About Midstate Containers

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From Local Beginnings to a Global Footprint

Midstate Containers is a family-owned business with deep roots on California's Central Coast.

Founded in 2000 by father and son duo, Stuart and Jake Knotts, our story began in Nipomo, CA, when Stuart—then running a pallet recycling business—started buying and reselling shipping containers one at a time from Long Beach. Working solo and putting in long hours, Stuart laid the foundation for what would become a much larger vision.

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Growth Through Partnership and Innovation

In 2008, Midstate set up shop in Santa Maria, CA. Five years later, Jake returned home from working in the nonprofit sector in Europe to officially join his father. Their partnership marked a turning point, and the company began to grow rapidly.

By 2014, we opened our in-house modification and fabrication shop. In 2015, we expanded into refrigerated containers—adding a crucial new offering to meet diverse customer needs.

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Scaling Operations and Global Impact

Over the years, we've continued to scale our operations:

  • 2017: Opened a new yard in Stockton, CA
  • 2019: Expanded further with a location in Visalia, CA
  • 2020: Delivered cold storage solutions nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • 2022: Expanded internationally with warehouses in Poland and Ukraine to support humanitarian efforts
  • Also in 2022, we launched a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to aid global relief operations
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Who We Are Today

Today, Midstate Containers proudly employs a skilled, hardworking team of drivers, welders, painters, and project managers across three California locations. We offer customized container solutions across the U.S. and internationally.

Despite our global reach, we remain grounded in our core values:

  • Local service
  • Family leadership
  • Commitment to purpose-driven impact