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“We’re focused on scalability, making improvements with an eye toward increasing our sales. “We’re still a small shop building custom machines,” said Gunn. That can allow rinks to hire operators who aren’t necessarily experts at creating a sheet of ice.”įinally, Zamboni is bringing manufacturing innovations as well. The Level Ice System uses laser leveling to automate the machine’s blade to make a perfectly level ice sheet. That can help prevent a less experienced operator from adding too much water and other actions that might raise a rink’s utility costs. Things like our FastICE System can automate those settings based on an experienced operator’s inputs. “Making good ice is an art, getting the right blade depth and amount of water applied. “More automation makes it easier for less-experienced operators,” said Mike Zamboni. Other innovations are aimed at addressing the talent crunch and further improving ice quality and facility management.

Their first commercial electric machine, the Model 550, was rolled out all the way back in 1976. That was the company’s very first Games, where they supplied a total of six machines, including the two electric ones and a unique three-wheeled machine for tight rink corners. “We debuted our first electric machines in 1960, at the Olympics in Squaw Valley, ” Mike Zamboni said. While electric vehicles are all the rage for every application today, Zamboni was an early pioneer. In addition to the constant mechanical improvements that have been made to the machines over the decades, Zamboni has driven much bigger changes. “I see that same innovative spirit in our engineering team and with our manufacturing staff.” Frank Zamboni passed away in 1988, but his team has continued on the path he forged. “My dad was always challenging himself and his staff to make the existing product even better,” said Richard Zamboni. Image courtesy Zamboni Company.įrank’s penchant for improving his machines never left him, and he infused his company with that ethic. “We spend a good part of our day protecting our trademark,” Coony added.) That’s a big no-no when it comes to defending brand identities. As Charlie Brown himself said, “There are three things in life people like to stare at: a flowing stream, a crackling fire, and a Zamboni clearing the ice.” (The company would prefer that not even a cartoon character use their brand name generically like that, though.

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“It became like a mascot-some rinks even dress it up that way.” The brand would appear in Charles Schulz’s timeless Peanuts comic strip a full 48 times. “There was a Zamboni Happy Meal toy, a Zamboni PEZ dispenser, and a Zamboni Matchbox vehicle,” said Paula Coony, Zamboni’s Brand Manager.

The humble ice resurfacer slowly worked its way into the national psyche. Zamboni picked up the official endorsement of the National Hockey League, and has had a presence at most Winter Olympic Games since 1960. That trend would only accelerate in subsequent decades.

That was the company’s 37 th machine, since ice rinks around the U.S. The 1956 Model F was the first built on a stripped Jeep frame, took on the basic appearance that most people think of today when they think of the brand. Through the 1950s, Frank continued to refine his designs. Soon the rival Ice Capades show became a customer as well, and business took off.

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Frank’s dogged pursuit of the show became a catalyst for his success, though, because Henie’s subsequent travel with her own Model B became a free national marketing campaign for Zamboni-and eventually an international campaign when the show bought a second machine for its overseas performances. Louis, where Henie had been scheduled to perform but where her show had been canceled. “After he built the resurfacer,” explained Richard Zamboni, “he placed all the machine parts in a trailer and proceeded to drive the Jeep pulling the trailer to Chicago.” In fact, he’d gone to Chicago by way of St. She made a stop at Paramount Iceland to practice, saw the Model A, and immediately wanted an ice resurfacer to take with her on the road. Henie was a Norwegian Olympian figure skater who’d gone on to star in her own traveling ice show. Figure skater Sonja Henie and the Zamboni Model B.