Case study of CabFold in the automotive industry
How BMW Group Cut 3,000 Tonnes of CO₂ Annually With a Custom Foldable Container
Company Overview
Cabka is a European market leader in reusable transport packaging made from recycled plastic, specialising in pallets and large container solutions for industrial logistics. The company operates its own Innovation Center in Valencia and takes a fully integrated approach to the circular economy — from plastic waste collection to finished product manufacturing. Cabka is listed on Euronext Amsterdam and holds certified-disposer status for BMW Group’s used plastics.
BMW Group, one of the world’s leading premium automotive manufacturers, is a long-standing Cabka partner and a company with ambitious sustainability targets across its entire supply chain — including packaging logistics.
The Challenge
BMW Group’s existing logistics system for body and chassis components relied heavily on traditional metal gitterboxes. While robust, these containers came with serious drawbacks. Their open design offered no protection against dust, dirt, or rust, forcing the use of additional disposable cardboard boxes around the parts — adding waste, cost, and handling complexity at every stage.
The deeper problem was in reverse logistics. Because the metal boxes could not be folded or nested, return transport was inefficient: trucks were moving largely empty space. This translated directly into excess fuel consumption, unnecessary CO₂ emissions, and inflated logistics costs. With over 10,000 containers in circulation, even marginal inefficiencies compounded rapidly across the network.
BMW needed a container that could handle fragile automotive components, integrate into its existing logistics flow, dramatically improve transport efficiency — and do so with a significantly reduced environmental footprint.
The Solution
Cabka developed the CabFold Hybrid entirely from scratch, in close collaboration with BMW Group’s engineering teams. The result is a purpose-built foldable large container (FLC) designed specifically for the storage and shipment of body and chassis components.
Key features of the CabFold Hybrid include:
- 94% recycled HDPE content — making it one of the highest recycled-content large containers available, fully aligned with circular economy principles
- 755-litre internal volume — the largest in its class, offering more cargo space and more efficient use of truck capacity on outbound runs
- 70% foldable design — empty containers fold down to less than one-third of their full volume, with up to 288 folded units fitting in a single return truck
- 40% lighter than metal alternatives — at 52.5 kg tare weight, the container reduces both handling effort and per-trip CO₂ emissions compared to the previous gitterbox
- Closed side walls — protect components from dust, dirt, and rust, eliminating the need for additional disposable cardboard packaging
- Modular, repairable construction — individual side wall panels and floor supports can be removed and replaced, extending product life and reducing waste
- Compatibility with existing metal boxes — the CabFold Hybrid can be stacked and transported alongside gitterboxes, enabling a gradual, low-disruption transition
- Fast folding — manual or automated — walls fold in any sequence in seconds, with no specific procedure required, reducing handling time on the floor
At end of life, containers enter Cabka’s own recycling loop — closing the material cycle entirely and reinforcing a true circular economy model.
The Results
Deployed across BMW Group’s packaging logistics network, the CabFold Hybrid has delivered measurable impact:
- ~3,000 tonnes of CO₂ saved per year — achieved across a fleet of more than 10,000 containers through lighter weight, foldable return logistics, and reduced empty-run transport
- Return volume reduced to less than one-third — the 70% fold ratio means trucks carry far more containers per return trip, directly cutting fuel use and freight costs
- Up to 288 containers per return truck — versus a fraction of that with the non-foldable metal gitterboxes previously in use
- Cardboard eliminated from the process — closed walls remove the need for disposable protective packaging around components, reducing single-use waste
- Gradual, zero-disruption transition — compatibility with existing metal boxes allowed BMW to phase in the new containers without halting operations
Key Takeaways
- Circular economy at industrial scale is achievable: A 94% recycled-content container that is also reusable, repairable, and recyclable proves that sustainability and performance are not mutually exclusive.
- Foldability is a logistics multiplier: Designing for reverse logistics — not just outbound use — unlocks significant cost and emissions reductions across a fleet.
- Eliminating secondary packaging compounds savings: Removing the need for disposable cardboard not only cuts waste but simplifies handling and reduces total cost of ownership.
- Dual-role partnerships accelerate adoption: Cabka’s position as both BMW’s certified plastic-waste disposer and its container development partner created a uniquely trusted, end-to-end relationship that made a ground-up design project possible.
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