Scotsman rise to the ice tower challenge

New Ice Tower 56 capable of producing ice non-stop all day

With the demand for ice increasing across the catering and hospitality industries, and trends like self-dispensing “bottomless drinks” sweeping the fast food and family dining sectors, operators are looking for reliable and economical sources of large amounts of ice. However, as pressure on space continues, they also need ice machines that are as compact as possible.

To help meet this demand, Hubbard Systems has launched the Scotsman Ice Tower 56, which is capable of producing 485kg of high-quality nugget ice in a 24 hour period. What’s more, the machine is an undercounter unit, measuring just 539mm(w) X 664mm(d) X 720mm(h), with a counter top dispenser.

Ice is produced in the undercounter portion of the machine. It is then fed upwards through a maintenance free “ice chimney” into a 5kg capacity hopper housed in the tower head. 50g of ice can be dispensed in three seconds. There are two dispensing modes – produce as much ice as required or a set amount with the timer-based option. Factoring in the time required for replacing cups this enables ice to be dispensed non-stop, meaning it should never run out, no matter the demand.

Nugget ice is the driest and hardest form of flake ice. Like other forms of flake ice it is produced at just below 0°C and then compressed to remove residual water, reducing it to as little as 8% of its original volume. The resulting cylindrical nuggets have a slow melt rate, making them ideal for drinks or for display purposes.

As with all Scotsman products, ice quality is assured, with standard features such as a microbial UV control lamp to sterilise incoming water and the integrated mineral and algae filtration system.

The machine is ruggedly constructed to maximise lifespan and has a number of features to ease maintenance and service operations. The side panels, made from scotch-brite finish stainless steel, are all removable for easy access to the internal components. The auger and freezing cylinder are also made from stainless steel and the ice breaker uses a specially strengthened alloy allowing for greater extrusion pressure, enabling incredibly compact ice to be produced.

“The ability to generate ice on demand from such a compact machine is very exciting,” says Simon Aspin, commercial director of Hubbard Ice Systems. “We believe it will have a big impact across the hospitality market.”

For more information on the full range of Scotsman ice machines, and details of local stockists, freephone Hubbard Systems on 0800 616559, call 01473 350045email sales@hubbardsystems.co.uk or visit www.scotsman-ice.co.uk