Collapsecon

The design challenge was achieving a 4:1 ratio, enabling 4 empty units to be collapsed and joined to form a single container, significantly reducing the cost of storing, handling and distributing empty containers - all this while being compliant with international standards in which the container's structural integrity is rigorously tested. The collapsing and joining process had to be simple, safe, cost effective and mobile. The brief was to collapse the container horizontally unlike any other known products on the market, and to have no loose parts that need to be transported together with the collapsed and joined unit.

The chosen design solution utilizes a "temporary stacking frame" - a patented portable, semi automated machine (operated by remote control) that does the heavy lifting and collapses the individual containers side by side. The joining method of the collapsed units is incorporated into the door frame of each container - no extra parts are required and the order doesn't matter. Each of the 6 walls of the patented container design were thoroughly calculated using FEA to withstand the loads required for certification and the sealing solution took inspiration from naval architecture.

With the global shipping and logistics industries losing over $30 Billion annually on storing, handling and distributing empty containers, COLLAPSECON provides an innovative solution that improves operational efficiency, enhances return on investment, and reduces the impact on the environment. On average, 15% of containers are shipped empty, equaling millions of empty movements each year. Compared to using standard containers, COLLAPSECON provides environmental and commercial benefits by cutting CO2 emissions, decreasing ship, road and rail congestion, reducing market dumping of containers at ports and dramatically shrinking the space needed for the storage of empty containers.

• Patented technology - Both the container's innovative collapsing mechanism and the temporary stacking frame were patented and are unique to the COLLAPSECON solution. • Certification- COLLAPSECON is fully CSC certified in both states: single unit and combined set of 4 making it compatible with standard port and ship equipment. This means that the COLLAPSECON system can integrate seamlessly into the customers container fleet. • Dimensions and weight- 4 combined units retain the original dimensions and maximum weight of a standard shipping container • Capacity - despite housing the internal collapsing mechanism, the maximum volume and loading capacity (weight) are only marginally smaller than a standard shipping container. • Cost - COLLAPSECON is manufactured mainly of steel using industry standard processes such as sheet metal corrugation, bending and welding making it competitive in cost to standard shipping containers. • Speed, efficiency and safety- each unit can be safely collapsed and combined by 2 people from outside the container, by remote control, in under 5 minutes. • Compatibility - all COLLAPSECON containers slot together perfectly, there are no A or B types and no extra parts are required. • Maintenance - COLLAPSECON is designed for low maintenance and long service life.