Which FACOM roller cabinet should you choose? START, ROLL or JET?

Choosing the right FACOM roller cabinet is primarily about finding the right balance between durability, functional drawer storage and a configuration suited to the way you work. Depending on the model, it can serve as a simple solution for organising tools or as a fully equipped, mobile workstation. As an authorised FACOM distributor with over 20 years of experience, we will explain which solutions work best for different applications, what to look for when choosing a roller cabinet and when it is worth moving up to a more advanced range.

The FACOM roller cabinet range is built around three main series: START, ROLL and JET. They differ primarily in construction, materials, load capacity, work surface and the range of available accessories and expansion options. ROLL and JET workshop roller cabinets are manufactured entirely in Europe – in France, at the FACOM factory in Feuquières-en-Vimeu – and are covered by a 5-year manufacturer's warranty. We supply FACOM roller cabinets to both individual users and automotive workshops, service departments, maintenance teams, industrial plants and companies operating in the aviation sector.

The START range is well suited to less intensive use or to the garage of a keen DIY enthusiast. ROLL is better suited to everyday workshop and service work, while JET offers the greatest possibilities wherever the roller cabinet is used intensively and is also expected to serve as a work surface. In the following sections, we will use specific models to show where the main differences lie and what you are actually paying for when moving up to the next range.

We can also customise the selected roller cabinet to suit the way you work. Our services include the installation of:

• a wooden worktop,
• a stainless-steel worktop,
• an oil-resistant rubber mat,
• a vice mounted on the worktop.

We also carry out custom modifications, such as selecting or replacing wheels to meet the requirements of a specific industry, including the food industry. We will return to accessories and customisation options at the end of the article.

If you do not want to spend time going through the details of product catalogues yourself, call us on 790 680 540, 606 671 734 . We can help not only with choosing the right roller cabinet and tools, but also prepare custom foam tool inserts or design and equip an entire workstation or workshop as part of our Premium Workshop projects. For such installations, we also use FACOM workshop furniture systems, including FACOM JETLINE and ROLL, allowing the roller cabinet to become part of a complete workshop installation.

FACOM START – a simple roller cabinet to get started

The START range is the newest of the FACOM roller cabinet families covered in this article. It was introduced in 2025 as a more straightforward alternative to the more advanced ROLL and JET ranges. We generally recommend it to individual users for their own garage, DIY projects or less demanding workshop applications. As an example, we have selected the FACOM START.7M3A – a compact 7-drawer roller cabinet that provides everything needed for basic tool organisation without adding the features characteristic of the more advanced ranges.

FACOM START.7M3A

• Dimensions: 779 × 515 × 900 mm
• Weight: 53 kg
• Usable drawer dimensions: 569 × 421 mm
• Static load capacity: 600 kg
• Worktop: polypropylene
• Wheels: 4 × 125 mm

FACOM START.7M4A

• Dimensions: 969 × 515 × 900 mm
• Weight: 61.5 kg
• Usable drawer dimensions: 759 × 421 mm
• Static load capacity: 700 kg
• Worktop: polypropylene
• Wheels: 4 × 125 mm

The worktop has raised edges that help prevent parts or tools from accidentally sliding off while working or moving the roller cabinet. The cabinet also features central locking and wheels for convenient movement around the workshop. The construction remains relatively straightforward, but still provides metal drawers, a solid work surface and the ability to secure the tools stored inside.

START.7M3A is compatible with accessories from the ROLL range, so it can be upgraded later if required. We can also fit it with a wooden worktop or an oil-resistant rubber mat.

It is worth remembering that each FACOM range includes different roller cabinet variants. Within the START range, one example is the START.7M4A – still with 7 drawers, but with a wider body that offers more tool storage space and a larger work surface. So if the START range suits the way you work but you simply need more space, you do not necessarily need to move up to the ROLL range.

Ready-equipped configurations include the START.M3ACM1 – supplied with 6 foam tool modules – and the START.M4ACM – supplied with 4 foam modules. In this article, however, we focus primarily on the roller cabinets themselves. Other available sets can be found here: tool trolleys with equipment.

FACOM ROLL – a roller cabinet for everyday workshop use

The ROLL range is more clearly focused on everyday workshop and service work. These roller cabinets are well suited to automotive workshops, service departments and workstations where the equipment is moved regularly and used intensively. For this comparison, we selected the FACOM ROLL.6M3A.

FACOM ROLL.6M3A

• 6 drawers: 3 × 60 mm, 2 × 130 mm, 1 × 200 mm
• Dimensions: 779 × 515 × 972 mm
• Weight: 55 kg
• Usable drawer dimensions: 569 × 421 mm
• Drawer load capacity: 20 / 25 / 30 kg
• Worktop: 560 × 460 mm
• Static worktop load capacity: 800 kg
• Wheels: 4 × 125 mm

The large worktop is made from reinforced polypropylene designed to resist impacts and chemical agents.

The difference compared with START can also be seen in the features designed for frequent use and regular movement around the workshop. The drawers extend to 100%, providing convenient access even to tools stored at the back. The handles are made of polypropylene and feature safety hooks that help prevent drawers from opening accidentally while the cabinet is being moved. There is also a central key lock and two integrated soft-grip handles that make the cabinet easier to manoeuvre.

