NOVELTY - Manufacture of an intermediate moldable product and delivering the product to a molding station comprises: (i) loading a portion of a granular material with uncured resin into a compartment through an opening at a first end region of a container; (ii) compacting the material to form a friable body; (iii) transporting the container to a molding station; and (iv) removing the friable body from the container.    USE - For molding an intermediate moldable product and delivering the product to a molding station.    ADVANTAGE - The method has minimal risk of damage, loss of monomer, and loss of solid material; minimizes evaporative loss of monomer; maintains preform in a condition more suitable for molding; reduces the impact of monomer loss on the surrounding environment; and affords more consistency in product size and shape.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Formation of an intermediate moldable product and delivering the product to a molding station involve:    (i) providing a granular material including an uncured resin;    (ii) providing a container with a continuous perimeter wall surrounding an axis, having two opposite end regions and an inside surface extending between the end regions to define a compartment;    (iii) loading a portion of the granular material into the compartment through an opening at the first end region;    (iv) compacting the loaded granular material to form a friable body of the material in the compartment, surrounded by the perimeter wall and having an outside surface contiguous with the inside surface of the perimeter wall;    (v) transporting the container with the friable body to a molding station; and    (vi) removing the friable body from the container at the molding station.    An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for a device for transporting a friable body of moldable material or shaping a granular material into a friable body prior to a molding operating, comprising a container having a continuous perimeter wall or tubular wall surrounding an axis.    The perimeter wall or tubular wall has an inside surface extending two opposite end regions to define a compartment for receiving and containing a granular loaded material into the container. The perimeter wall retains its shape against radially outward forces due to compaction of the material to form a friable body surrounded by the perimeter wall and having an outside surface contiguous with the inside surface of the perimeter wall. It surrounds the friable body during transport of the loaded container to a molding station to prevent damage to the friable body and material loss during transport.    The inside surface facilitates a removal of the friable body from the container at the molding station. The tubular wall has a hoop strength to retain its shape in opposition to radially outward forces due to compaction to form the granular moldable material into a friable body.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a block diagram for fabricating bipolar plates for fuel cells.