Glice® produces high quality plastic ice rinks that resemble real ice in every aspect. Glice® plastic ice needs no water or electricity to be run and maintained and is made of completely recyclable materials.
The city of Bad in Zwischenahn, Germany decided to invest in Glice® synthetic ice and get a completely ecological synthetic ice rink installed at its christmas market.
Glice® synthetic ice is made with the highest quality raw materials and it incorporates Ultra-Glide Technology, meeting the standards of professional athletes. The christmas market visitors often can’t even tell they are skating on a Glice®-rink instead of a conventional frozen ice rink.
To learn more about the high quality artificial ice of Glice® visit our website: www.glicerink.com or contact us here.
Synthetic ice rinks are gaining popularity and respect in the market, as well as among professionals and experts. The concern with the environment, the high water and electricity costs, and the dependence of conventional ice rinks on weather and climate have all contributed to the conclusion that synthetic ice rinks are no longer just an option, but have become a necessity.
The good thing about artificial ice rinks is that they are easy to install, they require little to no maintenance, and the costs can be reduced to a minimum. In addition, good quality plastic ice is made of completely recyclable material, designed to be environmentally friendly. Since plastic ice can be used anywhere and is not dependent on the climate, it is ideal for countries with warmer climates and also for individual families who can’t afford to set up and maintain a real ice rink.
While owning an artificial ice rink means very little work and preoccupation, owning a synthetic ice rink business needs a little more attention. Not all plastic ice rinks are the same, and the quality of the raw material, the composition formula as well as the incorporated technology make a huge difference in the quality of synthetic ice. Running a successful artificial ice rink business comes down to three main things: Quality, Location, and Profit/Income.
This article will elaborate on those three aspects and explain how to make an artificial ice rink business profitable:
While most synthetic ice rinks might look very similar at a first glance, they are really distinguishable by the quality of the materials they are made with. The quality of the raw material affects everything, from the gliding factor to shavings and abrasion, and of course the performance of the skater.
The quality of the raw materials will also define the longevity and unchanging chemical stability of an artificial ice rink. It also influences the gliding factor and the smoothness of the surface, which is especially important for puck handling and speed in ice hockey.
Good quality synthetic ice rinks also have UV protection, which, when complimented by premium raw material, can protect the synthetic ice rink from changing color over time. This is a big problem for many artificial ice rinks, since they are exposed to sun for long periods of time, and if they are not made with high quality raw material they will change color and lose quality over time.
Location:
The location for your synthetic ice rink business is just as important as its quality and all other aspects of the business. You really need a crowded location where people come to relax and have fun. You want your business to become a hub where people meet and interact.
It also needs to be accessible for by passers and tourists who don’t know the town and are just there for a day or two. Your business needs to be located in a place where people will see it while passing by and where they can easily come and skate without going through too much trouble.
Income:
Income or profit is always a big deal for any business. The revenue from a profitable synthetic ice rink business should come from three main things:
Tickets and Rent
One part of the revenue should come from ticket sales and renting equipment. Most people who go to public ice rinks are not professional skaters, they are just looking for some fun on a Saturday afternoon. They need to rent everything from skates to kneepads and elbow braces, in order to have a safe skating experience. Some might even want to hire an instructor for an hour or two until they feel safe going out on their own. This is a business opportunity for you. Take advantage of it.
Sponsored Ads
Many companies will benefit from a promotional ad on the dasher boards of your synthetic ice rink. This should make up about one third of your revenue. If companies see that your business is durable, profitable, and strategically located they will recognize the opportunity and pay you to promote them on your dasher boards.
Food and Beverage
The audience you are targeting with your synthetic ice rink business are people who are there to have a good time and relax. Many times a grandma will take her grandchildren out to skate, and instead of testing her skating skills she might prefer to enjoy a cup of coffee and a piece of cake while her grandchildren glide on ice. Food and beverage can range from a simple coffee and cake to a burger with fries and coke. This is something that you should take advantage of if you want to have your own synthetic ice rink business.
Glice® is a great example of a successful synthetic ice rink business. Not only do they use high quality raw materials, but they also incorporate the newest technology, and constantly strive to improve. Glice® is known for its excellent customer service and a global support network, that assures customers they are in good hands. Through success principles and practical tips Glice® has managed to become a leader in the industry and an expert in the field.
To learn more about Glice® synthetic ice contact us today and start your own business or get your own artificial ice rink installed. The opportunities are endless and we are here to help.
Synthetic ice has become increasingly popular over the last couple of decades. The high cost of maintenance for artificial ice and the environmental implications it has, are only a few of the factors that have added to the popularity of plastic ice rinks. With increasing winter sport awareness through the ever growing online community more and more people are interested in following or even practicing winter sports, such as ice hockey and figure skating. This increases the demand for an alternative option to high-cost conventional ice rinks.
