Power Distribution Panels

Cable Trays | Tray, Ladder & Slot Types | UniRegal

Tray-type, ladder-type and slot-type cable trays in galvanized, hot-dip or stainless finishes. Power and control cabling for industrial and infrastructure projects.

Specifications

Types: Ladder-type, tray-type (perforated), slot-type (trough)
Widths / side heights: 200-800 mm wide; 60-150 mm side heights (typical)
Materials: Steel (painted or galvanized), aluminium, stainless
Finishes: Electro-galvanized, hot-dip galvanized, powder/spray painted, bare aluminium, stainless
Fittings: Horizontal 3/4-way, bends, vertical risers/drops, reducers, covers (family-common)
Supports: Support spacing per load tables (1.0-4.0 m typical)
Use: Power cables (ladder), power+control (tray), computer/communication/sensitive (slot)

Cable Trays for Power and Control Cabling

Cable trays for power and control cabling in industrial, commercial, and infrastructure projects. We supply three families - ladder-type, tray-type and slot-type - with finishes matched to the environment, from electro-galvanized interiors to hot-dip galvanized, painted, aluminium and stainless runs. Whatever carries cable in your plant, the tray is what carries the cable.

Quick Answer: Which Cable Tray Type Should I Use?

Ladder-type (rungs between side rails) is light, ventilated and cheap - ideal for large power cables and long industrial runs. Tray-type (perforated base with side walls) is the most widely used all-rounder - it carries power and control cables on a continuous base that supports them evenly and keeps a neat appearance. Slot-type (fully enclosed trough with removable cover) is for computer, communication and other sensitive control cables where shielding and physical protection matter. When in doubt on a mixed run, tray-type handles most combinations; save slot-type for the signal and instrumentation circuits that need the cover.

The Three Families and Their Fittings

Ladder-Type - Heavy Power Cables

Ladder-type trays suit generally large-diameter cables - high- and low-voltage power feeders - because the open rung structure gives ventilation, sheds dust and keeps weight low. It is built for the spans and loads of industrial cable runs and is usually the first choice for HV/LV power cables routed along plant ceilings and trenches.

Tray-Type (Perforated) - Power and Control Mix

Tray-type is the most widely applied in petrochemical, power, light-industry, electrical and telecom projects. The perforated base supports cables evenly, accepts both power and control cables, and keeps a clean appearance along walls and ceilings. It is the default choice when one run must carry mixed circuits.

Slot-Type (Trough) - Sensitive and Signal Cables

Slot-type is a fully enclosed tray whose cover protects cables from interference and mechanical damage - the specified choice for computer, communication and other sensitive control systems, and for cables needing shielding in heavier corrosion or EMI environments. Covers ship with the trough, and slot-type fittings share the same family as tray- and ladder-type, so one supplier's catalogue covers the whole installation.

Fittings for Every Route

Routes are assembled with horizontal tees and crosses, horizontal 90° and 45° bends, vertical risers and drops (up and down), reducers and covers. The same fitting family serves tray- and ladder-type runs, which keeps drawings simple and site stocks small.

Material and Finish: Match the Tray to the Environment

Electro-galvanized steel covers clean indoor environments at the lowest cost. Hot-dip galvanized adds heavy corrosion protection for outdoor, humid or mildly aggressive plant areas. Painted (spray or powder coated) trays match building interiors and add colour coding. Aluminium trays are light, corrosion-resistant and non-sparking, used in coastal and process areas. Stainless steel is the choice for washdown, food, pharmaceutical and aggressive chemical environments where galvanizing will not last. If the run is outdoors near the coast or in a process building, tell us - material choice decides whether the tray outlives the first maintenance cycle or rusts by it.

How to Specify a Cable Tray Run

Four inputs size a tray installation: (1) cable inventory - types, diameters and weights of the cables in each run (power, control or signal); (2) route and span - support spacing along the run, typically 1.0 m to 4.0 m depending on load and tray type; (3) environment - indoor, outdoor, coastal, washdown or process atmosphere, which fixes material and finish; (4) width and side height in the standard format (for example 600 x 100 mm) - our range covers widths 200-800 mm with side heights 60-150 mm.

Load tables give the maximum uniformly distributed load a tray carries at each span, with the deflection allowed. If your quote comes without load tables per span, ask for them - a tray that is fine at 1.5 m spacing can sag at 3 m.

Quality, Testing and Factory Evidence

Trays carry a plant's most critical cables for decades, so the quality that matters is material, coating and geometry. The factory runs an ISO 9001-certified quality management system with three inspection gates: incoming checks on steel, aluminium and stainless stock and coating materials; in-process inspection during forming and fabrication; and a final outgoing check of dimensions, side heights, hole patterns and finish before packing.

Mechanical performance is specified, not guessed: the load tables quoted for each tray type and span state the maximum uniformly distributed load and deflection, so your supports can be engineered from documented values. Routine inspection records are available on request with your order.

Where Cable Trays Are Used

Tray runs appear in almost every industrial and building installation: power plants and substations, factories and process plants, water and wastewater facilities, data centres, airports, hospitals and commercial high-rises. They are the backbone that connects switchgear, motor control centers and distribution boards - including the LV switchgear and bus ducts we supply - to the machines and floors they feed.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between ladder, tray and slot types?

Ladder type has rungs between two side rails - open, light and best for large power cables. Tray type has a perforated base and side walls - the general-purpose choice for mixed power and control runs. Slot type is a closed trough with cover - for computer, communication and sensitive control cables needing shielding and protection.

2. Which finish do I need for an outdoor or coastal site?

Hot-dip galvanized steel is the workhorse for outdoor and industrial atmospheres; aluminium resists coastal corrosion at lower weight; stainless steel is specified where washdown or aggressive chemistry defeats galvanizing. Send us the site description and we will recommend the finish - and the thickness - that fits the service life you expect.

3. How do I know a tray will not sag under my cables?

Size from the load tables: each tray type lists the maximum uniformly distributed load it carries at each support span (typically 1.0-4.0 m) at a defined deflection. Weigh your cable inventory, fix the support spacing, and pick the width and side height whose table value exceeds the load - and tell us if the run has concentrated loads such as junction boxes.

4. Are fittings compatible between the different tray types?

Yes - slot-type covers ship with the trough, and the fittings for tray- and ladder-type runs come from one common family (tees, crosses, bends, risers, reducers). Ordering all runs from one supplier avoids the mismatch that appears when fittings come from three different catalogues.

5. Do I need covers on my tray?

Covers are required where cables need mechanical protection, where dust or falling objects could damage circuits, and on most sensitive signal and communication runs (slot type is supplied enclosed as standard). Power-only runs in clean indoor spaces often run open for ventilation and inspection.

6. What do I send for a cable tray quotation?

Send a route sketch or cable schedule with tray widths, side heights, span and environment - or simply the cable list and site photos, and we will propose the tray family, finish and support spacing. Most inquiries receive a response within 24 hours.

7. What quality checks do trays pass before shipment?

Each batch passes incoming material and coating checks, in-process dimensional inspection, and a final outgoing check of width, side height, hole pattern and finish against the order. Load performance is documented in the per-span load tables, and routine inspection records are available on request.

Request a Cable Tray Quotation

Send your span and load requirements for a quotation with load tables - and mention if the tray run is part of a larger switchgear or distribution project so we can quote the full package in one pass. Use the contact form, or mention your WhatsApp number in the message - most inquiries receive a response within 24 hours.