Hoshizaki Corporation has developed two new products: an ice maker that does not require water supply or drainage facilities, and outdoor refrigerators and freezers that can be installed in uncovered outdoor locations. The products will be released sequentially through Hoshizaki sales companies from late June.
The cube ice maker, compatible with water supply and drainage units, was developed for use at event venues, construction sites, sports events, offices, factories, schools and restaurant customer areas. Hoshizaki said installation had been limited in places where nearby water supply and drainage facilities were unavailable or construction work could not be carried out.
The system combines the ice maker with a water tank unit and a forced drainage unit. Hoshizaki applied technology developed for tea dispensers to the water tank unit and shared parts with tea dispensers. Drainage uses a drain-up method. The ice type is cube ice, described in the source as hard and slow to melt, for beverages, ice bags and icing applications.
The lineup includes six cube ice maker models with daily ice production capacity of 25 kg to 45 kg (approx. 55 lb to 99 lb). The representative IM-25P-PT model measures 395 × 450 × 770 mm (approx. 15.6 × 17.7 × 30.3 in). The units use natural refrigerant R600a, isobutane, or R290, propane. Sales are scheduled to begin in early July.
Hoshizaki also developed its first outdoor refrigerators and freezers for use in uncovered outdoor environments. They can be installed where ambient temperatures range from minus 20°C to 38°C (minus 4°F to 100°F), and sales are scheduled to begin in late June.
For the outdoor products, Hoshizaki said it conducted strict quality testing. The design includes high waterproof performance, a compressor with higher cooling performance than standard commercial refrigerators, white coated steel sheets that absorb less heat, a tightening handle to reduce the risk of a door being left ajar, a structure that allows a padlock to be attached, and special screws for security and tamper prevention.