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FEFCO 0422

Self-Locking Display Tray

  • Available in a wide range of custom configurations & material selection.
  • Order 1 sample. Or order 100K+ units. Or anything in between.
  • Affordable delivery across North America.
  • Design support, warehousing, testing, assembly available.
  • Widest machinery capability in America via 30+ specialist partner plants.
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Product details

Top highlights

  • Assembles entirely by hand with mechanical lock tabs
  • Double-thick side walls hide raw corrugated edges for a premium look
  • Open-top design requires a master carton or separate lid for shipping

About this product

The self-locking display tray is a one-piece, open-top carton that folds together without any glue or tape. By rolling its long side walls 180 degrees inward, it traps the corner flaps and locks securely into the base, creating a clean, double-thick edge that looks great on a retail shelf.

Because it relies on manual assembly and friction locks, it is a strong choice for shelf-ready packaging, bakery goods, and internal kitting where presentation matters more than high-speed automated packing.

Common uses

  • Retail shelf-ready packaging
  • Bakery and pastry transport
  • Produce picking and display
  • Internal manufacturing kitting

Get a quote

Share what you know. We'll take it from there. Or email us at info@herculeindustrial.com

Best Price Guarantee

Already have a packaging quote? Let us beat it.

Send us the quote you have. We will beat it for the same specifications, quantity, and delivery requirements.

Upload a competing quote

Free quote review. No obligation.

30+specialist partner plants

We supply through the plant best suited to your price, material, production, and delivery requirements.

Why we can beat a lower quote

30+ plants give us more ways to lower the price.

Each plant has different machinery, material costs, order minimums, and freight rates. Our buying volume helps us secure better pricing. We then quote through the plant that gives you the lowest total price for your requirements.

Send us your current quote. Watch us beat it.

Attach it to the quote form or email it to us. We'll review it free and send you our price.

Upload a competing quoteinfo@herculeindustrial.com
Best Price Guarantee terms

To qualify, send a written supplier quote dated within the past 30 days and addressed to your company. It must cover the same dimensions, construction, material, print, finish, quantity, tooling, freight, delivery date, and delivery location. The guarantee does not cover taxes, expired quotes, liquidation or clearance sales, or obvious pricing errors.

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Retail Display, Produce, and Kitting

Retail shelf-ready packaging

The rolled side walls hide the fluting of the corrugated board, providing a clean frame for products. It keeps items organized and accessible for shoppers without looking like a raw shipping carton.

Bakery and produce transport

Often used for pastries or fresh produce, the open top allows for ventilation and easy access. The double-thick sides provide enough rigidity for careful stacking when paired with the right board.

In-plant kitting and organization

Because it can be assembled on demand and broken down flat without tearing glued seams, it works well for organizing parts on a manufacturing floor or assembly line.

Component sorting and staging

The open-top format allows workers to quickly pick parts during assembly. The glueless corners mean the tray can be broken down flat and reused across multiple production shifts.

Where This Tray Excels

Brands prioritizing presentation

The glueless interior and rolled edges mean customers see a finished surface, not raw cardboard cuts or hot-melt glue streaks.

Operations with manual pack-benches

If your fulfillment relies on manual labor rather than automated tray erectors, this design allows workers to form rigid trays quickly using only their hands.

Fresh food distributors

Bakeries and produce suppliers often need open trays that assemble quickly on-site. The friction locks eliminate the need for tape or glue near food products.

When to Consider a Different Tray or Box

High-volume automated packing

If you are running thousands of trays a day through an automated line, the manual folding and locking of this tray will become a bottleneck. Compare it to a machine-erected glued tray.

Direct-to-consumer shipping

This is an open tray. If you need to ship individual orders through a mixed-carrier network, you will need a mailer with an integrated lid.

Close variants and lookalike dielines

The closest library neighbors include 0435, 0435a, 0435.1. Use this as a variant check if a buyer brings an old code, sample, or dieline that looks close. The deciding details are usually the lock, slot, closure, wall build, part count, or fold sequence.

