Like other industries, food service equipment manufacturers don't hesitate to take increases at the beginning of the year. Manitowoc had an equipment price increase on December 1st, 2012 and will be having an ice maker parts price increase effective January 1st, 2013.
These Manitowoc price increases in the food service division are not a set percentage. Instead, parts and equipment both vary on the increase amount, depending on the product. It's important to stay up to date when quoting out long jobs and confirm with dealers how long their quotes are good for.
As for preparing for the upcoming parts price increase, it's recommended that you stock up on parts known to cause issue in the coming year. For example, having a spare water inlet valve, dump valve, or ice thickness probe is good insurance for quick repairs.
For equipment preparation, I'm afraid that time has already passed, but there are still deals to be had. Check with your vendor to see if they have any old inventory, to negotiate past the recent price increase. Even a few percentage on a couple thousand dollar machine can mean big savings.
In closing, Merry Christmas from those of us at Commercial Ice Talk! We look forward to working within the industry in the upcoming new year.
