Inner Trays and Flow-Wrap Applications
Flow-wrapped bakery and confectionery
The continuous webbed corners prevent crumbs, seeds, or small candies from escaping the base. The tray provides a rigid floor for the product while it moves through the wrapping equipment.
Inner sorting trays for master cartons
Used to group components or separate items inside a larger shipping box. The tray is held in its erected shape by the walls of the outer carton.
Component grouping for retail sleeves
Acts as a sliding base for multi-part products. The tray is folded and immediately pushed into a tight-fitting paperboard sleeve that locks the walls upright.
Powder or granular product containment
Because the corners are continuous rather than cut, the tray resists dry sifting, making it useful for products that shed fine particles during transit.
Bakery, Confectionery, and Automated Packing
Automated packing lines
This template is highly compatible with automated tray formers. The flat blank is pushed through a forming cavity, folding the walls and corners in one motion before adhesive or a wrap is applied.
Manual packing with sleeves
For lower-volume or manual setups, operators can fold the tray by hand and immediately slide it into a tight-fitting carton sleeve to lock the walls in place.
High-volume flat-shipping programs
Because the tray requires no pre-gluing, it ships perfectly flat. This maximizes the number of blanks per pallet, reducing freight and storage space for high-volume operations.
When to Choose a Pre-Glued or Locking Tray
Standalone retail presentation
Because this tray will splay open without a wrap or sleeve, it cannot be used as a standalone open display bin. If you need an open tray that holds its own shape, compare it to a four-corner glued tray or a self-locking tray.
Heavy or dense products
The single-thickness walls and unglued corners offer minimal structural rigidity on their own. Heavy items may cause the walls to bow outward if the secondary wrap is not tight enough.
Assembly Method and Board Choices
Choosing the retention method
You must decide how the tray will stay folded. Common methods include a tight polymer flow-wrap, a paperboard sleeve, insertion into a rigid outer box, or adhesive applied by tray-forming equipment.
Board caliper and corner folding
The webbed corners fold 180 degrees, creating three layers of material at each corner. Thick corrugated board will bind and cause the walls to bulge. This tray requires thin, flexible folding carton board to fold flat and clean.
Barrier coatings for grease or moisture
While the continuous corners prevent dry sifting, the tray is only liquid- or grease-resistant if you specify a poly-coated or treated board.
Corner style preference
The top edge of the folded webbed corner can be rounded to prevent sharp points from protruding, or cut straight across depending on aesthetic preference and die-cutting needs.
Corner Radius and Board Thickness Adjustments
Corner fillet radius
The top edge of the folded webbed corner can be rounded to prevent sharp points from protruding above the tray walls, improving safety and aesthetics.
Layer step creases for thicker board
If a slightly thicker folding carton is required, the crease lines in the webbed corners can be offset to accommodate the extra material thickness, preventing the corners from tearing during assembly.
Base dimensions and wall height
The length, width, and depth of the tray can be scaled to fit the product, provided the proportions remain suitable for the chosen folding carton material.
Board and packing details
Flat shipping and storage efficiency
Because the tray is not folded or glued before delivery, it ships completely flat. This maximizes the number of blanks per pallet and reduces inbound freight space compared to pre-glued trays.
Corner Style Variants
Straight-cut webbed corners (B15.11.00.00.a)
A variant that uses a straight diagonal cut across the extreme tip of the webbed corner instead of a rounded radius, which can change the interior look.
Additional notes
Manual packing workflow
If packing by hand, the operator must hold the walls upright while filling the tray and applying the wrap or sleeve. This can slow down manual operations compared to using a self-locking tray.
Related Tray and Carton Options
FAQs
Assembly and Closure
Does this tray hold its shape on its own?
No. It has no locking tabs or pre-glued seams. It relies on a flow-wrap, a sleeve, an outer carton, or adhesive applied during automated packing to hold its shape.
Product Fit
Will this tray leak powders or crumbs?
The webbed corners are continuous, meaning there are no gaps or cutouts at the base corners. This makes it highly resistant to dry sifting, provided the board itself is suitable for the product.
Can it hold liquids or greasy foods?
While the corners have no physical gaps, the tray is only liquid- or grease-resistant if you specify a poly-coated or treated board.
Materials
Can this be made from corrugated board?
It is generally unsuitable for corrugated board. The webbed corners must fold back on themselves, creating three layers of material. Thick board will bind, tear, or cause the walls to bow outward.
Production
Why choose an unglued tray over a pre-glued one?
Unglued trays skip the pre-gluing process, which allows the blanks to ship perfectly flat and maximizes pallet density. However, this shifts the assembly burden to your packing line.
Assembly and Closure
Can this be erected by machine?
Yes. It is frequently used with automated tray-forming equipment that pushes the blank through a cavity and applies adhesive to the corners in a single motion.
Shipping and Storage
How does the tray ship?
It ships completely flat. Because there are no pre-glued seams, the blanks stack densely on a pallet, reducing freight and storage space.
Materials
What happens if the board is too thick?
If the board is too thick, the three layers of material at the webbed corners will resist folding. This causes the corners to bind and the side walls to bow outward, preventing a clean 90-degree fold.