Those of you who are not winter sport enthusiasts might be wondering what exactly synthetic ice is and what the difference is between plastic, artificial and synthetic ice. Synthetic ice is a form or plastic ice that is used to replace real ice. Artificial ice can be ice created through freezing liquid water, or it can also be another name for synthetic ice.
Now that we are all on the same page let us explain why synthetic ice has gained such a widespread popularity and what advantages it has over real ice:
Low Maintenance Cost
According to an article in the Washington Times at least $4.8 million dollars of hard earned Tax Payers money was used to fund government-run ice rinks in the United States in 2014. Governments across the world run huge deficits to subsidize ice hockey, figure skating and other winter sports, trying to keep an edge in worldwide competitions. This is especially relevant for countries in warner climate zones. The costs of water and electricity are sky-high and subsidizing these sports is becoming nearly impossible.
Synthetic ice rinks offer a cost-effective high quality solution to this ever-growing problem. Many professionals and experts have so far hesitated to consider this options because of some challenges associated with synthetic ice rinks. However, those challenges can be overcome through the use of high-quality raw materials combined with the newest technologies and a dedicated team of professionals.
Artificial ice rinks require minimal maintenance. Good synthetic ice rinks are self-lubricating, they have U.V. protection to preserve the chemical stability of the ice panels and avoid discoloration, and of course there are no water or electricity costs involved to keep a synthetic ice rink up and running.
Quick and Easy Installation
The installation of a conventional ice-skating rink is quite complicated and associated with many costs. Typically, you need to pay a rental company to construct a rink and then install the necessary refrigeration equipment. Then, the installer lays an impermeable mat on a flat surface and covers it with tubing, which is connected to a refrigeration unit. These are only installation costs, in addition to this come the monthly water and electricity charges. No wonder there are not many individual ice rinks out there.
As we well know, real ice does not last all year long, thus, most ice rinks have to be taken down come summer and re-installed in the winter. This of course means a repetition of all the installation costs year after year, whereas synthetic ice rinks need to be installed only once and will last for years without decreasing in quality.
Synthetic ice rinks are easy to install, since they come in ice panels that can be interlocked to form a smooth, seamless surface. The plastic ice rink can be as big or as small as suits your taste. After installation all you have to do is grab your skates and skate away.
Indoor/Outdoor Advantage
Another challenge with real ice rinks is choosing the right spot to install it. It has to be a big open space, and of course it has to be outdoors.
Synthetic ice rinks can be installed anywhere at any time. If you want an ice rink in your basement, you can have it in your basement without having to worry about melting ice and consequential flooding.
Environmentally friendly
It is no secret that real ice rinks require an enormous amount of water and electricity to be maintained and preserved. Besides the increased costs, it also has a huge impact on the environment. Water has to be pumped and electricity has to be produced to refrigerate the water and create a new layer of ice every few hours for the sake of a smooth ice sheet and an optimal performance by the skaters.
According to a study done by the University of McGill in Toronto, the winter season is shrinking. 55 years ago skaters living in Toronto would have about 75 icy days to skate outdoors on truly natural ice. Nowadays it is reduced to 60, proving shrinkage in the winter season. If we don’t care for our environment today, in another 55 years the damage might be irreparable. Synthetic ice rinks not only eliminate the water and electricity costs, but they are made of completely recyclable material and designed to be environmentally friendly.
Accessible for Anyone Anywhere at Any Time
Contrary to conventional ice rinks, artificial or plastic ice rinks can be used anywhere at anytime. They are completely feasible for countries with warm or even tropical climates and can be installed in-or-outdoors.
The idea of synthetic ice is not only to reduce the cost and eliminate environmental implications, but really to make this technology accessible for anyone. Ice hockey, curling, figure skating and other winter sports are not only competition events, but can be a great platform for people from different social and economic backgrounds to come together and interact, creating a common base that really makes a difference in a community.
This concept is especially important for Glice®. Glice® not only produces plastic ice rinks of the highest quality, but also strives to make a difference for the people and the communities it serves.
Glice® is already present in over 50 countries and yours could be next. Through dedication, hard work and exceptional customer service, Glice® has acquired a large client base from big companies such as Coca Cola, Red Bull, and Base Hockey, to individual family homes. We tailor our synthetic ice rink to best fit the need of our clients.
If you also want a cost-effective, good quality synthetic ice rink in your backyard for this coming summer, contact us today! Our experts will make sure you get all your questions answered and help you choose the right product for your need.
Don’t miss out on the fun in the sun! Call today and get your own Glice synthetic ice rink!
Synthetic ice is not a foreign concept to most people. It has been around for a couple of decades making year round skating possible. However, synthetic ice rinks, also known as plastic ice rinks, never really became popular due to some challenges associated with it. Winter sports therefore, remained a luxury that only countries with icy temperatures could enjoy.
