Industrial 81oz/2400ml 16.06"x5.91" Long Aluminum Tray for Whole Fish & Catering Green Bean Platter

Sixteen inches long. That's longer than a standard sheet of paper. This tray is narrow – just 5.91 inches wide – but the length is what makes it unusual. It's designed for food that comes in long shapes: whole salmon, racks of ribs, baguette sandwiches cut into sections, or a catering platter of asparagus spears lined up in a row.

A seafood restaurant in Seattle uses these for their "whole roasted branzino." The fish is about 14 inches long, which fits perfectly with room to spare. They season it, roast it at 200°C directly in the tray, then slide the whole thing into a cardboard sleeve for pickup. The 70mm depth keeps the juices from spilling, and the narrow width means the fish doesn't slide around during delivery. Before this tray, they tried cutting fish to fit round containers. Customers complained. Now the fish stays intact.

From a production perspective, a tray this long and narrow creates unique challenges. The ratio of length to width is about 2.7 to 1. That extreme shape means the aluminum stretches differently along the long axis. Standard circular or square trays distribute stress evenly. This one requires a custom die with reinforced corners to prevent tearing during the draw. Factories that run these often use a slower cycle speed – maybe 40 pieces per minute instead of 80 – and a slightly thicker gauge foil, around 0.09mm.

Why would a kitchen invest in such a specialized shape? Two words: plating efficiency. Long, narrow trays fit in standard hot holding cabinets designed for full-size sheet pans. A typical catering warmer has slots that are 18 inches deep. This tray at 16 inches slides right in, leaving room for air circulation. Multiple trays can sit side by side because the 5.91 inch width means you can fit three across in a standard 20-inch wide cabinet. That's three different dishes – green beans, scalloped potatoes, braised carrots – all in one warmer, all easy to pull out individually.

Another use case: frozen meal prep for institutional kitchens. A hospital food service uses these trays for their "complete meal" line – a protein in the center, vegetables on one side, starch on the other. The 70mm depth prevents the gravy from mixing with the rice. They fill, freeze, then reheat in convection ovens. The long shape matches standard hospital tray dimensions, so it fits right on the patient's meal cart.

Customization options for extreme shapes are more limited than standard rectangles, but still possible. You can add a rolled edge for extra stiffness – useful for a tray this long because the middle tends to bow when full. Embossed logos are tricky because the die needs to be large and flat, but we can do it for larger orders. The more common request is for custom lid printing, especially for retail packaging. A grocery store chain uses these trays for their "family fish dinner" kit – the lid has cooking instructions and a barcode.

Aluminum recycling works the same regardless of shape. Clean the tray, toss it in the bin. The long shape might be too big for some household recycling bins, but commercial recyclers handle them easily. For businesses, baling the trays flat is standard practice.

So if your menu includes whole fish, ribs, or any long-format dish, this 16.06x5.91 tray is worth a look. It's not a standard size, but that's exactly why it might solve a problem your current containers can't.