Promotional material has started coming out about a Manitowoc announcement at NAFEM. Posters and advertisements are smartly referring to the announcement as 'raising the bar' and creating a 'splash'. So what's the rumor or what are some theories about the upcoming announcement at the food show?
I'm guessing a new product line of undercounter ice makers developed for Bars. Taking this a step further, I'm guessing it may be a new machine that makes the octagon cube found in the SM50 ice machine. People love that larger cube for making mixed drinks, but the SM50A ice maker just does not produce nor hold enough ice to take care of larger bar applications.
Raising the bar refers to a bar application and making a big splash refers to the larger cube. Already Manitowoc has started reintroducing the 'regular' sized cube to their modular ice maker lines. However, as of this posting, the only size cubes available in their undercounter ice machine line, from 130 to 270lb production per day is a half dice or dice cube. There is room for a different style cube in a larger production machine, yet maintaining undercounter characteristics.
Another thing I'm looking forward to from Manitowoc at NAFEM this year is the ability to track information on Indigo ice makers. We've been promised since launch the ability to use software to help diagnose the Indigo series cubers and even remotely monitor performance and service issues. So far Manitowoc has only responded that they are working on it and they are currently still field testing.
NAFEM 2013 should be full of announcements from all the ice maker manufacturers and you can guarantee I'll be there to report on the news.
