Q&A: 6 things to know about Proptek trays

Below, Proptek’s Sandra Fischbein and Paul Greenley answer questions about what injection molded trays offer growers, the maintenance required to maintain them and more.

Produce Grower: What are some of the benefits of injection molded plastic trays? 

Sandra Fischbein: The injection molded trays give the best value because they are very sturdy and they last longer than the other two types of trays, Styrofoam and VFT. Some of our injection molded trays are still in production from the 1980s. You can hold onto them for 20, 30 years if you take care of them. They're environmentally friendly in that they are made of reprocessed material and once they do eventually break, they can be reprocessed to make other products.

Another benefit is that they are designed with many features that [maximize] root development. Really for a vegetable transplant, roots are the most important part of the plant. A good root system is essential for success in the field. Proptek has several decades of experience, and has put a lot energy and research into designing trays that promote strong root systems, which you don't get as much from Styrofoam or other materials. 

Produce Grower: How are injection molded trays made?

Paul Greenley: Not easily - molds are large blocks of steel with a cavity in them. Hot, liquid plastic is injected into this cavity and when cooled the mold is opened, and out pops a tray. That’s the simple answer – the time and money that needs to be put into a mold that can often weigh 10 tons – and that’s without the machine doing the injecting – is incredible. But, we’ve been doing this a very long time and we have the knack of it now and we think a little extra hard work is 100 percent worth it for a far superior product

Produce Grower: We see a lot in the news and media about waste plastic being an issue for the environment – surely still using plastic trays is a bad idea if we are trying to be green?

PG: Plastic is a real problem in the world – but we are tackling this issue by making our trays out of reprocessed material. When the tray reaches the end of its life after potentially a decade or even more, they get ground up and reformed into more trays. Due to the super long life of the tray, far fewer trays are thrown away into landfills than if a one or two-use thermoformed pot were to be used.

Produce Grower: What kind of maintenance does a Proptek tray require?

SF: They are one of the easiest trays to take care of. You need to remove the soil and the plant material left from the prior use. It's okay if there's a bit of residual growing media left in the tray because then you're going to sterilize them. Most often, it's heat that's used to sterilize, whether it's a spray or hot water dip or some sort or a steam room. Or you can use chlorine or other sanitizing agents to clean the trays. 

Produce Grower: Is there a growing system that these trays are best suited for? 

SF: You can use them in any system, but they are [more] adaptable to an automated system than a VFT tray or a Styrofoam tray because [of] things like the stacking and their rigidness. They hold their shape and size, and everything stays in alignment with your equipment. Styrofoam trays can shrink over time, and VFT trays are too malleable and flex, so they don't hold up in automated systems.  

Produce Grower: If a grower was interested in exploring these trays, what can Proptek offer in terms of samples or additional information?

SF: Growers can start with our website – they can even order samples from the website. The website can also direct growers to sales reps in all regions who can answer any questions they might have and work with them on their specific need. Proptek is in North America, South America and around the world.