When it comes to moving material loads between floor levels, not all solutions are created equal. While forklifts, inclined conveyors, scissor lifts, freight elevators, and overhead cranes can move materials vertically, they may not be the best option for your material handling application.
For safety, cost-efficiency, and sheer versatility, one material handling solution stands out from the rest. Vertical reciprocating conveyors (VRCs) continue to set the benchmark for reliability, durability, and high-capacity lifting power.
The major gains in productivity and long-term efficiencies that VRCs offer often require a significant upfront investment. Let’s look at some of the main cost considerations that go into purchasing a VRC for your business.
So, How Much Does a VRC Cost?
PFlow VRCs are customized pieces of heavy-duty equipment, designed from the outset to meet the specific needs of your operation and to mesh perfectly with your operational workflows. That can make it difficult to put a price tag on a lifting solution that works for you.
Factors that are likely to be key drivers of the overall cost of your VRC include:
- VRC type: VRCs are powered either hydraulically or mechanically. Hydraulic VRCs are typically less expensive than mechanical VRCs, however, they have limitations on how high they can lift, how much they can lift, and how often they can lift.
- Load Capacity: VRCs are capable of lifting loads of just a few pounds up to 200,000 lbs.
- Load Size: Large, long, or cumbersome loads require a larger lifting deck (known as a carriage), larger motors, and sturdier components, affecting the overall cost of the unit.
- Lifting Height: Lifting height (known as vertical travel) varies between hydraulic and mechanical VRCs. Mechanical VRCs can have a vertical reach of 200 feet or more, which requires more materials and increases the overall unit cost..
- Integration: VRCs can be designed to connect directly with other automated equipment like AMRs, AGVs, and horizontal conveyors. Integrating a VRC as part of a fully automated conveyor system will add to the cost due to the componentry needed to allow the VRC to communicate with the other system equipment.
- Customization: Adding features like optional safety upgrades, corrosion-resistant coatings, or explosion-proof components will tailor the VRC to your specific needs. Even though these customizations will increase the initial investment, they will pay back in dividends by providing exactly what you need for your application.
- Installation Complexity: VRCs can be engineered to be installed virtually anywhere however installation complexities can add to the overall cost.
While many variables go into the overall cost of a VRC, costs can start at $10,000 for a simple two-level lifting solution to well over $100,000 for a highly customized, complex, and unique vertical reciprocating conveyor.
Your Cost Driver Checklist
How do your material lifting requirements stack up against these broad cost factors? Working through the checklist below will give you an idea of the considerations that affect the cost for a VRC that meets your specific material lifting needs.
- What do you need the VRC to do and how often?
- How far do you need to lift the material(s)?
- How much space?
- How much space do you have around where the VRC will be placed?
- Are structural changes needed to install a VRC?
- How will materials be loaded onto the VRC?
- Manual loading (via hand-truck, pallet jack, forklift, etc.)
- How Heavy and How big? Typically, the cost of a VRC increases as the size of the carriage and the payload lifting capacity increases.
- What is the total load weight / heaviest load?
- What are the dimensions of the largest load?
- Will there be multiple loads put on the carriage at one time?
- How are the materials lifted now?
- How much are you already spending on moving materials?
- What are your loading / unloading requirements?
- How much flexibility do you need at each floor level?
- What other equipments does your VRC need to connect with?
- Do you need to connect to existing automated handling equipment?
- Special needs
- Does your application require special safety features?
- Does your application require additional environmental protection features to accommodate outdoor, wash-down, or other specialized environments?
Balancing Costs and Benefits
Don’t just focus on the price tag – consider the return on your investment. The initial cost of any equipment is important. But a smart approach is to weigh the upfront investment against the long-term benefits a VRC can deliver:
- Boost productivity: A VRC can help you get more materials moved in less time than other lifting equipment
- Enhance safety: With its enclosed carriage lifting structure, a VRC keeps workers safe from falling materials
- Increased revenue: Will increased productivity open doors to additional capacity?
- Improved throughput: A VRC can streamline your material handling flow and reduce facility bottlenecks
By focusing on ROI, you can make a data-driven decision about how the purchase aligns with your business goals.
Best of all, your VRC can be built with expansion in mind, replacing a “good enough” solution with a custom solution that can accommodate the additional capacity you may need in the future.
Operating Costs
VRCs can help drive long-term efficiencies, allowing you to lower energy bills or reduce your reliance on manual labor as compared with other lifting equipment. They also offer significantly lower lifetime maintenance costs and less downtime.
And, because VRCs are not governed by the same code requirements as people-moving elevators, they don’t need the same level of permitting or frequency of safety inspections. (VRCs should still be inspected regularly to minimize wear and tear.)
So, how do the lifetime ownership costs of VRCs stack up against comparable technologies like freight elevators or forklifts? When considering the initial purchase and installation costs, as well as maintenance, permitting, and inspection expenses, a VRC can be up to 70% more cost-effective than other vertical transport systems.
Let PFlow Help You Do the Heavy Lifting
Ready to take the next step? Our expert team at PFlow Industries in combination with our extensive network of original equipment dealers are here to help you.
From assessing your material lifting needs to providing a detailed VRC quote, to preinstallation-installation-aftercare support, you’ll have what you need to keep your PFlow VRC operating at optimal performance.
PFlow offers the following services to help you get the most out of your VRC purchase:
- Lift installation supervision
- Start-up services
- Parts and service support
Designed for Your Specific Application
PFlow Industries manufactures VRC solutions that are engineered to meet the requirements of each end-user’s application. Incorporating a PFlow VRC into your facility adds a level of efficiency and safety that cannot be achieved with other vertical lifting equipment.
Contact us today to learn more about how a VRC could unlock immediate gains and long-term value for your business.