Buy the right tray in the wrong format and it won't sit in your racks, won't fit your oven, and won't line up with anything else in the bakery. Format isn't a detail — it's the first spec to pin down. Australia runs four systems side by side.

The four formats

16" (406 mm) — Australian trade standard. Trays 406 mm wide at the standard 737 mm length (that ~29" length is why old-timers call them "29-inch trays" — the name refers to length, the format to width). Bread pan straps in this system run 400 mm. If your bakery grew up on Australian racking, this is probably you.

18" (457 mm) — the wider trade standard. Same 737 mm length, 457 mm wide; bread straps at 455 mm. More product per shelf, provided your racks and oven mouth take the width.

Euro 400 × 600 mm. The European bakery module — catering operations, in-store bakeries and imported rack ovens run on it. A Euro tray will not sit properly on Australian-width runners, which is why it's a separate range, not a variation.

Gastronorm (GN). The foodservice standard — GN1/1 is 530 × 325 mm, GN1/2 is 325 × 265 mm — sized for combi ovens rather than bakery rack ovens. Cafés, hospitals, hotels and anyone baking in a combi lives here.

Racks decide more than ovens

Most Australian production racks adjust between 16" and 18" runners — one rack, both trade widths — so mixed 406/457 fleets are workable. Euro trays need Euro trolleys; GN racks use spacer bars for GN1/2, GN1/1 and GN2/1. The practical rule: stand in front of your racking before you order trays. If the runners measure 406 mm you're 16"; 457 mm is 18"; 400×600 shelves mean Euro; combi-oven rails mean GN.

The same product, any format

The cup or impression doesn't care what blank it's pressed into — a Texas muffin bakes the same 88 mm cup whether the tray is 16", 18", Euro or GN. Mackies presses the same geometry across all four systems, so multi-site operators can standardise the product while matching each site's racking. That's also why our range pages group by product first and format second.

FAQ

How do I know if my trays are 16" or 18"?
Measure the width: ~406 mm is 16", ~457 mm is 18". Both are usually 737 mm long.

Can one rack take both 16" and 18" trays?
Yes — Mackies TR-series production racks adjust between 406 mm and 457 mm runners.

Will a Euro tray fit an Australian rack?
No — 400 × 600 mm needs Euro racking. That's the point of buying by format.

Do you make the same tray in more than one format?
Almost always — muffin, pie, baguette, flat and roll trays are pressed across 16", 18", Euro and GN blanks. Custom blanks are available from our 530+ die library.

Lifetime workmanship warranty on every product. Request pricing or call 1800 BAKE IT (1800 225 348).