Case Study: Ronas and Ritas Trays

Case Introduction: 

The client, a marketing firm based in Florida, initially came to us with a wooden slat tray. They were asked to create a tray that would hold a plastic bucket of Corona bottles, a plastic pitcher of margaritas, a shallow flat round area for salt that would be used to line your rim with salt, and a molded-in bowl to hold limes. The goal with these trays was to provide a cost-efficient way for a salesperson to take a client out to a game and have drinks. 

ShapeMaster’s Design Process:

We decided that this product would be accomplished best using vacuum forming. We chose vacuum forming because we can build prototype tooling and mold plastic sheets to test from a product concept. Then once proven, we can have a production tool built which allows us to run a very affordably made product–in this case, trays. 

We did a few initial runs in glossy white before the customer decided that they wanted to add color to the design. We were able to find a plastic that could be extruded in two colors, one per side. 

The customer also requested a decal for the side of each tray that could withstand an industrial dishwasher. We were able to accomplish this by sourcing bumper stickers instead of a traditional decal. They were an inexpensive solution that would be long-lasting and withstand the high heat and water from the dishwasher. 

The Solution: 

After completing the product and applying the decal, we put our design to the test in an industrial dishwasher, and the design held up perfectly. We were able to provide the client with a product that satisfied the needs of the ballpark as well as the beer company and continued to provide customers with a great experience!