What is the difference between a VRC and a freight elevator?

A VRC is a material lift only. No passenger riders are allowed. VRCs are governed by ASME B20.1, which is significantly less stringent than the elevator code. Installation is faster, simpler, and lower-cost than a freight elevator, and ongoing inspection and maintenance requirements are reduced.

Do you install the safety gates and enclosure with the VRC?

Yes. ASME B20.1 requires interlocked enclosure gates at every access level. We install the gates, enclosure panels, controls cabinet placement, and coordinate final electrical connections with a licensed electrician.

Can your crew handle upright assembly only for our integrator?

Yes. We routinely contract for upright assembly only, where another firm handles final placement and beam install. The pre-assembled frames are staged plumb, square, and ready for erection.

Do you stamp or certify the install?

No. We install to the engineer's drawings and the manufacturer's specifications. Certification or P.E. stamping is provided by the project engineer of record. We provide installation documentation as required by the project.

Material Handling & Assembly

VRC systems and rack upright assembly.

Q: What VRC types do you install?

We install hydraulic, mechanical chain, and roller-chain VRCs from manufacturers including PFlow Industries, Autoquip, and AGM Container Controls. Straddle, cantilever, and pass-through configurations are all standard.

Q: What is upright pre-assembly and why does it matter?

Pre-assembly is bolting up rack uprights on the floor before lifting them into final position. Done correctly, it dramatically improves frame squareness, plumb, and crew safety during erection. It is the right way to install structural rack and a worthwhile practice on large selective installations.

Vertical lifts that move material between levels and the pre-assembly work that makes structural rack erection clean and safe. Two specialized scopes, both rooted in field execution.

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This category covers two specialized scopes we are routinely contracted for: installation of Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors (VRCs) and pre-assembly of rack uprights for other installers and integrators. Both require deep field experience and methodical execution.

Elite Rack Installations handles both as standalone projects and as part of larger warehouse installations. Crews dispatch nationwide from Lafayette, Louisiana, with every project supervised by Flavio Tierrablanca, in the rack and material handling industry since 1997.

01VRC Systems

Vertical Reciprocating Conveyor (VRC) Installation

VRCs move material between mezzanine levels, between floors, and between dock and ground level. They are material-only lifts, not passenger elevators, governed by ASME B20.1 rather than the much more stringent elevator code. The result is a faster install, lower up-front cost, and lower ongoing maintenance than a freight elevator.

Our crews install hydraulic, mechanical chain, and roller-chain VRCs from manufacturers including PFlow Industries, Autoquip, and AGM Container Controls. Straddle, cantilever, and pass-through configurations are all standard. The install includes the lift carriage, guide rails, controls cabinet placement, and required ASME B20.1 enclosure gates with interlocks at every access level.

Final electrical connection and start-up commissioning are coordinated with a licensed electrician and, when required by the manufacturer, the factory-authorized start-up technician.

02Upright Assembly

Rack Upright Pre-Assembly

Upright assembly is the practice of bolting up rack uprights on the ground before lifting them into final position. Done correctly, pre-assembly dramatically improves frame squareness, plumb, and crew safety during erection. It is the right way to install structural rack and a worthwhile practice on large selective installations.

Our crews handle upright assembly as a standalone scope for integrators and other installers, and as part of our own full-scope rack installs. Assembled frames are staged plumb, square, and ready for erection, with all bracing, base plates, and column anchors per the manufacturer\'s drawings.

Upright assembly is methodical work that rewards experience: torque to spec, verify diagonals, check column-to-base alignment, and stage for clean erection. We provide skilled crews for assembly-only contracts or as part of a full install scope.

Upright AssemblyPhoto coming soon

Why Elite for VRC & Assembly

Specialized scopes, executed correctly.

ASME B20.1 fluent
Enclosure gates, interlocks, and access points installed to code on every VRC project.
Integrator-friendly
We work as a subcontractor for integrators and other installers when upright assembly or VRC scope is split out.
Manufacturer-experienced
PFlow, Autoquip, AGM, and other major VRC manufacturers. We follow each manufacturer\'s drawings to the letter.
Trade coordination
Final electrical and start-up commissioning sequenced with licensed electricians and factory technicians.

FAQ

VRC and assembly questions, answered.

Related Services

Often paired with VRC and assembly.

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Have a VRC or assembly project coming up?

Send drawings, scope, and timeline. We will respond with a detailed quote and an honest start date.

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VRC systems and rack upright assembly.

Vertical Reciprocating Conveyor (VRC) Installation

Rack Upright Pre-Assembly

Specialized scopes, executed correctly.

ASME B20.1 fluent

Integrator-friendly

Manufacturer-experienced

Trade coordination

VRC and assembly questions, answered.

Often paired with VRC and assembly.

Have a VRC or assembly project coming up?