Easy Ice acquires OBCO’s ice machine division, expands in Charleston

Easy Ice, a national leader in commercial ice machine subscriptions, has sealed the deal on its latest acquisition: the ice machine leasing division of OBCO Chemical Corporation. OBCO, a Charleston-based provider of janitorial and restaurant supplies for 40 years, will continue to serve business owners in those industries, while Easy Ice will take over their ice machine leasing customer base. This move solidifies Easy Ice’s leadership in the Charleston metro area, one of the fastest-growing markets for ice machine leasing services.

Darren Boruff, Chief Acquisitions Officer at Easy Ice, said, “OBCO’s footprint, combined with our recent investments in the area, allows Easy Ice to be the leader of ice machine solutions in one of the hottest markets in the country. I am remarkably proud of our team and what we aim to accomplish with this addition.” The acquisition comes as part of Easy Ice’s ongoing efforts to expand its commercial ice machine subscription services throughout the Southeast region.

The customer transition is expected to be seamless, with both companies having a history of using Hoshizaki equipment, a leading brand in the ice machine industry. This ensures customers will continue to receive high-quality ice machine service under Easy Ice, which boasts extensive Hoshizaki experience and the most rigorous maintenance procedures in the ice machine leasing business.

Since its inception in 2009, Easy Ice has been instrumental in shifting the American business mindset from owning commercial ice machines to subscribing for all-inclusive services. Currently, Easy Ice manages over 30,000 ice machines across 47 states, and the acquisition of OBCO’s customer base marks a significant step in the company’s strategy to grow its commercial ice machine subscription services further in the Southeast.