Geneglace is a French company specialized in the manufacture of flake ice production machines. The company has been recognized for the undisputed quality of its products for more than 50 years. More than 700 machines and storage silos are installed every year all over the world. Flake is is mostly used in food processing.
Interview with Pascal Billaudelle, Area Sales Manager at Geneglace.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Pascal Billaudelle: Geneglace is active all over the world and in France. More than 80% of the turnover is realized in export. Flake ice is popular in all fishing ports and fishing process because it is perfect for the conservation and treatment of the fish but also in all kinds of applications such as bakery process, meat industry and sausage, chemical industry, leisure, or mass distribution, this for direct product cooling or for process temperature control.
E.E: What’s the news about new products/services?
P.B: The principal news on the development on our products is the adaptation due to the legislation modification. Most of refrigerant now will be not useable anymore after the first of January 2025. Only green refrigerant so natural as the CO2, NH3 or propane will be accepted.
In term of service Geneglace is proposing to customers some spare part kits to ensure the development of preventive maintenance.
E.E: What are the ranges of products/services?
P.B: Our generators are to be connected to a refrigeration power plant, the cylinder is vertical, fixed and insulated with a special interior coating, the ” GENECOAT® “. The range is composed of several models with a production of 500kg to 50 tons per day. Specific models for traditional and natural refrigerants such as CO2 and NH3 as well as models for on-board seawater installation.
E.E: What is the state of the market where you are currently active?
P.B: As said, Geneglace is active all over the world so of course geopolitics situation has a direct impact on our business development. For export zone where conflicts are present, customers are waiting before big decision of investment. On another hand, in most of the country food investment is still high.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
P.B: There is contradictory trends as always, investors want to invest in products more and more reliable but also wish to have a very competitive price. This due to internet that brings a lot of possibilities on choice.
Likely Geneglace is recognized for the quality of its products and quality on food reliability is rising all over the world meaning that products entering is process is looked closely.
E.E: What are the most innovative products/services marketed?
P.B: We have developed faithful storage for the flake ice. Ice is a leaving product so the production, the storage and the conveying material to handle it is very specific and developed only by professional like us.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2024?
P.B: 2024 will be probably low because of the general ambiance all other the world with conflict but also with elections in major countries. Anyway, Geneglace is on a niche market that will probably not suffer too much.
