Najor Cookware | March 2026 | Custom Manufacturing Guide
When Standard GN Pans Don't Fit: A Custom Stainless Steel Pan Guide for Food Trucks, Pop-Up Kitchens & Specialist Equipment Builders
Custom-dimensioned SUS304 insert pans manufactured to fit a food truck's bespoke cold well — when no standard GN fraction matches your cavity.
The GN (Gastronorm) standard was designed to bring dimensional harmony to commercial kitchens. It succeeded: 1/1 GN pans (530mm × 325mm) slot into most steam tables, blast chillers, and storage systems without measuring anything.
But a growing number of food businesses don't fit the standard:
Food truck operators building custom service counters with cavity dimensions that don't align with any GN fraction
Commercial kitchen equipment manufacturers designing refrigerated prep tables or insert warmers with proprietary internal dimensions
Catering companies operating bespoke transport carts or airline galley systems
Restaurant groups commissioning custom millwork built around a specific aesthetic or service flow
For these buyers, the answer isn't "find a close-enough standard size." It's custom manufacture a pan to the exact specification required.
Understanding the GN Standard — And Its Limits
| Size | External Dimensions (mm) | Common Use |
|---|
| 1/1 GN | 530 × 325 | Full steam table insert, full oven tray |
| 1/2 GN | 325 × 265 | Half insert, standard hotel pan |
| 1/3 GN | 325 × 176 | Third pan, ideal for side dishes |
| 1/4 GN | 265 × 162 | Quarter pan, garnish/condiment |
| 1/6 GN | 176 × 162 | Sixth pan, small inserts |
| 1/9 GN | 176 × 108 | Very small condiment insert |
| 2/1 GN | 650 × 530 | Double-size, large volume baking |
| 2/3 GN | 354 × 325 | Two-third insert |
| 1/1 Long | 530 × 370 | Extended length pan |
Real-world problem: A food truck cold well built to 290mm × 190mm (fits three across a 90cm counter) accepts no standard GN fraction. A custom refrigerated display case with 480mm × 300mm cavities isn't served by any GN product. A bento prep station with 200mm × 200mm square cavities — also non-existent in the GN catalog.
In each case, the operation either accepts inefficiency — gaps, inserts that don't sit flush, cross-contamination risks — or commissions a custom pan.
What "Custom Pan" Means at the Factory Level
A custom stainless steel insert pan is a deep-drawn sheet metal form. The manufacturing process:
1
SUS304 sheet stock is cut to a blank size calculated from the pan's final dimensions and draw ratio
2
A punch and die set forms the blank into the pan shape in one or more draw stages
3
Edge beading or rim rolling finishes the top edge for structural rigidity and safe handling
4
Handles, lid lugs, or perforations are added as secondary operations if required
5
Surface finishing (brushing, polishing) is applied per specification
For a factory with in-house stamping equipment — like Najor Cookware — producing a custom-dimensioned pan is a tooling problem, not a fundamental manufacturing capability problem. Once the dies are machined to your specification, production runs at the same speed and quality as any standard product.
Technical comparison of stainless steel pans in various custom sizes with measuring tape and engineering drawings. A 1.5–2.5mm clearance gap on each side is required for smooth thermal expansion — specify pan dimensions 3–5mm smaller than your cavity.
The Custom Pan Specification: 8 Parameters to Define
1. External Dimensions (L × W)
Allow 1.5–2.5mm clearance on each side (total 3–5mm shorter and narrower than the cavity). A pan specified at exactly cavity size will bind during thermal expansion.
Example: Cavity = 290mm × 190mm → Pan specification: 286mm × 186mm external.
2. Depth
| Application | Typical Depth Range |
|---|
| Cold prep insert (shallow) | 65–100mm |
| Steam table hot hold (standard) | 100–150mm |
| Bulk storage / transport | 150–200mm |
| Specialty deep insert | 200–300mm |
Always specify inside depth (usable volume), not outside depth — these differ by sheet material thickness and rim treatment.
3. Material Thickness (Gauge)
Cold applications (refrigeration): 0.6–0.8mm — lighter weight aids manual handling
Hot applications (steam table, oven): 0.8–1.0mm — resists warping under thermal cycling
High-volume transport / heavy loading: 1.0–1.2mm for long-term durability
Cost note: Each 0.1mm step in gauge increases material cost approximately 8–12%
4. Rim / Edge Treatment
Standard beaded rim: Top edge rolled over a wire — smooth, rigid lip. Most common and economical.
Flanged rim (GN-style): Flat flange extends outward, resting on the cavity rail. Specify flange width (typically 8–12mm).
No rim (straight walls): For pans that stack inside each other or slide into tight-tolerance slots.
