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Molded pulp applications
Cup Tray Making Machine for Molded Pulp Cup Carriers
Planning to manufacture molded pulp trays for takeaway drinks? Richon helps match the cup carrier design, mold and equipment configuration to your product requirements.
A cup tray making machine uses a pulp molding equipment platform with molds matched to the finished tray. Richon offers standard molds and custom mold options. Start with your cups, a tray sample or drawing, and the output you want to achieve.
The finished product
Start with the cups your tray needs to carry
The cup carrier is the packaging that supports the drinks. This page covers equipment for making molded pulp carriers, rather than equipment for manufacturing the drinking cups themselves.
Tell us how the tray will be used, which cup sizes it must hold and how the cups sit in the proposed pockets. If your brief calls for a two-cup or four-cup layout, send that requirement for evaluation; a particular layout is not confirmed from its name alone.
- Cup sample or drawing, with the dimensions that affect how it sits in the tray.
- Required cup positions, overall tray outline and any handling requirements.
- An existing carrier sample, reference images or a drawing showing the intended design.
Equipment relationship
One equipment platform, product-specific molds
Egg trays, egg cartons, cup carriers and fruit trays can use Richon's shared equipment platform with the appropriate molds. A different finished product does not automatically mean a completely different base machine.
Our forming equipment overview explains the equipment side of the project. For a broader comparison of the available routes, use the product and application overview.
Each application still needs its own product and mold assessment. If you are comparing an egg carton project as well, review the egg carton application page for carton-specific questions.
Mold matching
Standard molds or a custom cup carrier design
Richon has standard cup carrier molds and can work with customer-specific designs. Send the actual tray or cup requirements so we can check whether an available mold is suitable or whether a custom mold should be discussed.
For an existing production setup, provide the equipment model and available mold information along with the sample or drawing. Compatibility should be checked before treating a proposed mold change as an accepted production plan.
Our mold technology guide provides background on mold selection. The cup carrier inquiry should identify the product that the mold needs to make.
Evaluate a standard mold
Compare the intended cup and tray requirements with an available mold. Confirm suitability before selecting it.
Discuss a custom mold
Use a sample or drawing to define the proposed carrier and the information needed for mold evaluation.
Project evaluation
Confirm output for the selected cup tray
Specify whether your target means finished trays per hour, trays per shift or cups carried. These are different quantities: a carrier's cup count is not the machine's finished-tray output.
Output must be evaluated for the selected tray and mold with the proposed equipment configuration. Egg tray figures should not be copied across as a cup carrier capacity guarantee.
If you are planning a complete facility, the production line overview explains the wider project scope. Use it as equipment and planning context; the cup carrier configuration remains subject to its own evaluation.
- Define the finished-tray output target and planned working hours.
- State whether the project is a new line or a mold change on existing equipment.
- Provide available factory space and utility information for the proposed project.
Product review
Use a sample to define the acceptance requirements
A carrier's appearance alone does not define its intended use. Set out the cup fit, handling, surface and packing requirements that matter to your customer, and identify which ones need to be checked with a sample.
Any drying, finishing or downstream requirements should be discussed against the intended product and confirmed configuration. This page does not assume that a particular finishing system is mandatory or included.
Share any required material or compliance specifications with the project brief so their scope can be reviewed.
- Check how the intended cups sit in the carrier and how the pack is handled.
- Define the required finished appearance and how trays will be stacked or packed.
- Agree the product checks and supporting information before treating a design as accepted.
Buyer questions
Cup carrier equipment questions
Can an egg tray equipment platform also make cup carriers?
Yes. Richon's shared equipment platform can make cup carriers with the appropriate molds. The proposed product, mold and existing or new equipment configuration still need to be checked together; shared equipment does not mean identical finished-product output.
Does Richon offer standard and custom cup carrier molds?
Yes. Richon has standard molds and can evaluate customer-specific mold designs. Send a tray sample or drawing and the cup requirements so the team can assess whether a standard mold is suitable or a custom design should be discussed.
Can I request a two-cup or four-cup tray design?
You can submit either layout as a design requirement, together with the intended cup samples or dimensions. The exact layout, cup fit and suitable mold must be evaluated; this page does not state that every layout is already available as a standard mold.
Will cup carrier output be the same as the listed egg tray output?
Do not assume the outputs are the same. Define the target in finished trays and planned working hours, then confirm output for the selected carrier, mold and equipment configuration. A count of cups carried is not the same as a count of finished trays produced.
What information should I send for a cup tray equipment proposal?
Send a tray sample, drawing or reference images, the cup dimensions, intended cup arrangement, finished-tray output target and project location. Add available factory and utility information. If you want to use existing equipment, include its model and available mold details.
Your next step
Send your cup and tray requirements to Richon
Use a sample or drawing to start the discussion. We can review the cup carrier requirements, standard or custom mold route and the information needed to evaluate a suitable equipment configuration.
Contact Richon with your product brief, target output and whether you are planning new equipment or a mold change.