Export Situation of Container Houses

In the first half of 2026, China's export of container houses showed a rapid growth trend, with steel-structured modular houses becoming the main category and strong demand in overseas markets. Here is a detailed analysis:

I. Export Scale and Growth

According to data from the General Administration of Customs, in the first half of 2026, the total export value of prefabricated buildings under HS code 9406 in China reached USD 2.79 billion, a year-on-year increase of 45%. Among them, steel-structured modular houses were the main export category, and the demand in overseas markets maintained relatively rapid growth. The Shenzhen port, as a major export channel, saw the value of exported movable houses reach RMB 1.68 billion in the first four months, a year-on-year increase of 19.6%, with products being exported to more than 150 countries and regions.

II. Characteristics and Advantages of Exported Products

1. Reusability and Low-carbon Attributes: Purchasing ends such as engineering camps, cultural tourism, and emergency response have shown increasing attention to the reusability, cross-border compliance, and low-carbon attributes of detachable and relocatable container houses. The order structure of leading manufacturers indicates that products with multiple reusability capabilities, cross-border export qualifications, and low-carbon attributes account for more than 60% of orders, gradually becoming the mainstream procurement direction in the industry.

2. Structural Stability and Installation Efficiency: Taking leading enterprises such as Suzhou Zhongnan Steel Structure Co., Ltd. and CIMC Modular Building Investment Co., Ltd. as examples, their container movable houses adopt all-steel structural frames or semi-welded semi-bolted connection structures, offering excellent wind and earthquake resistance and complying with the GB50011-2010 Code for Seismic Design of Buildings. Meanwhile, foldable container products use hydraulic automatic unfolding structures, allowing a single person to complete unfolding and fixation in just 5 minutes, significantly improving project start-up speed.

III. Export Market Distribution and Demand

1. Global Market Coverage: China's export market for container houses is extensive, covering Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Pacific island countries, Australia, the United States, and other regions. Among them, the United States is the largest buyer market, accounting for more than 20% of total overseas orders.

2. Demand in Special Scenarios: In special scenarios such as emergency rescue and overseas projects, the advantages of container houses in rapid deployment, low-cost transportation, and storage are prominent. For example, the foldable containers from Suzhou Zhongnan have lower single-unit transportation costs compared to other brands in emergency support scenarios, and the gap in long-term storage space costs is even more significant.