Artificial ice rinks are also often used as an alternative to real or natural ice rinks, but this method is associated with high water and electricity costs and not viable in warmer climates.
In an effort to make these winter sports possible for anyone anywhere at any time, research and development has led to incredible advances that make plastic ice rinks a great alternative for real ice. However, there are some significant challenges that synthetic ice rink creators have to overcome to go from good to excellent.
In this article we will list and analyze the 7 challenges associated with synthetic ice rinks and how to overcome them:
Most synthetic ice rinks use a puzzle or dovetail interlocking system, where the ice pa nels are interlocked horizontally, but not vertically. This can create a vertical shift in the panels causing the ice sheet to be uneven. Since the puzzle connections are long it can also allow dirt or water to enter creating an uneven surface or even shifting the ice panels.
The solution is simple. Using a tongue and roof interlocking system as shown in the picture, the panels can be interlocked horizontally and vertically, making it impossible for them to shift in any direction. This creates a perfectly seamless surface, resembling real ice.
Requires too much Effort to Skate
Low quality synthetic ice can cause friction, leading to an undesirable skating experience and dull skates. Even the slightest friction will disrupt a skaters’ flow. It makes gliding difficult and requires more effort. Athletes waste indispensable energy and for recreational skaters the experience becomes less enjoyable. To guarantee effortless skating, high quality material has to be used to create a synthetic ice rink.
No Ice-Like Response
Many synthetic ice rinks incorporate new technologies to make skating as easy and pleasant as possible. Nonetheless, most plastic ice rinks were not able to create an ice-like feeling on their synthetic ice. It is important to look for premium ice rinks that not only use quality materials and the newest technology, but also really create an ice-like response. Only then can skaters skate to the fullest. It’s not just about gliding and speed, it’s about the feeling and the relationship the skater creates with the ice.
Low quality synthetic ice will cause abrasion and shavings, leaving behind a messy rink, unhappy skaters and a sky-high cleaning bill. To avoid this, premium quality raw materials have to be used. Self-lubrication also adds to the quality of the ice sheet. Self-lubrication means that no chemicals need to be added to the ice panels to create a smooth surface. However, this alone does not guarantee an exceptional performance. Everything, from the quality-grade of the raw materials to the manufacturing process and the formula by which components are added play a role in the quality of synthetic ice rinks.
Skate Blades need to be Re-Sharpened Too Often
To avoid friction and dull blades you need an Ultra Glide Technology with enhanced molecular structure. In many lower quality plastic ice rinks this technology is not incorporated, making skating difficult and in many cases frustrating. Fortunately, there are synthetic ice rinks with ultra glide technology that not only enhance the glide factor but also allow you to have a better grip, resembling real ice rinks and providing the conditions for you to exploit your skating potential.
Unstable Chemical Stability of the Raw Materials
Premium quality is not a luxury. Shopping for cheaper ice rinks will not pay off. The price may look appealing, but the quality will not! When exposed to sun, rain and snow it is likely that a low quality synthetic ice rink will change its color over time and its chemical stability will vary. In addition to UV protection, good quality raw materials are of vital importance to ensure the endurance and unfading quality of synthetic ice. Spend the extra dollar and get a premium quality rink that will last and deliver what it promises making the experience more enjoyable and your investment more worthy!
Also known as the Achilles Heel of synthetic ice rinks. It doesn’t matter how perfectly seamless the surface of your synthetic ice rink is, if the dasher-boards are ugly, or the skates are of low quality, it will make a negative impact. High quality, durable and compatible accessories will make the difference!
Despite the many challenges listed above, synthetic ice rinks are becoming more popular and have some significant advantages over conventional ice rinks. They can be used 24/7 without having to be re-surfaced every few hours; the gliding factor is much more consistent than that of real ice, which starts at a 100% but reduces to about 80% after only a few hours of usage. It is environmentally friendly and much more economical than real ice, eliminating the cost of water and electricity that real ice rinks require.
Ice hockey in the backyard on a hot summer day can finally be a reality. If gliding on ice is what you want, Glice® is what you are looking for. Glice® delivers the most realistic synthetic ice rinks and is preferred by pros and experts. It uses high quality raw materials and implements the newest technologies, creating premium quality artificial ice rinks.
Glice® is present in over 50 countries, serving clients such as Red Bull, Coca Cola, and Base Hockey, among others. The personalized service and the global support network that the Glice® team offers its clients complements the first class material they offer.
To learn more about Glice® visit their website and get in touch. Whether it’s for ice hockey, figure skating, curling, or simple entertainment, Glice® will make your dreams a reality.
The quality of the raw materials will also define the longevity and unchanging chemical stability of an artificial ice rink. It also influences the gliding factor and the smoothness of the surface, which is especially important for puck handling and speed in ice hockey.
Synthetic ice rinks offer a cost-effective high quality solution to this ever-growing problem. Many professionals and experts have so far hesitated to consider this options because of some 
.
