Product Fits for the Divided Tapered Tray
Food Service and Takeaway
The divided interior is well-suited for separating a main dish from a side, such as a burger and fries or a sandwich and salad. The secure tongue lock keeps the lid closed during handoff.
Bakery Assortments
Keeps different types of pastries or baked goods from mixing during transit. The double-thick walls provide enough crush resistance for stacking a few boxes on a counter.
Retail Kitting
Useful for presenting a primary product alongside an accessory. The clean, unglued lines and tapered profile create a neat unboxing experience.
Corporate Catering and Lunch Boxes
Holding a sandwich and a salad or dessert. The integrated divider prevents moisture transfer between dry and damp items when paired with coated board.
Retail and Packing Environments
Manual Packing Operations
Because this tray requires no gluing during manufacturing, it ships flat and highly efficiently. The complex roll-over assembly shifts the labor to the packing team, making it a fit for operations where staff assemble boxes on demand.
Eco-Friendly Packaging Initiatives
The entirely unglued design supports sustainability programs, provided the chosen board and inks align with local recycling capabilities.
Presentation-Focused Retail
The drafted walls and double-thick rolled edges create a substantial feel compared to standard straight-tuck cartons, elevating the perceived value of the contents.
When to Evaluate Alternative Trays
High-Speed Automated Packing
This tray must be assembled by hand. If the packing line relies on automated carton erectors, a pre-glued crash-lock tray or a machine-erected carton will be a better fit.
Single-Item Presentation
If the product does not require separation, the integrated divider adds unnecessary material and assembly time. A single-compartment tapered tray uses less board and folds faster.
Parcel Shipping Networks
The tongue lock and friction-fit walls are designed for retail handoff, not the tumbling of a courier network. For e-commerce shipping, this tray must be packed inside a dedicated corrugated outer box.
Board, Print, and Assembly Decisions
Board Grade and Caliper
This design requires a high-quality folding boxboard (such as SBS or FBB) that can withstand 180-degree folds without cracking. Corrugated board is generally incompatible, as the flutes will crush and cause the roll-over locks to fail.
Food Contact Coatings
If the tray will hold greasy or wet foods, the board must be specified with an appropriate barrier coating to prevent the material from weakening.
Two-Sided Printing
When the lid is opened, the interior of the lid and the central divider are highly visible. Consider whether these surfaces should be printed or left as clean, uncoated board.
Assembly Labor Allocation
The roll-over walls and divider deployment take time to fold. Evaluate whether the packing team has the capacity to assemble these trays on demand, or if a pre-glued alternative makes more sense for the labor budget.
Divider and Proportion Adjustments
Moving the Divider
The position of the central divider can be adjusted left or right to change the ratio of the two compartments, accommodating different product sizes.
Modifying the Taper
The angle of the walls can be adjusted by changing the top and bottom dimensions. Extreme tapers should be tested with a physical sample to ensure the roll-over panels still lock securely.
Tongue Lock Sizing
The width and depth of the front tongue lock can be modified to increase or decrease the friction required to open the lid, depending on how frequently the user needs access.
Packing details
Blank Sprawl and Material Yield
The integrated lid, roll-over walls, and divider create a large, cross-shaped flat blank. This can reduce the number of cartons that fit on a standard printing sheet, which affects material efficiency compared to simpler trays.
Additional notes
180-Degree Fold Stress
The physical integrity of this tray depends entirely on the board's ability to fold completely flat without tearing. Prototyping with the exact production board helps verify the folds will hold.
Related Trays and Cartons
FAQs
How long does it take to assemble this tray?
Because it requires folding the side walls, rolling over the locks, and deploying the divider, manual assembly typically takes 10 to 20 seconds per box. It is not suitable for automated erecting machines.
Can I adjust the size of the two compartments?
Yes. The central divider can be shifted off-center during the design phase to create one large compartment and one small compartment, depending on the product needs.
Can this box be made from corrugated cardboard?
No. The assembly relies on panels folding 180 degrees flat against themselves to lock the walls. Corrugated board is too thick for this and will crack or pop open. It requires a flexible folding carton board like SBS or FBB.
Is this tray secure enough to ship in the mail?
Not on its own. The tongue lock is designed for retail or food service handoff. If shipping through a parcel network, this tray must be packed inside a sturdy corrugated outer box.
Will the inside of the box be visible?
Yes. The inside of the lid and the central divider are fully visible when the customer opens the box. If aesthetics are important, specify two-sided printing.
Is this tray leak-proof?
No. While the roll-over walls provide good containment for solid foods, the folded corners are not sealed. It will not hold liquids.
How is this tray delivered?
It is delivered completely flat. The unglued design means it takes up minimal space in storage and transit before being folded into shape at the packing station.
Can these trays be stacked when filled?
Yes, for light retail or counter displays. The double-thick rolled side walls provide moderate crush resistance, but the single-thick back wall is a weak point under heavy top loads.
