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FEFCO 0484

Stackable 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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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.

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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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Product details

Top highlights

  • Vertical side tabs interlock for shift-free pallet stacking
  • 180-degree roll-over end walls trap corner flaps for crush resistance
  • Assembles manually via friction locks without tape or glue

About this product

This one-piece open tray is engineered for heavy-duty palletized distribution. It features vertical stacking tabs on the side walls that interlock with the tray above, preventing heavy loads from shifting during transit.

Because it relies on 180-degree roll-over end walls to lock together without tape or glue, it provides high end-crush resistance. However, this complex fold sequence means it fits manual packing stations or specialized plunger-style tray erectors, rather than standard automated folder-gluers.

Common uses

  • Fresh produce and agricultural transport
  • Retail-ready bulk displays
  • Heavy industrial components shipped on pallets
  • Cold chain and ventilated storage

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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Palletized Distribution and Bulk Display

Fresh produce and agricultural transport

The open top and optional die-cut holes allow airflow for cooling and ripening. The interlocking tabs keep tall pallets of heavy fruit or vegetables aligned from the farm to the distribution center.

Retail-ready bulk displays

The tape-free roll-over walls provide a clean appearance for club stores or supermarket floors. The tray moves directly from the delivery truck to the retail shelf without unpacking individual items.

Heavy industrial components on pallets

For dense, non-fragile parts that require vertical stacking rather than individual boxing, the 180-degree end walls provide the necessary crush resistance while keeping parts accessible.

Cold chain and ventilated storage

When products must cool quickly in storage, the open top combined with side ventilation cutouts prevents moisture buildup while the stacking tabs maintain pallet alignment.

Agricultural and Wholesale Environments

Wholesale logistics

Supply chains moving dense, heavy pallet loads rely on the mechanical interlock. The tabs prevent lateral sliding, reducing reliance on external stretch wrap or corner boards.

Farm-to-market distribution

Growers packing directly in the field need a tray that sets up without tape dispensers or glue guns. The friction locks allow manual assembly on site.

Club store retail

Retailers that display products directly on pallets require clean, unbranded or neatly printed trays that do not require box cutters to open.

When to Consider a Different Tray Style

High-speed automated packing lines

If the facility uses continuous-motion folder-gluers or robotic drop-packing, the manual folds of this tray create a bottleneck. A 4-point glued tray fits automated lines better.

Single-parcel courier shipping

Because this is an open-top tray held together by friction locks, it requires an outer master carton for mixed-courier transit. For individual shipping, compare a fully sealed mailer.

Close variants and lookalike dielines

The closest library neighbors include 0482, 0482b, 0482a. 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 Thickness, Assembly, and Print Choices

Board thickness and fold clearance

Produce applications often use heavy double-wall corrugated board. Because the end walls roll a full 180 degrees over the corner flaps, thick board binds if the fold allowances are not calibrated.

Manual assembly versus specialized machinery

This tray is designed for tool-free manual assembly, but the roll-over walls require two hands and firm thumb pressure to lock the tongues into the base. High-volume runs require a specialized plunger-style tray erector.

Ventilation hole placement and payload weight

Removing corrugated material for airflow reduces vertical compression strength. The board grade must match the final cutout pattern and the intended pallet height.

Print finish and locking friction

The locking tongues rely on the friction of the corrugated board. High-gloss slick coatings on the inside of the tray reduce this friction, which can cause the tongues to fail to seat securely.

Ventilation and Handling Modifications

Ventilation and hand holes

Cutouts can be added to the side and end walls for airflow or manual lifting, adjusted based on the cooling requirements of the specific produce.

Stacking tab height and profile

The vertical ears on the side walls can be extended or reshaped to match specific interlocking depths or pallet configurations.

Roll-over wall width

The inner frame created by the 180-degree roll-over walls can be widened to trap thicker corner flaps or provide a wider resting ledge for the tray above.

Board and packing details

Die-cutting and internal waste

The cross-shaped flat blank, extended roll-over flaps, and internal cutouts for the locking slots require flatbed or rotary die-cutting. The internal waste from the slots and vents must be cleanly stripped to prevent machine jams.

Additional notes

Print surface and friction locks

Heavy varnishes or slick coatings on the inside of the tray can reduce the friction needed to keep the locking tongues seated. If you require high-end graphics, the locking mechanism may need tighter tolerances.

Related Trays to Compare

0483: Columned Tray

Compare this if you need extreme vertical crush resistance. It rolls discrete corner posts instead of full end walls to carry heavier loads.

0480: Machine-Erected Glued Tray

Compare this if you are running a high-speed automated packing line that requires glued corners rather than manual friction locks.

FAQs

Assembly and Packing

Does this tray require tape or glue to assemble?

No. The tray uses a mechanical friction lock. The end walls roll over the corner flaps and insert locking tongues directly into slots in the base.

Can this tray be formed on automated packaging equipment?

It cannot be formed on standard linear folder-gluers. Automated assembly requires specialized plunger-style tray erectors. Otherwise, it must be assembled manually.

Shipping and Route

Is this tray suitable for individual parcel shipping?

Not on its own. The open top and friction-based locks mean it requires an outer master carton for mixed-courier transit. It is designed for stable, stretch-wrapped pallet distribution.

Material and Fit

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

Yes, but the template must be carefully adjusted. The 180-degree roll-over walls wrap around multiple layers of board. If the fold clearances are not widened for thick board, the hinges will crack and the tray will not lock.

Will adding ventilation holes weaken the tray?

Yes. Removing material from the load-bearing walls reduces vertical compression strength. We recommend testing a physical sample with your exact cutout pattern and product weight to ensure it supports the required pallet height.

Why might the locking tabs pop open?

The locks rely on the friction of the corrugated board. If the board is too thick and binds, or if a slick coating reduces friction, the tongues may fail to seat securely in the base slots.

Shipping and Route

How do the vertical stacking tabs work on a pallet?

The side walls feature extended tabs that protrude upward. When another tray is placed on top, these tabs fit into corresponding slots on the bottom of the upper tray, locking the stack together and preventing lateral shifting.

Assembly and Packing

What is the most common mistake when assembling this tray manually?

Operators sometimes attempt to fold the end walls before the side walls. The side walls must fold up first so the corner flaps can be trapped by the rolling end walls.