We all can agree, investing in an ice rink can be a huge investment, so how do you create a community venue, like a skating rink, on a tight budget?

This was a real challenge for a local church in California. They had their hearts set on providing a skating rink for their members and locals to use, wanting to build a great atmosphere for families and their community to come together and enjoy.  How do you do that on a low budget?  How do you maintain or install products you know nothing about?  These were all real challenges for them to overcome and it all started with research.

The price point between synthetic ice and a real ice rink was the first big selling feature.  Synthetic ice is far more affordable, not to mention the maintenance is almost non existent in comparison to real ice.  We generally advise that synthetic ice surfaces are cleaned daily, however when compared to hourly for a refrigerated surface, it saves both money and time. Synthetic ice rinks do not require the use of electricity or water and therefore don’t require the use of chillers or heavy equipment for maintenance; perfect for venues where noise could change the atmosphere that is trying to be created.

There are certainly huge savings in the price point between the two, both for installing and maintaining synthetic ice versus real ice, however this church was still not able to fund a purchase.  Beyond that, they knew very little about synthetic skating material and when researching various companies online the information seemed confusing and it was hard to differentiate one firm from another.

When they reached out to us, we were more than happy to work with them and come up with an affordable rental package that fit their needs. We collaborated on installation resources and the church community showed up to lend a helping hand and did really tremendous work.

SmartRink is proud to support communities through positive experiences by creating cost effective community recreation spaces that can be enjoyed by all for years to come. This is the SmartRink difference.

After being a returning SmartRink rental package customer for two years and many thousands of happy skaters later, it was exciting to see this client attract some funding to purchase a SmartRink for their community to enjoy for years to come! We are not surprised they got funding, as they are among the nicest clients we have ever worked with!

The best decision SmartRink ever made was partnering with OKULEN as their exclusive synthetic ice production facility.

Based out of Ahaus, Germany, OKULEN is a world class synthetic ice manufacturer whose materials are engineered only for skating purposes. They complete in house research, development and engineering to maintain the worldwide reputation, that is in our opinion, definitely deserved!

There are many manufacturers throughout North America and worldwide who use a inferior, extruded polyethylene material that just doesn’t meet the Smartrink quality standards for GLIDE, PERFORMANCE and DURABILITY. As a result, consumers can be left disappointed with products that simply do not meet expectations.  

What’s so different about OKULEN?

OKULEN uses only premium grade Very High Molecular Weight Pe resin as raw material. Only SINTER pressing is capable of using grades of this quality.

What is Sinter pressing?

Sinter pressing is a process that uses extreme hot and cold pressure to ensure an extremely dense material. OKULEN has a meticulous DIN ISO9001 quality system in place, which consistently produces an exceptional skating panel every time! The process ensures no gaps or air pockets, only a solid homogeneous sheet. During the process the material is de-stressed so that it always lies flat.

Smartrink companies and OKULEN have been in partnership for almost 30 years. It is our opinion that they are the finest manufacturer of engineered plastic in the world. They do not compromise on quality. Ever.

We pride ourselves in delivering only the best products to our clients and we value the importance of educating them to make informative decisions, regardless of who they purchase from.  Therefore, we continue to partner with OKULEN, giving our clients the quality product they deserve and trust!