5. Corner Type
Standard square corners: Maximum internal volume, easiest to tool
Rounded internal corners (R20–50mm): Improves cleanability — no 90° corners where food accumulates
Fully rounded (D-ends): Semi-circular ends — common in blast chiller pans and transport systems
6. Secondary Features
Perforations: Specify diameter (6–12mm), pattern (square grid or staggered), and open-area % (30–50% for drain applications)
Handles: Recessed handles pressed into short ends vs. welded bar handles — specify retractable if stacking is required
Lid channels: Ridge or groove on rim to accept matching lid — lid must be specified simultaneously
Internal dividers: Fixed dividers stamped as part of the pan body for portion-divided inserts
7. Surface Finish
Brushed (No. 4 finish): Standard for food service. Hides scratches in commercial use.
Mirror polished: Higher hygiene perception — used in display applications.
As-formed (unpickled): For internal components not visible in service. Lowest cost.
8. Quantity and Delivery Schedule
| Order Quantity | Effective Tooling Amortization |
|---|
| 200–500 pcs | Higher per-unit tooling cost — suitable for pilot or specialized low-volume needs |
| 500–2,000 pcs | Standard entry point for institutional buyers |
| 2,000–10,000 pcs | Tooling cost becomes negligible; focus shifts to unit price negotiation |
| 10,000+ pcs | Long-term supply arrangement; volume pricing tiers available |
Real-World Custom Pan Applications
Case Study — Food Truck
A Vietnamese banh mi food truck operator needed 8 identical insert pans fitting a custom 285mm × 180mm × 90mm deep cold well built into their service counter. No standard GN fraction matched. Custom dies were machined to spec; 200 pans were delivered in 28 days. The operator has reordered twice since.
Case Study — Equipment Manufacturer
A commercial refrigerator OEM needed a proprietary insert pan for their signature prep table — 470mm × 285mm × 100mm with a D-end profile and flanged rim calibrated to their rail system. We produced the tooling, ran first samples for engineering approval, and now supply 2,000 pans per quarter as part of their production line.
Case Study — Airline Galley
A flight catering operator needed a non-standard aluminum galley insert replaced with SUS304. Dimensions: 260mm × 210mm × 55mm with retractable bar handles and a perforated base. Stainless steel pans were 12% heavier than aluminum but outlasted the aluminum version by a factor of 4 in service life.
Case Study — Hospital Catering
A hospital catering contractor operating a cook-chill rethermalization system with non-standard cart cavities (built to a now-discontinued equipment brand) needed 500 replacement pans of a size no longer produced. Najor reverse-engineered from a physical sample and produced replacement pans within 35 days.
Tooling Ownership & IP Protection
Specify tooling ownership in the purchase agreement. The die set belongs to you — stored at the factory, not reused for other clients.
Get tooling numbered and photographed. Request photos with identification numbers before production begins.
Clarify maintenance terms. Who pays for die maintenance after a certain production volume? Typically buyer pays after 50,000–100,000 production cycles.
Define portability. If you wish to move production to a different factory, tooling should be releasable upon written request.
Najor Cookware's Custom Pan Manufacturing Capabilities
Deep-draw stamping: 0.5–2.0mm SUS304 sheet stock
In-house tooling workshop: Die design and machining on-site; typical tooling lead time 10–15 days
Perforation tooling: Custom perforation patterns and open-area ratios
Edge treatments: Beaded rim, flanged rim, straight wall, D-end — all in-house
Secondary operations: Spot welding, handle attachment, internal divider stamping
CAD-to-production: Full drawing service included
Minimum order: 200 pcs (first order) · 100 pcs (repeat from existing tooling)
Lead times: Tooling + samples 15–20 days · Mass production 15–25 days after approval
We accept drawings, sketches, photos of existing pans, or simply written dimension specifications — whatever format your spec exists in, we can work with it.
Get a Custom Pan Quote in 24 Hours
Send us your cavity dimensions and required quantity.
We'll respond with a tooling cost estimate and production timeline.
Email: sales@najorcookware.com
WhatsApp: +86 136 6055 0378
Conclusion
The GN standard is a powerful tool for the kitchens it was designed for. But the reality of modern food service — custom trucks, proprietary equipment, specialist catering systems, and purpose-built countertops — means there's a substantial and growing market for non-standard insert pans that simply don't exist in any catalog.
Custom manufacturing is no longer the exclusive domain of large institutional buyers. With factory-direct access, in-house tooling, and MOQs as low as 200 pieces, a custom stainless steel pan to your exact dimensions is more accessible than most operators realize. The critical first step is a clear specification — and we're here to help you build it.