This invention relates to a container for materials, preferably scrap iron for steel production and intended to be placed on a stand in a preheating station in order that the scrap iron shall be heated up to a high temperature. The container includes an essentially cylindrical upper part and a lower part comprising openable bottom halves. The upper part of the container (1) and each bottom half (4) comprise a gas-tight shell (2;15) and a load-carrying frame-work (5,6,7,8;10,11,12,13) positioned outside the shell (2;15) and functioning as a support for the gastight shell.