Reusable plant trays in use at Euro Plant Tray

Euro Plant Tray

Sustainable plant logistics

With its reusable plant trays, Euro Plant Tray eG is transforming an entire industry: thanks to a Europe-wide pooling system, countless single-use trays are eliminated, making supply chains in the potted plant segment more sustainable.

Reusable solution for the green sector

In the cut flower sector, reusable systems have been firmly established for decades, but the situation has been different for potted plants: until the founding of Euro Plant Tray eG, there was no industry-wide, internationally accepted reusable solution for potted plants. It has become clear that reusable systems can only succeed through joint effort: alongside nurseries, the cooperative’s members include wholesalers and horticultural trade organisations, as well as DIY and garden centre chains from across Europe.

By transitioning to reusable trays, significant resources are saved, while the use of recycled material in production further reduces the demand for virgin material. The various tray models are available to all stakeholders in the supply chain through a rental system. The EPT 777 model was developed and manufactured by WALTHER Faltsysteme. It is designed to hold ten top-heavy plants with a pot diameter of 12 cm, making it primarily used in the indoor plant segment.

Standardisation for compatibility

To accommodate the wide variety of plant pots, the design was developed to ensure that as many indoor plant pot types available on the market as possible fit securely in the trays. In addition, the trays are precisely matched to the industry-standard load carriers, the CC containers. To ensure maximum efficiency in return transport and empty storage, we focused on high dimensional stability and stackability so that 666 trays fit on a single Euro pallet.

To ensure that the newly developed design meets practical requirements and is compatible with the different pot types, WALTHER Faltsysteme produced a small series of 20,000 trays. They were thoroughly tested before series production began early 2025.

Especially during the development phase, there was close collaboration with the experts at WALTHER Faltsysteme. There were many different requirements for our Euro Plant Tray that had to be met. Thanks to extensive testing phases, we were able to ensure that the trays perform reliably within the supply chain. We also benefited from WALTHER Faltsysteme’s expertise during the subsequent series production.

Dirk Bansemer

Managing Director Euro Plant Tray GmbH

Secure transport throughout the entire supply chain

The journey of the reusable plant trays begins at the nurseries. Once the plants are ready for sale, they are placed in the trays, where they remain until reaching the point of sale. Throughout the entire supply chain, the water reservoir in the base of the tray helps maintain plant quality. A dedicated area for adhesive labels ensures easier removal after use. Thanks to smooth walls and additional drainage holes, the trays can be cleaned hygienically and dried quickly, if required even in accordance with food-grade standards.

Robust design for easy and long-term use

The reusable trays stand out for their stability, offering easy handling: transport pallets made of thin plastic tear quickly, making them unusable and creating sharp edges. They are also less stable and provide less protection for the goods. The Euro Plant Trays, on the other hand, withstand heavy loads, making them more secure and user-friendly.

The advantage of the reusable system increases with every use, as no new trays need to be produced and material consumption is therefore reduced. With a lifespan of more than ten years and at least 100 cycles, the Euro Plant Trays are particularly durable. After use, the material is recycled and used for the production of new load carriers.

Reliable traceability

To enable efficient pool management, each tray is equipped with a combination of barcode, 2D data matrix code and RFID tag carrying a unique serial number. During the injection moulding process, two identification labels are permanently embedded in every tray using the in-mould labelling method. Thanks to RFID technology, the trays can be easily identified and tracked – whether stacked or loaded – even without line of sight.