French intermodal specialist Modalis recently unveiled its “Butterfly” container—an eco-designed, open-top 20-ft. swap body, which is the fruit of a European collaboration project.
The patented container has an automated roof and is made from recyclable composite panels, the company explained. It combines speed, safety, lightness and durability, meeting decarbonization requirements for industry and bulk carriers.
“Our strength lies in our ability to innovate,” Bernard Meï, Modalis chairman, said in a news release. “We pay close attention to our customers’ requirements in terms of safety, ergonomics, and payload, and we go out into the field to observe what goes on there. Innovation at Modalis is always geared toward meeting these goals. Today, we are the world’s most diversified rental company, with an extremely wide range of products.
“That versatility is our signature.”
The newest addition to Modalis innovations, the Butterfly offers significant benefits in terms of ergonomics. It addresses the problems and limitations often encountered with current open-top swap bodies—models with tarpaulin roofs are too slow and tedious to open, while those with a hard top are complicated to handle due to their height and weight.
Technology and eco-design unite
The Butterfly’s roof is made from composite panels in a fabric of long glass fibers incorporated into a thermoplastic matrix, the company said. The use of these panels offers a unique combination of strength, flexibility, and lightness, making it possible to install a patented opening and closing system. In only 20 seconds, the top can be opened and closed through 270 degrees to make it completely watertight.
Thanks to its design, it can be controlled by an operator from the ground, eliminating the risks associated with working at heights.
Further, it is watertight for additional benefits while transporting loads such as fertilizers or waste as it minimizes odors.
Finally, the panels are 100% recyclable and can be reused to create furniture, for example. This versatile container represents an alternative for current metal solutions. With its low-carbon content and competitive price, it will appeal to a wide range of shippers and make it easier to integrate a rail link into a logistics chain.
European collaboration
The Butterfly container was developed through European collaboration between Modalis, the Belgian design firm Agesia, which specializes in composite materials, and the Italian manufacturer CCFC, responsible for demonstrators and mass production. Three months of outdoor testing and tests in real operating conditions helped validate the prototype.