Do you really need an Industrial Ice machine for Ice block business?

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Posted by on Wednesday April 4, 2012 9:45:5:

When it comes to ice block production and selling business, a lot of outsiders may think that without those industrial ice making machines, you cannot start the business.
I have seen an ice block seller in Lagos that has a lot of simple upright freezers that still makes millions yearly from selling them.
This person has about 20 freezers and has them attached to a 12 hr generator and this works fine for him.

Ice block machines are quite expensive
If you are new to starting Ice block business, you don't have to buy the traditional Ice machines that cost over N400,000 to N1m but you can buy these upright freezers that cost about N50,000 to N100,000 in the Nigerian market. New ones cost as much as N100,000 while second hand ones cost as low as N50,000 and they still make a lot of good money with them. The only thing that upright freezers require is that you pack your water first into nylon satchets before freezing the water unlike ice machines where the water is packed in metal cans.

Ice block machines require expert maintenance which is scarce
I know someone who bought an ice machine and this required periodic maintenance which was not profitable for his businesses. Then with unreliable power from Nepa, it makes the investment almost a waste due to generators and diesel costs. Besides, there are not many efficient engineers who really know how to maintain or repair those machines since it is not commonly used in Nigeria. The freezers that are mostly sold in open markets in Nigeria can easily be repaired and last longer. Ice machines also consume a lot of power and require periodic changing of the antifreeze chemical.

Some disadvantages of using industrial Ice block machines in Nigeria are
- Scarcity of skilled maintenance engineers
- Requires periodic changing of antifreeze
- Can cause frostbite when extracting ice blocks
- Scarcity of brand new machines available in Nigeria
- Draws much power and fuel from generators

Features of using upright freezers in ice block productions
- Requires nylons for packaging the water that is to be frozen
- Takes about 2 days to form blocks of ice
- Requires less electricity
- Higher availability of maintenance engineer and spare parts
- Requires manual labour for loading and offloading the blocks.

Ice block business is booming in Lagos
I don't know of other places for now but in Lagos, Ice blocks are sold for as high as N150 to N200 although some also sell for as low as N50. Demand far outweighs supply and the inefficient power supply by Nepa is helping sellers make a lot of money from it. Think of it, if your upright freezers produce 15 units of ice blocks daily, that gives you N1500 for N100 each and if you have up to 10 of such upright freezers, you could be making over N300,000 for 20 days in a month.



Comments:
Re: Do you really need an Industrial Ice machine for Ice block business? Reply by oludare on Friday May 25, 2012 at 11:50:30:

i need one fairly used imported industrial ice block machine that uses moulds. Pl call me on 08189427600.



Re: Do you really need an Industrial Ice machine for Ice block business? Reply by Bonnie on Wednesday June 6, 2012 at 8:16:0:

Dear sir,
How are you?
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Re: Do you really need an Industrial Ice machine for Ice block business? Reply by Ajagunmo Abiodun on Monday July 2, 2012 at 19:56:3:

From my little experience on ice block business, one need ice block making machine ,upright freezer takes nothing less than 5 days to form a solid ice block,i know of a reliable engineer who construct the machine,the machine is reliable and can serve as long as 7 yrs, i do sell the machine and im also making use of one of the machine to produce ice block for sale, the business is a bit slow now because of the rain, it will surely pick up when rain stop. l can be contacted on 08033284591 for any interested person on the machine


Re: Do you really need an Industrial Ice machine for Ice block business? Reply by Ifeanyi on Monday July 30, 2012 at 8:14:1:

Please, will you have an idea of making pop corn and what it could cost in setting it up?
Please kindly reply via mail Cassarola2001@yahoo.com


Re: Do you really need an Industrial Ice machine for Ice block business? Reply by Bibi on Sunday September 2, 2012 at 1:39:17:

Please i have interest in starting up this kind of business/factory, but dont know how to go about it.
I need an advice, how to go about it, what to expect, advantages and disadvantages etc...
I would be so grateful to find a helper.
Bibisworld_u@yahoo.ca



Re: Do you really need an Industrial Ice machine for Ice block business? Reply by smartbiz on Thursday March 14, 2013 at 8:7:39:

I think the business is good to start as a venture. However it needs a great deal of commitment to make it bearing the overhead cost.Provided one get a good manucfacturer, possession of industrial ice making machine is not a luxury for this kind of business in the long run.I urge young graduate to thouhtfully consider wealth creation as alternative to paid employment where they are enslaved.



Re: Do you really need an Industrial Ice machine for Ice block business? Reply by adigun aderemi on Monday November 18, 2013 at 14:1:35:

How can d chest or upright freezer be used and stored for ice block.




Re: Do you really need an Industrial Ice machine for Ice block business? Reply by adigun aderemi on Monday November 18, 2013 at 14:1:35:

How can d chest or upright freezer be used and stored for ice block.






Comments:
Re: Do you really need an Industrial Ice machine for Ice block business? Reply by sunday Adaramola on Saturday December 27, 2014 at 16:10:8:

Pls,i have a marchine of about 200 capacity, the major problem am facing is that it took about 30 hours before it performed. And a friend introduce to me a chemical call antifreeze, and I don't know where to get it.



Re: Do you really need an Industrial Ice machine for Ice block business? Reply by Felix Okoli on Saturday December 27, 2014 at 16:10:8:

It's normally an important part of those ice making machines. I think it's calcium chloride salt which will normally be mixed with water to form anti-freeze. You can get them from industries in Lagos. I don't know where specifically but they sell them in markets.


Re: Do you really need an Industrial Ice machine for Ice block business? Reply by freeman paul on Thursday January 22, 2015 at 24:51:13:

i am having a small shop and i need an ice machine which is small that could stay inside without stress also with cheaper rate