TROLLEY REPORT
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Michiel Maris, sales and marketing director (left) and David Boreel, marketing intelligence manager at DriessenZodiac Aerospace pose with a new Hybrite trolley.
Making the rounds BY
RICK LUNDSTROM
Driessen-Zodiac Aerospace rolls out the hybrite in grand fashion at several important shows he stylish brochure for Driessen’s new Hybrite line of trolleys features on its third page a quote by Charles Darwin on the importance of adaptation. “It is the species most responsive to change that survives,” reads the line. The company’s new line of Hybrite composite/aluminum trolleys is the species designed to adapt to the demands of airlines for lightweight products without the cost associated with a trolley made completely of hightech composites. It was rolled out first to the airline industry at this year’s International Travel Catering Association (ITCA) and later at Asian Aerospace in Hong Kong. In April, the Hybrite will be seen in its colorful designs at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg. But behind the stylish looks and bold campaign to make the carts an important player in a competitive segment of the industry, is another message that Michiel Maris, sales and marking director at Driessen says the company has learned from listening to its customers. “The aviation industry made it clear to us,” said Maris who put the Hybrite through its paces at this year's ITCA Exhibition. “Don’t sell us carts that are twice as expensive as our other carts.”
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PAX INTErNATIONAL
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March/April 2011
That request brought DriessenZodiac Aerospace back to the drawing board to develop the Hybrite with a half-composite, halfaluminum design weighing in at between 10 and 11.5 kilograms in the half size configuration and between 15 and 18 kilograms on the full size mode. The Hybrite can also be customized with several features, including a pull-out table, aluminum or composite panel facing. A single-wheel or double-wheel castor system gives the trolley improved maneauverability. Cabin waste can be loaded either from the top or the front. A number of eye-catching features can also be added. Printed placards and powder coating can be applied in scratch resistant finishes. Rounded corners, ergonomics and damage reducing designs are built into the Hybrite, which can be purchased in ATLAS and ACE standards. A third design feature, a fully recyclable construction answers the airlines’ growing desire to reduce the environmental impact of their operations. To answer the airlines’ desire for a less costly replacement, Maris said that depending on the features, the Hybrite line could cost up to 25 percent less than an all-com-
The Hybrite in half sizes
posite trolley line. Driessen said an airline’s return on investment could be achieved “in months, rather than years.” Maris says that Driessen-Zodiac Aerospace sees an industry wide trolley replacement market at between 80,000 and 100,000 per year. He estimated that a Hybrite trolley has an average lifespan of about 10 years. To achieve the durability demanded by airlines, Driessen put the Hybrite through a rigorous testing regime that can be seen on the company’s website. To achieve certification by the European Air Safety Administration (EASA), the Hybrite was brake tested, dropped, washed for a three-year cycle while tested for weight bearing ability and fire resistance. Each of the moving parts was put through automated testing before meeting the standards of the EASA. In addition, the Hybrite also meets all the airworthiness standards for Boeing and Airbus aircraft.