About the Customer:

The Icebox is the UK’s leading ice specialist, renowned for its creativity, dynamism, and innovation in ice sculpture design and ice supply services. Since 1993, they have collaborated with some of the world’s top brands, delivering bespoke ice sculptures, ice bars, and interactive ice experiences that captivate audiences. Their offerings include, live carving displays, event ice solutions and premium bespoke ice cubes for businesses, all crafted to the highest standards. The Icebox has been featured extensively in international and UK press and television, earning multiple awards that recognise their talent across the event and ice carving industry.

The Challenge

Each product starts with a specially made, flawless block of ice. Each block weighs approximately 160kg and by its very nature, is difficult to manoeuvre.

The company required a solution that would enable them to lift the blocks of ice out of the freezers, move them across the factory and down to the lower floor for processing. Additionally, an overhead solution was required to maximise floor space for the large freezers.

The Solution

Piotr Korotkiewicz (Operations Manager) approached the Runners sales team and outlined the requirements of the project. A rough drawing was presented and the Runners team collaborated closely with the client to ensure they had a detailed understanding of the customer needs. The proposed solution was to use the Runners Multirail system.

Multirail is a highly versatile and durable system that can be installed into ceiling supports. Able to take considerable weight, together with the adaptable tracks, meant that it could be shaped to run above the freezers, and terminate directly above the processing bay.

Suitable for industrial environments, the smooth-running components ensures that one person can easily lift the block via a pulley system and then slide the heavy block to the processing bay. This method saves both time and effort. The overhead solution also means that less space is required, thereby allowing more freezers to be installed within the factory.

Implementation Process

The proposed solution was designed to meet the client’s exact needs and specification. From the initial contact, the solution was identified and proposed within 8 days. The full kit for the system was then shipped to the client within 5 days.

This provided the client with everything they needed to install the system and have it up and running in very little time.

 Results & Benefits

• Increased Efficiency: One person is easily able to lift and move the large blocks of ice to the required space above the processing bay.
• Ease of use: The Multirail system negates the need for bulky wheeled cranes that would otherwise be required to lift and move the ice.
• Improving revenue growth with higher capacity: Because the large blocks of ice are moved above the freezers, this save both time and space. This method allows the aisles to be narrower because no machinery is required to move between them. Therefore, this has provided more space for the freezers.
• Time Savings: Reduced time spent on lifting and moving the blocks of ice, whilst also providing additional safety for the employees.

Piotr Korotkiewicz Operations Manager at The Icebox: “The Multirail system has been a gamechanger for us, in improving efficiency and helping to increase revenue as we grow the business. The team at Runners really got to the heart of the challenge and were able to create a bespoke solution that was both innovative and affordable.  We have been really pleased with the success and will be expanding the system as the business grows.”

 Key Takeaways

• Challenge: Move heavy loads seamlessly and easily around the factory
• Solution: Implementation of Runners Multirail system
• Results: Time saving and cost efficiencies