What Pflow Industries does

Pflow Industries, founded in 1977 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, designs and manufactures Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors (VRCs) — mechanically driven lifts that move materials between building levels in lieu of stairs or freight elevators. The company's installed base exceeds 20,000 units worldwide across aerospace, food processing, paper and packaging, marine manufacturing, and large public venues, with named references including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Tyson Foods, Georgia Pacific, Sea Ray, and a major NFL stadium. Pflow claims to operate the largest dedicated VRC engineering team and to have contributed to the ASME B20.1 safety standard that governs the category.

Core products are engineered-to-order VRC platforms built around patented safety systems, including the DeckLock safety cam, the PowerTow automatic cart-return module, the RapidStack platform, and the Adjustable Bolted Bracing structural system. Manufacturing runs out of a 125,000+ square-foot facility in Milwaukee, with each unit customized to the customer's facility footprint, load profile, and regulatory environment. The portfolio spans light-duty mezzanine lifts through heavy industrial systems rated for substantial payload and continuous duty, and units are specified to comply with ASME B20.1 across all fifty U.S. states.

Pflow operates a custom-quote, project-based sales model with no standardized list pricing, supported by a 24/7 service organization and an OEM parts business anchored to the installed base. The company has been 100% employee-owned via an ESOP since 2021 (following the ESOP's establishment in 1998) and employs approximately 150 people. Pflow is privately held, with no external funding rounds, M&A activity, or revenue disclosures in the available record.

Name

Pflow Industries

Legal name

PFlow Industries

Website

https://pflow.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Pflow Industries designs and manufactures custom Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors (VRCs) for industrial customers across aerospace, food processing, paper, marine, and large-venue sectors, operating from Milwaukee with 100% ESOP ownership and a 20,000+ unit installed base.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. VRC Equipment Sales: Custom-manufactured vertical reciprocating conveyors sold as complete units including mechanical and hydraulic models. Equipment includes F Series, M Series, B Series, DB Series, 21 Series, and D Series lifts with various capacity ratings from 100 lbs to 200,000+ lbs.
2. OEM Replacement Parts: Complete inventory of OEM VRC parts for both current and legacy PFlow material lifts. Includes wear-and-tear items, consumables, and major replacement components manufactured to original specifications.
3. Service and Maintenance: Comprehensive service offerings including installation supervision, system start-up assistance, operator and maintenance training, routine maintenance contracts, safety and code-compliance inspections, and ongoing troubleshooting. 24/7 emergency service line available.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pflow Industries designs, manufactures, and services vertical reciprocating conveyors (VRCs) used to move materials vertically between floor levels. The product line includes mechanical chain-driven lifts (F Series, M Series, B Series, DB Series) and hydraulic lifts (21 Series, D Series), ranging in capacity from 100 lbs to over 200,000 lbs, complemented by application-specific systems (PowerTow, RapidStack), safety accessories, OEM parts, and full installation and maintenance services.

Product overview

PFlow Industries offers a comprehensive portfolio of vertical reciprocating conveyors (VRCs), commonly known as material lifts or cargo lifts, designed to move materials weighing from 10 lbs to over 200,000 lbs between floor levels. The product line includes mechanical VRCs (F Series, M Series, B Series Box Lift, DB Series Package Lift) driven by roller chain systems, and hydraulic VRCs (21 Series, D Series) using compressed fluid actuation. The company also provides specialized applications including PowerTow automated cart return systems, RapidStack modular VRCs, and Adjustable Bolted Bracing for weld-free installations. A full range of safety accessories complements the product line, including DeckLock safety systems, safety gates (swing, sliding, and vertical acting), safety enclosures, and safety cams. All products comply with ASME B20.1 safety standards and are backed by lifetime structural warranties on mechanical and hydraulic lifts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cartveyor: Automated empty cart return system for high-throughput warehouse operations, designed to streamline loading dock operations.

