Vertical Screw Conveyors
Our vertical screw conveyors come equipped with several integral components, each designed to perform seamlessly and ensure the longevity and reliability of the system.
- Comprehensive inlet section
- Durable head section
- intermediate sections
- Strong pedestal
- High-quality screw
- Efficient drive unit
- Adaptative feeder screw
Orthman vertical screw conveyors offer numerous operational benefits, making them a preferred choice for various industrial applications.
- Advanced and efficient design
- Simple installation process
- Compact requiring less space
- Economical and cost-effective
- Option for a dust-tight system
- Flexible material discharge in any direction
- Capable of up to 40’ of elevation
Our vertical screw conveyors are versatile, serving a range of industries and materials with reliability and precision.
- Animal Feed
- Pet Food
- Food Processing Industries
- Ice Handling
- Pellet Transportation
- Bone & Blood Meal Handling
The design of our vertical screw conveyors is the epitome of innovation and precision, aiming to fulfill every operational demand efficiently.
- Capacity ranges between 400 to 6,000 cubic feet per hour
- Optional internal bearings available but not recommended
- Typical vertical speeds are between 150 to 250-rpm
- Equipped with “kicker” paddles at discharge
- The discharge height is limited to about 50-feet
- Requires lateral support at the drive end
- Horizontal feed screw is 45-percent loaded
- Horizontal and verticals are typically of the same diameter
- Necessary lateral supports to structure every 10 to 12-feet
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
A vertical screw conveyor elevates bulk material straight up using a vertical screw fed by a synchronized horizontal feed screw. The feed screw and vertical screw run on independent drives matched by speed and feed rate, delivering a cost-effective elevating action in a very small footprint.
They are designed for elevations up to about 40 feet, with capacities ranging from roughly 400 to 6,000 cubic feet per hour. The height of the vertical, the length of the feed screw, and the diameter can all be designed around your specific application.
Vertical screw conveyors are offered in carbon steel, abrasion-resistant construction, stainless steel, or any combination. The choice depends on the product being handled — for example, stainless for food-grade work or abrasion-resistant plate for wear-prone materials.
They are best suited to dry to semi-dry, free-flowing bulk materials. Common applications include animal feed, pet food, food processing, ice handling, pellet transportation, and bone and blood meal handling. A dust-tight configuration is available where containment is required.
They are compact and space-saving, economical, simple to install, and can discharge in any direction. An optional dust-tight design supports clean operation, and the synchronized feed-and-vertical screw arrangement provides efficient elevation without the larger footprint an inclined conveyor would need.
Yes. Vertical speeds typically run 150–250 rpm, the horizontal feed screw is about 45% loaded, and the horizontal and vertical screws are usually the same diameter. The unit needs lateral support at the drive end and to the structure roughly every 10 to 12 feet, with “kicker” paddles at the discharge.

