Ice Vending Machines

[Texas660]

Anybody have any experiance owning and operating ice vending machines?

[DosToros]

Looked at them many times. Such a big initial investment. Still having trouble making making the numbers work on on paper...

[Mayhem]

I know a guy that owns one on Hwy 60 between Bay City and Matagorda. Makes pretty good money form what he has said. It was a pretty big investment to start but his also sits on the front of his property so that helps him.

[Smithwr]

I looked into them. I wanted the liquid nitrogen one that made something like 200 lbs an hour. By the time I poured the slab bought the machine and ran 4 phase I was going to be into it over $200k. And at that time only techs from Georgia could service them.

[Texas660]

Hmm.. I found a very promising location. Looking for info from someone who has experience operating and maintaining these things.

[sharpstick35]

I've thought about putting one in rocksprings.

[Radar]

I know someone that has 4 of them. All in San Antonio area. He says you can make a little money but you have to do the repairs and maintenance yourself. It gets too expensive to pay someone to do it.

[double bogey]

I know a guy that owns 2. They require constant attention. One of his has a 10k lb a day icemaker. It is a Just Ice machine and has good support. I have worked on the refrigeration and some of the mechanical parts. I also helped him upgrade the cash mechanism for credit cards. I am not sure how, but I got that working for him.

His other machine is a 6.4k lb a day ice machine, and the mfg is out of business and he doesn't get any support. Somehow we have kept it running. This one is a poor design and I expect total failure one day.

He has had issues keeping them going since I have been ill. He makes good money when they run, but like I said, he is constantly having to check on them.

He told me it takes $200k to properly set one up in the city.

The refrigeration part of these machines are Vogt Tube ice machines and are fairly reliable. It is the vending mechanicals and electronics that give him most of the trouble.

[Mike]

I have a customer that owns 4 with his FIL. Both of them are/were plant electricians as well as Data/Communications/CCTV/Security System contractors. I know they go in spurts having to work on them and sometimes it's pretty involved. They would not be profitable if they had to pay someone to perform the labor.

I think if you already own the property, a good location of course, and have water and electric available, then you are a little ahead of the game. Myself, I would not venture out and purchase or lease land for a spot. As an add on business, I think it's feasible.

My pet peeve is all the empty bags slipped over the poles at every one you see these days. I have been told by two owners that they are not in the trash business, meaning they put cans out initially but began collecting everyone's garbage and they just removed the cans.