Products and services

• F Series VRC A 4-post mechanical vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) that handles loads up to 200,000 lbs with unlimited carriage size and vertical rise, for heavy-duty indoor and outdoor applications.
• M Series VRC A 2-post mechanical vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) with up to 10,000 lbs capacity, available in straddle or cantilever configurations for high-speed and high-cycle automated systems.
• B Series Box Lift A mechanical box lift for automatically moving boxes, totes, cartons, cases and individual parts up to 500 lbs between floors or mezzanine levels, with a 3' x 3' carriage and ergonomic 30" loading height.
• DB Series Package Lift A continuous vertical lift for lighter loads up to 100 lbs between floors or conveyor levels, with a 3' x 3' carriage, 60 FPM standard speed, and a fully enclosed design for high-speed package handling.
• 21 Series Hydraulic VRC A 2-post hydraulic vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) handling loads up to 6,000 lbs with carriage sizes up to 12' x 10', vertical rise to 22', and torsion bar-linked hydraulic cylinders ensuring level carriage movement.
• D Series Hydraulic VRC A 2-post hydraulic vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) with up to 3,000 lbs capacity, 6' x 6' carriage, and 15' vertical rise, featuring direct-acting dual hydraulic cylinders for stable loading and unloading.
• PowerTow An automated empty cart return system for high-throughput warehouse operations, featuring a powered surface-mounted inclined ramp that automates cart return through standard loading docks without manual push-back.
• RapidStack Modular VRC A modular vertical reciprocating conveyor designed with stackable sections to simplify installation and accelerate project timelines while delivering standard Pflow durability and reliability.
• Adjustable Bolted Bracing A weld-free alternative to traditional welded bracing for VRC edge-of-mezzanine installations, featuring a three-way adjustable bolt-and-strut configuration that is seismic rated and professionally engineered.
• Safety Gates (Swing, Sliding, Vertical Acting) Code-approved safety gates available in swing (single and bi-parting), sliding (single and bi-panel), and vertical acting (single and bi-panel) designs, all featuring mechanical lock and contact interlocks for safe VRC operation.
• DeckLock Safety System A patented optional safety system that automatically extends high-capacity DeckLocks to prevent uncontrolled carriage descent during loading/unloading operations or in the event of overload or brake malfunction.
• Safety Enclosures Safety enclosures made of 1/2" flattened expanded metal, minimum 8' high, designed to protect workers and materials during loading and unloading operations, available in standard and custom configurations.
• Safety Cams Certified safety devices fitted to mechanical VRCs that automatically rotate into guide column flanges to prevent carriage descent in the unlikely event of a lifting chain break.
• OEM Replacement Parts Complete inventory of OEM VRC parts for both current and legacy Pflow material lifts, including wear-and-tear items, consumables, and major replacement components manufactured to original specifications.
• Service, Installation and Maintenance Comprehensive service offering including installation supervision, system start-up assistance, operator and maintenance training, routine maintenance contracts, safety and code-compliance inspections, ongoing troubleshooting, and a 24/7 emergency service line.

Quantifiable outcome

• Lifts materials ranging from 10 lbs to 200,000+ lbs - far exceeding forklift capacity limits
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Autoquip: Autoquip manufactures hydraulic and mechanical lifts including scissor lifts, VRCs, and custom vertical lifting platforms for industrial and warehouse applications, directly overlapping with PFlow's hydraulic D and 21 Series offerings.
• Wildeck: Wildeck is a direct competitor in the VRC and vertical material lift space, offering mezzanine lifts, industrial VRCs, and safety gates for warehouses and manufacturing facilities — directly competing with PFlow's full product line.
• Bishamon Industries: Bishamon designs and manufactures scissor lift tables, tilters, and material handling lifts with a focus on ergonomic and industrial lifting solutions, overlapping with PFlow's light-to-medium capacity VRC segments.
• Presto Lifts: Presto Lifts produces a wide range of material lifts, pallet positioners, and stackers for industrial and warehouse use, competing with PFlow's smaller-capacity B Series and DB Series VRCs.
• Morgan Industrial: Morgan Industrial (formerly part of Lift-A-Lot) designs and builds hydraulic scissor lifts, VRCs, and custom material handling solutions for industrial customers, directly overlapping with PFlow's hydraulic product lines.
• Southworth Products: Southworth Products is a direct VRC competitor offering mechanical and hydraulic vertical reciprocating conveyors, mezzanine lifts, and material handling lifts with similar capacity ranges and industrial customer base as PFlow.
• The Peelle Company: Peelle manufactures freight elevators and vertical reciprocating conveyors for industrial and commercial applications, directly competing with PFlow in VRCs serving warehouses, manufacturing, and distribution facilities.

Emerging players

• Westfalia Technologies: Westfalia Technologies provides automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) including vertical carousels and warehouse automation that increasingly compete with PFlow's pick module and mezzanine lift applications in distribution centers.

Broad incumbents

• Kardex Group: Kardex is a broader incumbent in intralogistics and automated storage/retrieval systems serving warehouses and manufacturing — overlapping with PFlow's pick module replenishment and vertical material transport use cases at a larger scale and with automation-focused offerings.
• Hanel Büro- und Lagersysteme: Hanel manufactures vertical lift modules (VLMs) and rotary storage systems for warehouses and parts storage, serving adjacent material handling needs where PFlow's VRCs and mezzanine lifts are deployed.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PFlowIndustries
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/PflowVerticalLifts
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/PFlow-Industries/549541775078865
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pflow-industries
• Instagraminstagram.com/pflow_industries

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pflow Industries