Page 7 - Port of Hamburg | Port of Hamburg Magazine 1.2022

ods for stacking, Staxxon containers can seamlessly be included in existing logistics processes. The fold- ing itself should cause no bottlenecks, something of importance to the company. An automated process facilitates folding within under three minutes. Fold- ing can also be done manually. A trained team of two needs just ten minutes per container. The model should already be launched on the market next year. Seppälä is assuming that the present crisis situation will lead to more investments in state-of-the-art, en- vironment-friendly container solutions. “Our own will contribute, not just towards alleviating the current crisis, but also to preventing a similar one in the fu- ture.” ■
Learn more here:
4foldcontainers.com/proposition/ staxxon.com/how-it-works/
Lea Mentzel (lm)
CONTAINER WORLDS ■
market. Yet market reaction has initially been hesi- tant. Higher up-front costs and a somewhat con- servative attitude from the transport sector could be two of the reasons. For 4FOLD, life continues. “4FOLD is actively seeking alliances within the sup- ply chain with forwarders, shippers, ports, terminals and depots. As a crucial hub in the green corridor Europe – USA, Hamburg is right at the top of the list,” says Broekhuis. As a next step, the company aims for coordination with depots on operative chal- lenges and processes related to folding/unfolding, and equipment maintenance. Broekhuis is bullish on the future: “Shippers will profit from the savings in emissions; forwarders, ports and terminals will sa- vour the efficiency and flexibility; and 4FOLD folding containers can be shifted more rapidly and in less space than normal containers.”
LIKE AN ACCORDION
The US supplier Staxxon is also convinced by the idea. By year-end, the company will be launching its own foldable model on the market, to be tested by shipping companies. Staxxon also envisages advan- tages for the environment and the climate, especial- ly. “Some 25 percent of worldwide emissions come from the transport sector,” explains Santtu Seppälä, Staxxon’s CSO. Like an accordion, the Staxxon con- tainer can be folded in various stages. Two, three, four or five boxes can be combined like this to re- place one regular container. This ‘bundle’ has al- ready received certification and can be deployed, loaded and secured just like one normal standard container. Thanks to the great flexibility of the meth-
Staxxon containers are folded like an accordion. Up to five containers can substitute a standard unit.
Port of Hamburg Magazine | June 2022 | 07
© Staxxon
© Staxxon