Products · Key systems
Keyed alike, keyed different and master keys
Three structures, three different trade-offs. The right choice depends on who needs access, how many units there are, and what happens when a key is lost.
Choose your configuration
Four decisions shape this order. Pick what applies and we will confirm the rest with a sample.
- Keyed alike
- One key opens a defined group of units
Fewer keys to issue. A lost key exposes the whole group. - Keyed different
- Each unit has its own key
Maximum separation. More keys to issue, track and replace. - Master key
- Tenant key opens its unit only; master opens the set
Operational access without tenant keys. - Manager key
- Opens every unit on a site, or every site in a group
Used for inspections and the overlock routine. - Overlock
- Manager key operates overlock hardware
Planned on the same schedule.
Specification
Category-level parameters. Model references and packing quantities are confirmed in the catalog and in your quotation.
| Structures compared | Keyed alike · keyed different · master key · manager key |
|---|---|
| Keyed alike suits | Small facilities, or groups of units under one operator |
| Keyed alike trade-off | A lost key exposes every unit in the group |
| Keyed different suits | Maximum tenant separation and per-unit accountability |
| Keyed different trade-off | More keys to issue, track and replace |
| Master key suits | Multi-site operators and facilities with an overlock routine |
| Master key trade-off | Requires planning before production; keying cannot be corrected later |
| Applies to | Cylinder locks, keyed padlocks and overlock hardware |
| MOQ | From 500 pcs — keying schedules confirmed with the quotation |
No model references, prices, stock levels or sales figures are published here. Where a parameter depends on the specific model, we confirm it for the model you order rather than describing the whole family.
Fit and compatibility
- All three structures can be combined on one site — for example keyed-alike groups plus a group-level manager key.
- Combination padlocks sit outside the key system entirely.
- The structure must be decided before production; it cannot be changed by re-cutting keys.
- If overlock hardware is used, plan its keying with the unit cylinders so one manager key covers both.
Fit confirmed by sample, not by drawing. Send a door photo, the cylinder size or the mounting dimensions and we will send a physical sample before you commit to a quantity.
Ordering information
The commercial terms for this family. They are confirmed with the quotation, so a re-order two years from now carries the same conditions rather than a new set.
- MOQ
- From 500 pcs
Heavy customization — a new mold, a special key system, printed blister cards — may require more. The exact figure is confirmed with your quotation. - Samples
- From 5 days
Sent so you can check fit and finish on your own door before committing to a quantity. - Batch production
- Around 30 days after spec and artwork confirmation
Peak periods such as Chinese New Year are flagged when you order. - Delivery terms
- EXW · FOB · CIF · CFR · DDP
More than one term can be quoted so you can compare what the goods cost against what the freight and duties cost. - Payment
- T/T · L/C · Credit card
A first order normally runs on a deposit with the balance against the documents or on shipment. - Documentation
- Spec sheet, inspection record, packing list, pre-shipment photos
Test records are issued per model and per finish, and are available for the model you order.
Tell us the quantity, the door type and the destination country and we will quote the configuration rather than a list price.
Options and customization
What can change without changing the product's identity.
Mixed structure
Keyed-alike groups for one part of a site and keyed-different units for another, with a shared manager key.
Group key
A single key covering every site in a group, for regional managers.
Documented plan
Every structure is recorded as a key plan with the order, so re-orders match.
Lost-key rule
Agreed at planning stage, so staff know whether to rekey a unit or wait for move-out.
Quality and evidence
What you receive before the goods ship, and what stays on file.
SGS
Verified supplier
On-site audit completed October 2025.
ISO 9001
Quality system
Incoming, in-process and final inspection.
FAI
Master-key group
The master-key group is verified as a group before the run.
100%
Keyed to plan
Every cylinder assembled and tested to the keying schedule.
Buyer questions
Which is more secure, keyed alike or keyed different?
Keyed different is more secure, because a lost key affects only one unit. Keyed alike is more convenient to operate. Most facilities accept keyed-alike groups for standard units and keyed-different units where the contents justify it.
Who should hold a master key?
As few people as possible, and each key should be recorded. The master key bypasses every tenant key, so its control is an operational policy question as much as a hardware one.
Can we change structure later?
Not without replacing cylinders. Keying is set during assembly. Plan it with the first order even if you only fit out part of the site now.
Does a master key work on overlock hardware?
If it is planned that way. We key overlock hardware on the same schedule as the unit cylinders, so one manager key covers the overlock routine.
How are keys marked so a site can tell them apart?
Keys are marked to match the keying record, and the record maps each mark to the unit it opens. Tell us how the units should be grouped and the markings follow that grouping rather than being assigned afterwards.
What stops a key from being copied when it should not be?
Restricting duplication is decided when the keyway is chosen, before any cylinder is cut. If duplication has to be controlled, raise it at the key-plan stage rather than after the first batch has been delivered.
Related families:
Send us your door type and unit count
We will come back with a fit confirmation, a configuration and a price — typically within 4 business hours.