A paperboard tray blank has minimum height h in relation to the diameter D of the cans in the tray such that this diameter is equal to or greater than three times said height. The tray is formed from the blank by gluing corner tabs to the side walls or flaps, and the glue joint is compressed in a unique compression unit. The corner tabs have a length greater than the height h of the side and end walls so that the corners of the tray are provided with a tapered configuration which results in the ends of these corner tabs being engageable with the cans within the tray. The compression unit yieldably engages the outside of the tray to set the glue.