it Is so rare that snow in Seville, the last time I dyed from white city, in February 1954, had to be a conspiracy weather perfect. Despite the fact that context —or, perhaps, precisely because he, an entrepreneur had the idea of selling ice rinks synthetic, and cheaper by half the world. What is exceptional is that it has gone so well that, in just three years, has gone from a turnover of 200,000 euros to one million —a 245% more— that aims to close this 2019.
Alvaro Falcón is the enterprising 36-year old andalusian who hides behind Unreal Ice, the company that has already managed to be present in 25 countries in Asia, America, Europe, and Africa. And it has achieved from the towns of seville in Tomares, first, and of Santiponce, where now is the headquarters of a company that was founded in 2017. Not even that is the most peculiar of a business that has only two workers, the Falcon and his wife, Marta Toscano, a lawyer and partner.
The success of Falcon and Tuscan is not a casual and fortuitous. The employer knew of the leisure industry and was for years the commercial director at Xtra Ice, a seville-based company is also dedicated to ice synthetic. The entrepreneur was launched to create in 2013 Unreal Island for the marketing of parks inflatable water that remains active. It was three years ago when the entrepreneur took the leap to compete directly in the same market of the company for which he worked.
The firm began to walk with a clear idea, 300,000 euros of investment and an effort that, in good measure, was in detecting those markets in which the ice rinks synthetic were discovered. That was followed by a strong presence in the network and important campaigns of positioning, as he recalls the entrepreneur. “Only 8% of our customers have seen us. The majority makes a leap of faith to find us on the web,” says Falcón.
No factory of its own, another key was coming up with a list of reliable suppliers who could carry out their creations. It is as well as have given a portfolio of 50 manufacturers, each one specializing in particular elements that make up a track. “We wanted the product to be 100% european. 80% of the components are produced in Spain, Italy and Sweden,” explains Falcon. They are the ones that supply the thermoplastic autolubricado with the which are mounted the facilities of what is known as ice synthetic.
The creation takes years of development and refinement, it is ecological because it does not spend energy to keep the cold out of the track and has low maintenance costs. “The first were invented 25 years ago in Canada, and were plates of wood and plastic. When they arrived to Spain, the heat changes made deformasen”, summarizes the businessman.
The low burden of fixed costs has allowed Falcon and Tuscan reduce the sales price of your runs at around 25% with respect to its competitors. About 200 square meters of one of their facilities has a cost of 48,000 euros turnkey and “up with the skates”, explains the head of the company. The reduced cost has been key for blinding and shopping and business centers of leisure, their main buyers. Falcon summarizes your maximum: “how Much more cheap, more happy is the customer.”
With the Christmas-in-progress, are weeks complicated in the company. A few days ago that Falcon returned from Singapore, where he has overseen the installation of his latest track. He has also been in Uzbekistan, where he sold another 1,000 square feet to a city hall. The portfolio of countries include Panama, Thailand or Japan. With them, it has grown exponentially to its billing, which is calculated, will reach the million euros this year. Of its sales, 40% are benefits that entrepreneurs choose to reinvest in the company.
And Unreal Ice has no plans to stop its growth. The company already offers a choice of entertainment on ice, cars crashes on tracks, balls of snow as photocalls or augmented reality games. In addition, the company is expanding its portfolio of distributors-are now present in Panama and the united States – and it raises, in addition to sales, deal with the rental business
