Retail & Restaurant Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors

A vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) is a fast and safe way of moving pallets, cases, and trays between floors.

Restaurants and retail operations are sometimes located in multi-level buildings with separate storage or cooking areas. Installing a VRC removes the need to have employees carry cases and trays up and down stairs. 

PFlow Industries is the leader in the design and manufacture of VRCs for retail and restaurant operations.

a vertical reciprocating conveyor used in a retail store

Benefits of Installing a PFlow Vertical Reciprocating Conveyor

A VRC makes it easy to move goods like cases, trays and carts between levels and provides the following advantages over other lifting means:

  • Faster and more efficient than transporting goods via stairs
  • Significantly reduces the risks of slips, falls and accidents
  • Decreases physical strain on employees
  • Less costly to install, operate and maintain than an elevator

Every PFlow VRC is designed to suit the specific application requirements. Whether you need to lift 10 pounds or 100,000 pounds, or you need to lift materials to one or multiple floor levels, a PFlow VRC can help you do so with ease.

Our VRCs conform to ASME B20.1 Safety Standards for Conveyors and come with guaranteed code approval in every state. They must not be used as employee or customer elevators. Gates, guards, and other safety features are incorporated into the design as needed to keep people away from edges and safe from moving parts.

Restaurant and Retail Vertical Reciprocating Conveyor Applications

A VRC frees up employees to concentrate on customer-facing tasks. Common uses for VRCs in retail and restaurant applications include:

  • Moving goods from delivery area to storage level or sales floor
  • Increasing vertical space utilization in back of house 
  • Delivering cooked meals to the dining area
  • Returning table settings and linens to the kitchen

See how a popular downtown Milwaukee restaurant improved operations with PFlow’s expertise.

a vertical reciprocating conveyor used in a restaurant

Vertical Reciprocating Conveyor FAQs

People unfamiliar with how VRCs are used often have questions about this handling technology. Here are the ones that are asked most often.

This varies by state. Most do not require a permit, but some do. Our website has state-by-state information on Codes relating to VRCs.

No. A VRC is a goods conveyor and is neither intended for nor approved for use by people. Your employees must continue to take the stairs!

CAD drawings and schematics are provided in the Knowledge Base section of our website. However, these are for standard products and a VRC can be engineered to suit almost any space and application. 

If you think you don’t have enough space, a PFlow engineer may be able to show you otherwise. This is why we always recommend that you discuss your application with a product specialist.

Ready To Improve Handling Between Floors in Retail and Restaurant Operations?

If you could use a safe and efficient way to lift cases, pallets, and trays vertically, we’d love to talk. Our experts will be pleased to prepare a free quote for a vertical conveyor designed specifically for your application. Call us in Milwaukee at 414-352-9000, or use our Quick Contact Form.