Led by Professor Deborah Andrews, with research and development support from Daniele Di Paolo and mechanical engineering input from Peter Wong, the collaboration combined hands-on prototyping with product modelling, materials analysis and circular design recommendations.

An established UK manufacturer

Cableduct is a London-based manufacturer of cable-management products, with its factory in Croydon. The company makes metal floor boxes that are installed in floors to accommodate power sockets and cable access points. Products are manufactured from materials including stainless steel and brass and supplied for commercial and high-end residential projects across the UK.

“As a family business, we’ve been manufacturing in the UK for more than 50 years. We’re proud of that, and customers associate it with our ability to solve their problems.”
Christopher Knollys, Managing Director, Cableduct

“What really sets us apart is our people. We have CNC machines and the latest technology, but ultimately, it’s our people who hand-finish every product and support customers from the first enquiry through to delivery.”
Christopher Knollys, Managing Director, Cableduct

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The challenge

Before joining the programme, Cableduct had already introduced environmental and sustainability policies and was actively looking to reduce emissions. However, the company needed specialist support to evaluate the embodied carbon of its products, compare alternative materials and integrate circular economy principles into future product design.

At the same time, Cableduct wanted to progress a soft-close lid mechanism for its Floor Box MINIMA. The business had researched several possible approaches, including linear dampers, shock absorbers, pneumatic pistons and a rotary damper with a ramped rack system, but the concept had not yet been physically prototyped and tested.

“We knew we needed to change gear and build more momentum around product development, but like many businesses, we’re so busy day to day that we needed someone to help us do that.”
Christopher Knollys, Managing Director, Cableduct

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The collaboration

Following a detailed scoping process, Cableduct joined the circular economy cohort within the UKSPF-funded BIG Growth Innovation Programme. The project was delivered through LSBU’s School of Engineering and Design and brought together expertise in sustainability, circularity, product design, prototyping and mechanical engineering.

Professor Deborah Andrews provided strategic direction on sustainability and circular economy. Daniele Di Paolo led the hands-on research and development work, including prototyping, physical testing, product disassembly, materials inventory, 3D modelling and life cycle assessment. Peter Wong contributed mechanical engineering and product-development expertise to the soft-close mechanism and test-rig design.

Regular meetings allowed Cableduct and the LSBU team to review progress, share findings and agree priorities. Work combined lab-based prototyping at LSBU with desk-based research, modelling and iterative feedback from the company.

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Testing the soft-close lid concept

The LSBU team designed and built an adjustable physical test rig using aluminium strut profiles to reproduce the dimensional constraints of the Floor Box MINIMA. The rig made it possible to test variables including weight, distances, bumper profiles, ramp angles, rack geometries and linkage configurations.

A series of iterations helped the team assess the rotary damper and ramped rack concept as a promising route for further development. Testing also identified a gap between the lid and the bumper that required several iterations to improve and remains an area for future refinement.

Alongside the test rig, LSBU produced a full SolidWorks 3D assembly model of the Floor Box MINIMA, with engineering drawings of its components. This gave Cableduct an accurate digital model corresponding to the physical product and a stronger foundation for future development.

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Building the sustainability evidence

In parallel, the team disassembled a Floor Box MINIMA and measured, weighed and recorded its components to create a detailed materials inventory. The information supplied by Cableduct about its operations and supply chain supported an indicative life cycle assessment and wider materials comparison.

Using Ansys Granta EduPack Eco Audit and the EcoInvent database, LSBU compared the stainless steel and brass floor-box versions and examined a range of alternative materials. The study identified galvanised CR4 mild steel as a potentially lower-carbon and lower-cost alternative to stainless steel and brass, providing Cableduct with a practical option for further investigation.

The team also produced circular economy recommendations covering product design, manufacturing and end-of-life considerations. These recommendations gave Cableduct a structured framework for making sustainability part of future design decisions rather than treating it as an afterthought.

“During the programme, the LSBU team broke down our products and gave us much better insight into their environmental performance. That means we can now talk more confidently with customers and support those conversations with evidence.”
Christopher Knollys, Managing Director, Cableduct

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Project outputs

The collaboration produced:

• A physical test rig for evaluating and refining the soft-close lid mechanism

• A SolidWorks 3D assembly model of the Floor Box MINIMA, with component engineering drawings

• An indicative life cycle assessment comparing stainless steel and brass versions of the product

• A materials comparison covering stainless steel grades, brass and galvanised CR4 mild steel, including carbon-footprint and indicative price data

• Next-step design guidance for the soft-close concept

• Circular economy recommendations to support more sustainable product development

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The value of academic collaboration

The combination of workshop facilities, specialist software and multidisciplinary expertise was central to the project. LSBU’s metal workshop and laboratory facilities enabled the test-rig development, while access to Ansys Granta EduPack supported the sustainability analysis.

This academic collaboration gave Cableduct access to a combination of hands-on engineering and specialist sustainability support that would have been difficult and costly to obtain through a conventional private consultancy.

“The collaboration between Cableduct and LSBU brought together hands-on engineering expertise and sustainability research to advance two of the company’s key priorities. The physical testing of the soft-close lid mechanism provided a solid foundation for future product development, while the materials and life cycle assessment gave Cableduct concrete, data-backed insights to guide more sustainable material choices. The project demonstrated what a focused academic-industry collaboration can achieve within a relatively short timeframe.”
‍Professor Deborah Andrews, London South Bank University

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Looking ahead

The next step is to continue refining the soft-close lid mechanism, where there may be potential for future intellectual property, and to investigate how the findings can be incorporated into future floor-box development.

Cableduct can also use the project’s material comparisons and circular design guidance to inform future decisions about product performance, cost, embodied carbon, repairability, and end-of-life management.

This was Cableduct’s second collaboration with LSBU. At the end of the BIG Growth Programme, the company expressed interest in continuing discussions with LSBU about the soft-close concept and possible routes for further research and development, which may include exploring the suitability of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership.

“More than anything, the programme got our product development pipeline going. We saw that we could access outside expertise, make it work and move ideas forward. We didn’t expect to complete everything during the programme, but we achieved our goals and came away with a clear direction for what comes next.”
Christopher Knollys, Managing Director, Cableduct

By combining physical prototyping with sustainability research, the project helped Cableduct reduce the risk of investing further in an untested mechanism and make future material choices using clearer, comparable evidence.

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About the programme

The BIG Growth Programme connected South London businesses, charities and social enterprises with academic expertise, facilities and practical support from London South Bank University and partner universities. Cableduct took part in the programme’s circular economy cohort, led by Professor Deborah Andrews within LSBU’s School of Engineering and Design.

The programme was funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This funding enabled the academic time, workshop access and specialist software needed to deliver the Cableduct project.

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Christopher Knollys

Christopher Knollys is Managing Director of Cableduct, a family-owned manufacturer of premium cable management solutions based in South London.

Passionate about engineering excellence, innovation and sustainability, Christopher has led the company’s work with London South Bank University to develop new products, strengthen its circular economy practices and support the future growth of British manufacturing.