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FEFCO 0435

Agricultural Produce 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

  • Unglued manual assembly using base-slot friction tabs
  • Double-thick roll-over end walls support heavy pallet loads
  • Open top allows immediate retail display and airflow

About this product

Growers and bulk distributors rely on this heavy-duty, unglued corrugated tray to move fresh produce from the field directly to the retail shelf. Built with 180-degree roll-over end walls that lock securely into the base, it provides the vertical strength needed for heavy pallet stacking while keeping the top open for ventilation and display.

Because it uses mechanical friction tabs instead of glue, the tray ships flat and can be erected on-site at the packing bench. However, this open-top design is strictly for palletized or master-carton distribution and is not suitable for individual parcel shipping.

Common uses

  • Fresh produce
  • Retail bakery
  • Field picking
  • Heavy root vegetables

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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Agricultural and Bulk Retail Packing

Field-to-shelf produce

The open top allows field heat to escape and frames fruits or vegetables for immediate display. The reinforced end walls bear the weight of stacked pallets, protecting delicate goods from crushing.

Bulk bakery and confectionery

Provides a rigid, breathable carrier for bulk baked goods moving between commercial kitchens and retail floors.

In-field picking and sorting

Since the tray requires no tape or glue, workers can erect it directly in the field or at the sorting bench, pack the goods, and send them straight to distribution.

Heavy root vegetables and melons

The double-wall ends and trapped corner flaps resist outward bulging, keeping heavy, loose items contained without tearing the corners.

Farms, Packhouses, and Grocers

Agricultural distributors

Need packaging that survives cold-chain moisture, stacks efficiently on pallets, and reduces handling steps at the grocery store.

Retail supermarkets

Prefer shelf-ready trays that eliminate the need to unpack individual items, reducing labor and product damage.

Commercial bakeries

Require a breathable, stackable tray that can move large volumes of fresh goods directly to display racks without trapping condensation.

When to Consider a Different Tray

Parcel and courier shipping

If the product will ship individually through a courier network, an open tray will fail. Consider a roll-over mailer or plan to use a master shipping carton.

Need for extreme ventilation

If the produce requires maximum lateral airflow, look at trays that feature native side cutouts or top stacking flanges.

Close variants and lookalike dielines

The closest library neighbors include 0435.1, 0422, 0422a. 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, Moisture, and Assembly Choices

Board thickness and fold clearance

This tray's locking mechanism is highly sensitive to board thickness. Heavy double-wall boards provide excellent crush resistance but require precise die-cut adjustments to ensure the 180-degree hinges fold without cracking.

Moisture resistance

Fresh produce often requires water-resistant coatings to prevent the corrugated board from degrading in refrigerated environments. These coatings can reduce friction, meaning the locking tabs may need tightening to stay secure.

Assembly labor

Erecting the tray requires manual two-hand folding to roll the end walls over the corner flaps and seat the tabs. High-volume operations may need specialized plunger tray-forming equipment.

Print surface and branding

Because the end walls roll over to the inside, the exterior print surface remains uninterrupted. Decide if the tray needs high-graphic retail branding or simple flexographic routing information.

Clearance and Lock Adjustments

Locking tab friction

The width and depth of the base slots can be adjusted to create a tighter or looser friction fit, depending on the board finish and expected transit shock.

Corner flap tapers

The internal dust flaps can be tapered to prevent them from binding against the side walls when the end walls roll over them.

Base ventilation slots

Additional die-cut holes can be added to the floor panel to improve vertical airflow through stacked pallets, which is critical for field-packed produce.

Board and packing details

Blank sprawl and nesting yield

The extended roll-over end panels create a cross-shaped flat blank that consumes more material than a standard glued tray. This footprint requires flatbed or rotary die-cutting and affects how efficiently the design nests on a corrugated sheet.

Design Variants

0435.1 (Tapered Flap Variant)

Utilizes specific taper angles on the inner flaps to make manual insertion easier and prevent catching during the roll-over motion.

0435a (Clearance-Adjusted Variant)

Dynamically adjusts the flap height and fold clearances specifically to accommodate thick, heavy-duty corrugated boards without cracking the hinge.

Additional notes

Die-cutting and internal stripping

The lock holes in the base panel create internal waste during manufacturing. High-volume runs require specific stripping configurations on the die-cutter to ensure these holes are clean before delivery.

Related Display and Produce Trays

0435.1: Tray with Self Locking Wall

Close FEFCO sibling to review if a code suffix or older dieline may point to a variant. The broad shape can be similar while locks, slots, clearances, or fold sequence change the package.

0422a: 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

Assembly and Route

Does this tray require glue or tape?

No. The tray relies entirely on mechanical friction. The end walls roll over 180 degrees and lock into base slots using extended tabs.

Can this tray be shipped through parcel networks?

Not on its own. The open top and friction locks are designed for palletized distribution. Courier transit requires placing the tray inside a sealed master carton.

Board and Fit

Can we use heavy double-wall corrugated board?

Yes, but the die-cut template must be precisely calibrated. If the fold allowances are not tuned for the exact board thickness, the hinges will crack and the locking tabs will fail to seat.

Will water-resistant coatings affect the tray?

Coatings are common for produce, but they can make the board slippery. The locking tabs and base slots may need tighter tolerances to ensure the tray does not spring open.

Production

Can this be assembled on automated packaging lines?

It cannot be processed on standard linear folder-gluers. Automated assembly requires specialized plunger tray-erecting equipment. Otherwise, it is erected manually.

Why does this tray cost more to cut than a standard box?

The 180-degree roll-over walls require a large, cross-shaped flat blank. This footprint reduces how many trays can be cut from a single sheet of corrugated board, and it strictly requires custom die-cutting tooling.

Assembly and Route

Do I need to pack the product before or after assembly?

Because the tray relies on friction locks and a 180-degree roll-over motion, it is typically erected empty at the packing bench, then loaded with produce.

Board and Fit

How does the tray handle heavy stacking on pallets?

The 180-degree roll-over end walls create double-thick columns that bear vertical weight. When properly aligned on a pallet, this provides excellent end-crush resistance for heavy agricultural loads.