The Best Two-Way Radios for Food Processing Plants
If you go out and buy the first radio that you see for your team, you might be in for a rude awakening. Static, poor battery life, messages that sound like a drive-through speaker...
That’s why you need a quality radio tailored to your plant, and we’ve got you covered!
We don't want you to buy any radio just because you like the name or the price. We want you to make an educated decision and purchase the perfect radio within the scope of your needs, staff, and location.
We’ve sold thousands of radios and have compiled all that knowledge right here in this brief guide.
What do you need in a walkie talkie for food processing plants?
The packaging line just jammed and production is halted. Maintenance was called five minutes ago—still no sign of them. A supervisor is trying to reach quality control for an urgent check, but no one’s answering their phone.
Meanwhile, pallets are stacking up at the loading dock because shipping didn’t get the memo that the batch isn’t ready.
No one knows what’s happening because no one can get a hold of the right person fast enough.
These are all common issues in a food processing plant - and they can easily be solved with clear, quality two-way radios.
Let's walk through some important components when comparing radios.
Coverage Considerations
When choosing two-way radios for your plant, it is important to match radio power and coverage of your building size and layout.
Selecting a radio that is too powerful for your needs can lead to overpaying, while choosing one with insufficient coverage may result in poor quality and dead zones.
For smaller plants, 2 watts of power will do the trick - you can get from 200k sqft of coverage.
Larger plants (or multiple buildings), covering up to 350,000 square feet, require more powerful radios in the 3-4 watt range on analog (or 1 watt on digital) that can transmit clearly through walls and across larger distances.
You also need to take obstructions and building materials into account. If you have thick concrete walls, it may be necessary to go 1-watt stronger.
For unlimited coverage, across multiple locations, consider radios that use LTE and Wi-Fi, like the Motorola WAVE PTX series.
Number of Channels Needed
Channels help segment team conversations, to simplify radio chatter.
Recommended groups for food processing plants:
- Production Line would have its own channel so line operators and supervisors can quickly address slowdowns, equipment issues, or supply needs without interrupting other departments.
- Maintenance would be on a dedicated channel to respond to breakdowns or preventive maintenance tasks, staying in constant contact with production and facilities.
- Quality Control would use their own channel to coordinate inspections, product holds, and compliance checks across different parts of the plant.
- Sanitation would operate on a separate channel to manage cleaning schedules, chemical usage, and coordination with other teams during changeovers.
- Shipping & Receiving would have their own line to handle dock assignments, truck arrivals, and inventory movement.
Easy breezy. That’s concise and direct communication.
Channels can also be used to set up private conversations: “Sarah, call Tom on channel two.”
Sarah and Tom can then have an in-depth conversation over the radio without bothering the rest of the staff.
Quality Brands Make a Difference
You need a radio that is not going to fall apart within a year. You need one that will last so you’re not throwing away money.
Motorola and Kenwood two-way Radios are the most quality brands on the market because they are purpose-built for reliable communication with a durable build.
Designed to be easy to use and intuitive their radio series are affordable, cost-effective and eliminate monthly cell phone plans.
Tested for 5 years of field use, Motorola and Kenwood make sure you see a return on your investment.
Not to mention the included manufacturer warranty (1-3 years depending on model).
What features make a great food processing plant radio?
- Waterproof & Dustproof (IP Rating): Food environments can be messy—wet floors, steam, dust, or powders in the air. Radios with a high IP rating (like IP67) can withstand washdowns and harsh conditions.
- Hands-Free Capability (VOX): Operators often need both hands for machinery or packaging. Radios with voice-activated transmission or compatible with headsets make it easier to communicate without stopping work.
- Long Battery Life: Shifts are long, and there’s no time for dead batteries. Look for radios with 12+ hour battery life and quick-charging options to keep things running.
- Clear Audio in Noisy Areas: Processing plants are loud. Choose radios with noise-canceling microphones and loud, clear speakers so messages don’t get lost in the background noise.
- Durable & Drop-Resistant: Radios need to survive the rough-and-tumble of industrial use. Rugged models built to military standards (MIL-STD 810) will hold up to drops, bumps, and extreme temperatures.
- Easy to Sanitize: Smooth surfaces and minimal crevices make radios easier to clean and disinfect—especially important in food environments to meet hygiene standards.
- Private Channels & Encryption: For larger facilities, radios with multiple channels and optional encryption can keep communications secure and organized by department.
- Emergency Features: Radios with panic buttons or man-down alerts are essential for worker safety, especially in isolated or high-risk areas of the plant.
Our Top Two-Way Radio Picks for Food Processing Plants
To help you with your selection, we've highlighted several different models below that are perfect for plants of every size.
These recommendations come from our own experience working with thousands of these radios. Each one has a rock-solid history and great reputation.
Small Plants
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One of the most durable radios on the market.
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If you’re looking for a tough and powerful UHF device, look no further than the Motorola RMU2080d.
With this device, you’re getting a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, reliable outdoor communications for up to two miles, and an indoor range of 20 floors or 250,000 square feet.
This is a heavier device than most on our list at nine ounces, but it makes up for that with raw power. This is a radio that has two watts of power and a massive eight channels that will let you segment a large staff.
The RMU2080d works on 99 UHF business exclusive channels and 219 PL/DPL codes, so your communications are going to be protected.
It’s also great at getting around steel and concrete.
This device is easy to clone and highly durable.
It’s made from a military standard design and can handle dust, wind, shock, vibration, and more.
It is also covered in an antimicrobial coating to curb the spread of bacteria.
The included display makes the radio easy to use and navigate.
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Compact and powerful. Easy to use and great battery life.
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This is a UHF radio with six channels. You can segment your staff into six different groups for more effective communication.
The PKT300 pushes out sound with two watts of power and an outdoor range of up to two miles.
It also has an indoor range of 20 floors or up to 275,000 square feet.
You’re going to have power throughout the day. It also comes with a standing charging tray, a wall charger that plugs into power outlets, and a belt clip.
This is a radio that performs under harsh or stressful conditions with a strength of signal which easily gets around concrete and steel.
This is one easy-to-use, sturdy radio.
Honorable Mention
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Larger Plants - Multiple Buildings
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Extended coverage comes with a larger antenna. Durable build.
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Motorola makes a high-performance business radio that delivers the signal strength and crystal clear audio that conveys your messages across your enterprise or institution, no matter how many buildings it spans.
Motorola's CP100d series 4-watt radios push your walkie-talkie transmissions up to 350,000 sq. ft and up to 30 floors in a building.
Should your buildings have dead spots or your business require extra wide coverage, both the CP100d-UA and CP100d-UD come repeater ready.
16 and 160 channel radios, respectively, the CP100d-UA and CP100d-U allow you to subdivide your business radio communications amongst different groups oriented to different tasks to cut down on distraction and cross chatter that's not relevant.
User programmable via PC (with Motorola's free for download CPS, customer programming software) and cloning capable (with optional cable, sold separately), Motorola CP100d business walkie-talkies are flexible and easy to use.
Honorable Mention
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Best Unlimited Coverage (LTE & Wi-Fi Enabled)
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Ideal for operations across multiple locations, cities or states.
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Request a Quote for Bulk Purchases
Need to equip your team? We want to help!
Make sure to request a quote for our best possible pricing.
We are here for you!
If you have any questions on which radio is right for your plant – do not hesitate to reach out to our support team.
We have a very knowledgeable staff with over 25 years of experience in the two-way radio industry that can answer all your questions.
You can’t get rid of us that easily after purchase - we include lifetime tech support to be there for you every step of the way!