BASF’s EPA-based solution addresses weight constraints in railway container floors
Last update on Apr 28, 2026
Engineers and manufacturers designing next-generation railway containers can now evaluate a composite floor system based on BASF's Ultramid® Expand polyamide particle foam (EPA), presented at CHINAPLAS 2026. The solution was developed jointly by BASF, Shanghai Jiang Ju Yuan New Materials Co., Ltd., and Golden Eagle Heavy Engineering Machinery Co., Ltd., and is positioned for applications where weight reduction and structural reliability are simultaneous design constraints.
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Sandwich structure between EPA and polyurethane STM composite
The system uses a lightweight sandwich construction in which EPA functions as the core material, combined with an Elastoflex® Polyurethane Spray Transfer Molding (STM) composite as both the top and bottom surface layers. According to BASF, this configuration delivers enhanced load-bearing capacity, long-term reliability, and structural stability across variable operating environments.
Jiangqiao Guo, chairman of Shanghai Jiang Ju Yuan New Materials Co., Ltd., reports that the EPA-based composite floor demonstrated strong performance across key qualification criteria during joint evaluation, and offers greater design flexibility compared to conventional floor constructions.
For manufacturers operating under increasing transport intensity requirements, the material combination addresses weight-saving targets without compromising structural performance in high-demand railway logistics environments. Xin Liu, general manager of the Container Business Unit at Golden Eagle Heavy Engineering Machinery Co., Ltd., indicates the solution is expected to support operational efficiency improvements in railway logistics applications.
Image credits: BASF