Kaymet have been producing anodised aluminium trays and trolleys in London since 1947. We first met Mark many years ago when he gave us a tour of the Kaymet factory, still located within the heart of the city.

Their straightforward designs and process appealed greatly to us, and for the few years we have been working with Kaymet on a some designs to both broaden their range and solve some small technical and mechanical issues.

There is a die-cast aluminium handle that Kaymet have been producing continually since the 1940s that is primarily used for catering and hospitality.

Bespoke sizes are offered, and it is when much larger formats are manufactured that issues can arise. Because the shoulder only allows for a small section of aluminium extrusion to be held captive, there is not much room for mechanical fixings. Extra holes can be drilled, but there is still a limit to how strong they can be.

In hospitality, where trays may be loaded up with significant weight, multiple times a day, this can cause failure at the joint.

Another issue with the casting is the polishing, which is adds a significant amount of time and cost to the finished component.
It’s not a lovely job, with turnover in the role relatively high.

Mark briefed us to design a handle that could be injection-moulded in plastic, and the issues with the cast handle informed the design of the new one.

Allowing the extrusion to meet much closer to the middle provides a maximum amount of surface area the be held captive. The design avoids having to notch out of the base board, an extra process and tool, without compromising the grip-able area.

The handle is made from Zytel (or Nylon PA66), a material widely used for components that need strength, toughness, and reliability, and will be available in a variety of colours.