Novameta Z-Height Customised Shelf System

A shelf system that lets the operator set vertical spacing to the exact millimetre, without tools or fixed increments.

In professional kitchens, cupboards and refrigerated units must hold trays, gastronorm pans, stock pots and ingredient containers of varying heights. Standard shelves are fixed at intervals that rarely match the items being stored, leaving wasted space above or forcing awkward stacking. The Z-Height system replaces fixed shelves with pairs of vertical aluminium uprights and horizontal cross-bars that slide along a continuous slot. The operator lifts the bar, positions it at the desired height, and locks it in place with a single lever. This creates a shelf plane that can be as shallow as a single plate or as deep as a full gastronorm tray, and the same uprights accept multiple bars, so several shelves can be set independently within the same unit.

To use the system, the operator first measures the tallest item that must fit beneath each shelf. The uprights are mounted inside the cupboard or refrigerated cabinet, one pair at the front and one at the rear. The cross-bars are inserted into the slots and raised or lowered until the gap above the item is just enough for safe clearance. The locking levers are then tightened, securing the bar at that height. Once all bars are set, the shelf material—perforated stainless steel, solid aluminium or wire grid—is laid across the bars and clipped into place. The process is repeated for every shelf plane required, allowing the same unit to store shallow dessert plates on one level and tall stock pots on another.

Construction consists of vertical aluminium uprights with continuous vertical slots, horizontal cross-bars that slide within those slots, and locking levers that clamp the bars at the chosen height. The uprights are secured to the side walls of the cupboard or refrigerated unit with screws or mounting brackets supplied. Shelf surfaces are separate components, allowing the operator to choose the material that best suits the stored items—perforated for air circulation, solid for small items, or wire for drainage.

The only control is the locking lever on each cross-bar, which secures the bar at the desired height once positioned.

The adjustable height specification means the same shelving system can be reconfigured whenever menu items or storage needs change, eliminating the need for multiple fixed-height units. The aluminium construction keeps the weight low, so the uprights can be installed by one person without heavy lifting equipment. The continuous slot allows spacing to be set in millimetre increments, so no usable space is wasted between shelf and item.

Cleaning is limited to the parts the system includes: the aluminium uprights and cross-bars can be wiped down with a damp cloth and mild detergent, while the shelf surfaces—whether stainless steel, aluminium or wire—are removed and cleaned separately according to their material.

The Z-Height system is supplied as a set of uprights, cross-bars and locking levers; shelf surfaces are ordered separately to match the application.

The system is designed to fit Novameta cupboards and refrigerated units, and can be retrofitted to existing units of the same brand where compatible mounting points are present.

This product appears in the Novameta catalogue under Customised Storage Solutions.