Board, Assembly, and Handling Choices

Board thickness and fold behavior

This structure is highly sensitive to board thickness. The 180-degree roll-over requires precise fold allowances. Fine flutes fold crisply and lock reliably. Heavy double-wall boards will often crack at the hinge or cause the locking tabs to pop out.

Assembly labor

While assembly is straightforward, snapping the locking tabs into the base slots requires firm thumb pressure. Factor this manual effort into your packing line speed.

Print placement

The open design means the interior base is highly visible when the tray is empty or partially loaded. Printing on the inside floor or the inner roll-over panels can reinforce your branding as products are removed.

Master carton sizing

Because this tray has an open top, it usually ships to retail inside a larger master carton. The double-thick side walls add slight width to the overall footprint, which must be accounted for when sizing the outer box.

Practical Modifications

Carrying hand holes

Hand holes can be cut into the short end walls to make the tray easier to lift. However, because the end walls are single-thickness, adding holes reduces their vertical crush resistance.

Lock tab friction

The width and depth of the locking tabs can be fine-tuned to match your specific board grade, ensuring the tray stays locked without tearing the base slots during assembly.

Wall height adjustments

The side walls can be lowered to increase product visibility on the shelf, though this reduces the overall stacking strength and containment volume.

Board and packing details

Stacking and load paths

The tray relies on its double-thick side walls for stacking strength. The short end walls are single-thickness and may bulge if packed tightly with heavy bulk goods.

Hand-hole and lock options

Hand-hole variants

Standard designs can be modified to include ergonomic carrying holes on the short ends, which is common for produce and heavy bakery trays.

Additional notes

Interior print visibility

Because the tray is open, the inside floor and the inner faces of the rolled side walls are highly visible to the end user. These areas are excellent targets for branding or restocking instructions.

Related Packaging

0415: Machine-Erected Glued Tray

A similar open-top tray that uses flat corner flaps and hot-melt glue instead of manual roll-over locks, designed for high-speed automated packing lines.

0423: Telescopic Tray

A simpler tray often used in pairs (one as a base, one as a lid) to create a fully enclosed telescopic box.

0435: Tray with Self Locking Wall

Nearby FEFCO style to review if the buyer wants a similar job but the closure, flap overlap, wall build, or part count changes the package choice.

0435a: Tray with Self Locking Wall

Nearby FEFCO style to review if the buyer wants a similar job but the closure, flap overlap, wall build, or part count changes the package choice.

FAQs

Shipping and Route

Can I ship this tray through a parcel courier?

Not on its own. Because it has an open top and relies on friction locks, it requires an outer master carton or a separate lid for mixed-carrier shipping. It is designed for palletized transport or retail display.

Material and Board

Can we use heavy double-wall cardboard for extra strength?

It is highly risky. The side walls must fold 180 degrees to lock the tray. Thick double-wall board resists this tight fold, which can cause the hinges to crack or the locking tabs to pop out of the base. Fine or medium flutes are a more reliable choice.

Assembly and Packing

Does this tray require glue or tape to assemble?

No. The tray is designed to be erected entirely by hand. The side walls roll over the corner flaps and lock into slots in the floor, holding the structure together mechanically.

Modifications

Can we add carrying handles to the tray?

Yes, hand holes can be added to the short end walls. Keep in mind that removing board material from the end walls will reduce the tray's overall stacking strength, so the product weight must be considered.

Production

Is tooling required to manufacture this tray?

Yes. The complex locking tabs, base slots, and corner dust flaps require a custom cutting die. It cannot be produced on a simple slotting machine.

Assembly and Packing

How does this compare to a glued tray for packing speed?

Because it requires an operator to fold the walls and press the locking tabs into place, it is slower to assemble than a machine-erected glued tray. It is better suited for manual pack-benches than high-speed automated lines.

Material and Board

What happens if the board thickness changes between orders?

The locking tabs and fold clearances are calibrated for a specific board thickness. If you switch to a thicker board without adjusting the template, the tray will likely bind during assembly and the tabs may fail to lock.

Shipping and Route

Can this tray be stacked on a pallet?

Yes, when paired with the right board grade, the double-thick side walls provide good vertical support. However, because the top is open, the weight must be distributed carefully, often requiring a master carton or a separate lid for heavy pallet loads.