Classeq’s Ice-O-Matic ice machine ready for take off

Ice-O-Matic ice machines meet energy requirements at new East Midlands Radisson Blu

The new five-storey £22million Radisson Blu at the East Midlands Airport has been built to the highest environmental specifications in the UK hotel sector. This means that not only has the build itself been designed to conform with energy saving criteria, but that appliances within the operation also have to gain energy performance certification.

The hotel’s carbon footprint is modelled at 88% lower than required under UK building regulations, its BREEAM rating is ‘Excellent’ and it has achieved an Energy Performance Certificate of 2.

Billed as one of the greenest hotels in Europe, Jason Fish of HK Projects championed the design, procurement and installation of the hotel foodservices. “It was an exciting, challenging project where we needed to specify foodservice equipment that supported the overall green credentials of the hotel. When it came to ice machines we chose Classeq’s Ice-O-Matic ICEO405F and ICEF155

Flaker for their energy-saving features – and they have lived up to our expectations.”

The ICEO405F is a modular cube ice make capable of producing up to 239kg of ice in a 24 hour period, while the ICEF155 is a self-contained flake ice machine with an output of 70kg of soft, chewable flaked ice per 24 hours and a storage capacity of 25kg.

Both machines feature AgION internal antimicrobial coatings to improve hygiene and prevent the build-up of harmful bacteria. This keeps ice tasting fresh and pure, ensuring it is suitable for use in drinks. They are constructed from durable stainless steel with a wipe-clean finish. Harvest assist technology pushes the ice off the evaporator, speeding up production and minimising energy consumption.

The building of the new Radisson Blu should find approval with guests as a recent study by MindClick SGM and Expedia has shown that consumers give better ratings to hotels with programmes in place to improve energy efficiency, conserve water and recycle wherever possible.

Ice-O-Matic machines and storage bins are distributed in the UK by Classeq, part of the Winterhalter UK group. The Ice-O-Matic range includes the ICE Series cube ice machines, which make premium quality cube and half cube ice; flake ice machines, producing high quality flake ice suitable for medical use or for presentation and preservation of fresh meat, poultry and fish, and, pearl ice machines, producing soft, chewable ice crystals. Ice-O-Matic machines are available as modular machines with separate storage bins or as self-contained machines with inbuilt storage.