a Delaware address in 1 to 3 days from our four Brantford yards. Our 90 Morton Avenue East yard is open during business hours for in-person inspection before purchase, which is the safest way to buy a sea can in Ontario. Some Delaware-area buyers drive the 105 kilometres up the 403 and 401 to walk the inventory, others quote and order over the phone, both are normal.
Should I order a 20-foot or a 40-foot for a Delaware property?
On a village or estate lot, the 20-foot fits the side or back yard without dominating sightlines from the road, and it leaves room for a tilt-deck flatbed to swing into the driveway. On a working farm running back into the Lobo or London-township concessions, the 40-foot is the standard back-pad order because the bin sits out of sight from any public road and the additional volume covers grain-handling spares, season-spray equipment, and the tooling that does not fit in the main shed. The Delaware buyer’s lot type predicts the size choice almost by reflex.
What is the difference between a sea can and a shipping container?
Nothing. Same eight-foot-wide steel box. Sea can is the rural Canadian term, shipping container is the global industry term, c-can is contractor shorthand, intermodal container is the procurement-system word, and conex is the military-origin term. The word identifies which kind of buyer is talking, not the product.
How long does delivery from Brantford to Delaware take?
1 to 3 days from our four Brantford yards from order confirmation. Delaware is approximately 105 kilometres up Highway 403 to 401 to 402 to Longwoods Road, about 1 hour 15 minutes of driving. We will give you a real ETA at quote time, not a hopeful one.
Can I get a refrigerated container delivered to a Delaware farm?
Yes. We stock 20-foot and 40-foot HC reefer units suited to dairy buffer, vegetable cooling, and on-farm food-processing applications. Our deep-dive on refrigerated shipping container options across Canada covers the temperature ranges, power requirements, and typical agricultural use cases. The reefer needs power on site (typically 60-amp three-phase or single-phase depending on unit), which most working farms in the Middlesex Centre concessions already have or can run.
Do you charge extra for Delaware delivery compared to a London address?
Delivery is priced by route distance, not by city or postal code. The Delaware rate reflects the 105-kilometre Brantford-to-Delaware drive. We quote the delivery fee as a separate line item on the invoice, you see the math, you decide.
Can I rent a shipping container in Delaware instead of buying one?
Yes. We rent shipping containers in Delaware and offer rent-to-own. We will tell you honestly whether renting or buying fits your project and timeline. Delivered on a tilt-deck truck.
Is there a container store or yard near Delaware, or is everything shipped from Brantford?
There is no Van Blanc yard near Delaware; we deliver from our Brantford yards. The closest yard you can walk before buying is Brantford at 90 Morton Avenue East, where you pick the exact box and read the CSC plate.
Can I get on-site storage containers dropped on a Delaware farm during harvest?
Yes. We drop on-site storage containers on a Delaware farm during harvest, placed on a gravel pad by tilt-deck truck for crops, equipment, and tools. They stay as long as you need, and you can rent or own.
Sources
- Wikipedia. (2025). Delaware, Ontario, community profile, location and economy. en.wikipedia.org.
- Wikipedia. (2025). Middlesex Centre, formed 1998 from Delaware, Lobo, and London Townships. en.wikipedia.org.
- Municipality of Middlesex Centre. Community and economic profile. middlesexcentre.ca.
- International Maritime Organization. (1972, amended). International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC). imo.org.
- International Organization for Standardization. (2022). ISO 6346:2022, Freight containers, coding, identification and marking. iso.org.
- Better Business Bureau. (2024). BBB Scam Alert: in the market for a shipping container, watch out for this con. bbb.org.
Reach Van Blanc in Brantford
Delaware quote in 24 hours. Call 519-754-6844 or our toll-free 1-888-509-6658, or use our quote request form. Tell us the size, grade, and Delaware delivery address. We respond with a real number, a real lead time, and a written quote you can hold as long as you need. No deposit. No upfront wire. Payment on delivery.
Visit the yard: 90 Morton Avenue East, Unit 1-B, Brantford, ON N3R 7J7. Worth the drive for unbeatable quality and family customer service with 30 years of experience.
Related Reading
- Shipping Containers in London, Ontario, the regional centre 10 km east of Delaware.
- Shipping Containers in Strathroy, Ontario, 30 km west via Highway 402.
- Beware of Shipping Container Scams, the ten red flags every Canadian container buyer should know.
- Containers for Sale, full Brantford-yard inventory across all sizes and grades.
- Custom Container Features, modifications for office, shop, and farm use.