| Synthetic ice is a perfect concept which can save | | | | connection system of the panels has to be tight, |
| millions of tons of CO2 worldwide and allow people to | | | | seamless and effective, not allowing the panels to be |
| enjoy skating without tremendous energy expenses. | | | | loose. There are different system in the market. |
| However, there are nowadays many suppliers, seller | | | | 5.) None toxic ingredients: some suppliers use toxic |
| and resellers of synthetic ice in the market with varying | | | | material such glycol for the gliding liquid which can be |
| qualities. This is creating confusion among synthetic ice | | | | harmful for children and the environment. |
| buyers. Since the concept is new, many buyers do | | | | Choosing the right supplier: |
| not know which factors are important when selecting | | | | 6.) Good References: The supplier should have |
| the right product. | | | | extensive experience building synthetic ice rinks, |
| Therefore, the objective of this synthetic ice buyer's | | | | especially the type, size and use you plan to build. Find |
| guide is to provide help in the buyer's decision process | | | | out about the competence of the clients buying the |
| to make sure they choose the right product and | | | | product, the more expert they are, more you can trust |
| supplier. | | | | the product they have bought. Talk with clients who |
| Choosing the right product: | | | | have bought the same solution. |
| 1.) Low Coefficient of friction: This is the single most | | | | 7.) Rink Management experience. The supplier has to |
| important attribute of synthetic ice. The lower, the | | | | be competent in the field of rink management and |
| better the quality of your ice rink. This has 3 main | | | | provide help and consulting, especially when there is no |
| effects :a. High gliding ability: It has to be as close to | | | | experience on the side of the buyer. Find out if the |
| conventional ice as possible. Gliding ability is what | | | | supplier has people on staff with rink management |
| makes ice skating a fun sport, you feel weightless and | | | | experience. This will make sure that your project will |
| can slide without effort. If people don't have that much | | | | be successful beyond installation. |
| fun skating, you will have less repeating customers, no | | | | 8.) Providing Turnkey solutions: The supplier should be |
| word of mouth. Hence, high gliding ability is the single | | | | able to provide a turnkey solution, so that you get the |
| most important key success factor of a skating center | | | | best possible solution and do not waste time and |
| and guarantees higher revenue.b. Low usage of skate | | | | money finding out what you need to do, what you |
| blades: lower quality synthetic ice have increased | | | | need to have and where you get it. |
| friction which means that your skate blades will be | | | | 9.) Truly environment friendly: Make sure that the |
| worn off more rapidly and then require frequent | | | | material is 100% recyclable and none toxic. Also check |
| sharpening which lies between every 30 min - 2 hours | | | | how environment friendly is the production, check with |
| the industry average. This means you have to sharpen | | | | supplier if they use renewable or natural energy. |
| each skate several hundred times each month, adding | | | | Furthermore, does the supplier has environment |
| staff cost for sharpening and blade monitoring (rink | | | | certification? Truly ecological is only a product which |
| guards who tell skaters to leave the rink to go | | | | fulfills these criteria. |
| sharpening). Also steadily replacing grinding wheels of | | | | 10.) Good service level: How fast do they respond to |
| the skate sharpener is costly. With the best the best | | | | your questions? How reliable is the information they |
| quality product in the market you will have to do | | | | give you? Remember that you will need the supplier's |
| sharpening maximum once per day (if used none-stop | | | | help and support after the installation and you will |
| 8hrs/day).c. Low panel wear off: The better the quality, | | | | happy if they have the same understanding of service |
| there is less abrasion and shaving off of the panels. | | | | you have. |
| This increases the durability. If the quality of panel | | | | So what are the steps to follow? |
| material is of low quality, skating can produce a lot of | | | | 1.Gathering information: First find out as much as |
| worn-off particles which can produce undesirable | | | | possible about the above the points before you take |
| littering around the rink and in the whole establishment. | | | | up a costly trip to see the supplier. Beware if you don't |
| Also these unwanted particles have been reported to | | | | get clear answers. |
| stick to cloths. The panels have to maintain a clean | | | | 2.Analyze videos: analyze the videos together with a |
| and proper look, without to deep scratches. Even if still | | | | hockey or figure skate expert. At least by video they |
| the ice is still functional, a messy looking rink doesn't | | | | can separate the chaff from the wheat. |
| invite for skating. | | | | 3.Try the synthetic ice: Bring a Hockey/Figure ice |
| 2. The way how the ice responds: So that synthetic | | | | skating expert with you and test the surface. The |
| ice is a true alternative to conventional ice, the ice has | | | | skater has to challenge himself with difficult moves and |
| to responds to the skate movement exactly the way | | | | will notice the quality difference. |
| like ice. For example when doing a hockey stop, many | | | | 4.Try several suppliers: This process will ensure you |
| synthetic ice have a longer trajectory than | | | | find the best product in the market. |
| conventional ice. High quality ice responds like ice with | | | | 5.Go for quality: The synthetic ice surface represents |
| all movements and has the same edge control. | | | | only a minor percentage of the total investment of an |
| 3.) Muscle usage identical to ice: On many synthetic ice | | | | ice rink business. If you pay more for quality surface, |
| rinks, the way muscles are used when skating is | | | | your cost only increases by a few single digits |
| different than on conventional ice. A high quality | | | | percentage. But with higher revenue and lower cost in |
| surface allows the use of the same muscles and in | | | | the long run you will have a more sustainable and |
| the same way. | | | | profitable ice rink business. How is the saying again: "I'm |
| 4.) seamlessness of connection system: The | | | | too poor to buy cheap". |