Our Mission

Butterfly Flexible Seating Solutions commercializes flexible seating concepts in the world of air, rail, and road transportation. We are affiliated with Hong Kong-based Paperclip Design, an industrial design studio known for its innovative and award-winning design concepts.

We believe in the profit potential that flexibility brings to businesses. Our mission is to help companies realize this potential by providing end-to-end product development support - covering the licensing of intellectual property, engineering consulting services, product development, certification, industrialization, as well as industrial design, customization, and trim and finish services.

Belfast Engineering Office

In April 2021, Butterfly Engineering was established in Belfast, United Kingdom, to further the development of the butterfly seat by making use of the local talent pool of aircraft seating experts and supplier base in Northern Ireland. The Butterfly Engineering office focuses on the engineering and airworthiness certification of our products.

Our Services

Cabin Layouts

LOPA optimization and comparisons of flexible seating configurations with existing interior layouts.

Mockup and Testing

Construction of full-scale mockups for evaluation, staff training, as well as conducting passenger research.

Revenue Analysis

Data-driven simulation of the effects of flexibility for evaluation and to realize optimal cabin interior layouts.

Project Management

Project management of retrofit projects, as well as the implementation of flexibility in relation to PSS and RMS.

Industrial Design

Customization of products to your specific needs in product features, aesthetic styling, CMF selection, etc.

Engineering Certification

Engineering design, CAE analysis, testing and certification of flexible seating products.

Our Founders

Lars Rinne
Co-Founder and Commercial Director

Lars Rinne is an entrepreneur with a passion for connecting the worlds of finance and engineering. He takes pride in providing value to consumers with technical products and ensuring that product, strategy and business model are aligned.

Lars graduated in banking and finance in Germany and holds an MBA from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He has worked on various international assignments, as well as business consulting with a focus on mergers and acquisitions and restructuring for manufacturing companies. He is responsible for business development and strategy.

James Lee
Co-Founder and Creative Director

James Lee is a self-confessed aviation geek. Originally trained in engineering with a Masters in Aeronautics from MIT, he started his career with a brief stint in accident investigation before joining Cathay Pacific as a management trainee, working across several departments in UK and Hong Kong.

James established Paperclip Design in 2011 to pursue his passion in aviation and design, coupled with a peculiar interest in seats. He finds amusement in spatial optimization. His work has won multiple international awards, including the Crystal Cabin Award, Red Dot Award, Good Design Award and the A' Design Award.