ROLL range - example accessories

ROLL also offers more options for additional equipment. The perforated side panels allow selected accessories from the JET range to be fitted, meaning the cabinet can be configured as a mobile FACOM tool storage solution tailored to a specific workstation. A separate storage area is included as standard and is ideal for workshop chemicals and other frequently used accessories. It can be installed on either the right- or left-hand side.

Within the ROLL range, which includes variants with different numbers of drawers as well as wider versions, it is worth considering the ROLL.8M3A and ROLL.6M4A. Red and black versions are available. For workplaces where safety is particularly important, FACOM also offers models such as the ROLL.6NM3AS with Safety Lock system – when one drawer is opened, the mechanism locks the remaining drawers, reducing the risk of a heavily loaded cabinet tipping over.

In the foreground: FACOM START.7M4A. In the background: two FACOM ROLL.8M3A roller cabinets – equipped for the technical facility of one of our customers.

FACOM JET – when a roller cabinet becomes a complete workstation

The JET range is FACOM's most advanced family of roller cabinets. It is the range we most often choose where the cabinet needs to be more than simply a place to store tools – where it is used intensively, serves as a work surface and forms the foundation of the workstation. Our main example is the FACOM JET.8M4A, but we will also compare it with the narrower JET.8M3A and the larger JET.8M5A.

FACOM JET.8M3A

• Dimensions: 814 × 575 × 1005 mm
• Weight: 79 kg
• Capacity: 150 l
• Total drawer load capacity: 170 kg
• Worktop: 605 × 461 mm
• Static worktop load capacity: 900 kg
• Wheels: 4 × 125 mm

FACOM JET.8M4A

• Dimensions: 1004 × 575 × 1005 mm
• Weight: 95 kg
• Capacity: 200 l
• Total drawer load capacity: 210 kg
• Worktop: 797 × 461 mm
• Static worktop load capacity: 1000 kg
• Wheels: 4 × 125 mm

FACOM JET.8M5A

• Dimensions: 1194 × 575 × 1035 mm
• Weight: 110 kg
• Capacity: 250 l
• Total drawer load capacity: 290 kg
• Worktop: 987 × 461 mm
• Static worktop load capacity: 1100 kg
• Wheels: 6 × 160 mm

Moving from M3 to M4 and M5 means more than simply increasing the width – the available work surface, storage capacity and overall load capacity also increase. The largest JET.8M5A additionally uses six 160 mm wheels designed to handle its larger dimensions and heavier loads. In older documentation and for some accessories, you may also come across the designations JET+ and JET XL, so it is worth checking compatibility with the specific roller cabinet and accessory.

Regardless of the selected size, the difference compared with the simpler ranges is most apparent in the construction of the JET. The drawers extend to 100% on ball-bearing slides and feature a self-closing system, while the aluminium handles incorporate safety mechanisms designed to prevent accidental opening while the cabinet is being moved. There is also a central lock and soft bumpers protecting the corners. FACOM also states that JET drawers are tested for more than 50,000 opening and closing cycles.

On the JET.8M4A, the worktop is made from a 2 mm aluminium sheet mounted on a 15 mm wooden board. It is resistant to impacts and hydrocarbons, can be fitted with a vice and has a declared static load capacity of 1000 kg. Aluminium rails allow accessories to be installed quickly and directly onto the cabinet.

If the roller cabinet is also expected to function as a workshop bench, the FACOM JET.6MWBA is worth considering. This model combines a workshop roller cabinet with a mobile workbench. When lowered onto its stabilising feet, the manufacturer specifies a static load capacity of 1 tonne; when used on its wheels, the capacity is 500 kg. The large worktop can also be equipped with a vice.

FACOM also offers more specialised JET Safety and JET POWER versions. Safety variants such as the JET.8NM3AS, similarly to the ROLL model described earlier, use a system that locks the remaining drawers once one drawer has been opened.

The JET POWER versions, such as the JET.6NM3APOWER, feature a deep drawer designed for storing and charging power tools. Inside there is a power strip with 3 Schuko sockets and 2 USB ports, holders for power tools and space for chargers, batteries or a phone. This is a useful solution where both hand tools and cordless equipment need to be kept together in a single roller cabinet.

One of our FACOM tool set projects prepared for an authorised Mercedes-Benz dealer

FACOM workshop trolleys with shelves

FACOM also offers mobile workshop trolleys with open shelves, with selected versions additionally equipped with two drawers. They are available in the START, ROLL and JET ranges.

They are a practical solution for transporting tools, parts and materials between workstations. START and ROLL models require assembly, while on the JET trolley shown below the wheels are factory fitted.

Accessories for FACOM roller cabinets

A wide selection of accessories is available for FACOM roller cabinets, allowing each configuration to be adapted to a specific way of working. Available accessories include additional shelves, holders for power tools, fluids, documents or a laptop, as well as power strips, waste bins, wooden worktops, tool panels and vice mounting systems.

Contact

Have you already chosen a FACOM roller cabinet but are not sure which configuration will work best at your workstation? Tell us what the cabinet will be used for, which tools need to be stored in it and how much space you have available.

If the roller cabinet will be moved frequently, if the worktop is intended to serve as a working surface or if you have additional equipment requirements, let us know from the start. Based on this information, we can select the right roller cabinet, tools, inserts and accessories and compare several suitable configurations.

Email us at kontakt@im-narzedzia.pl or call: 790 680 540, 606 671 734. We will narrow the choice down to a few specific solutions.