Glice Eco Skating Rinks

What Glice Eco Skating Rinks does

Glice AG, founded in 2012 and headquartered in Lucerne, Switzerland, manufactures modular synthetic ice rinks built from polymer panels treated with its proprietary StellarGlide self-lubricating surface technology, with production based in Germany and a US office in Niwot, Colorado. The company has shipped panels to 3,000+ installations across more than 100 countries and operates with approximately 100 employees worldwide.

The product portfolio spans residential-grade 10mm Home panels, professional 13mm and 20mm Pro panels, purpose-built formats for hockey training centers, curling, and eisstock (stock sport), plus custom builds for events and large venues. The technology has been independently validated by the Fraunhofer Institute (May 2024) and selected through CCM Hockey Lab's blind skating test, with showcase presence at the 2026 NHL Sport Innovation Conference, the 2026 Winter Olympics House of Switzerland in Cortina, and the ISU World Congress. Glice sells direct and through distributors into municipal facilities, hockey clubs and academies, hospitality chains (Fairmont, Hyatt, Four Seasons, Kempinski), retail destinations (Westfield), events, education, and residential buyers, and monetizes each installation further through an accessory ecosystem (dasher boards, skates, cleaning equipment, sharpening), FlatPack storage, a Rink Manager Certification program, a rental and event channel, and a Skate for the Planet ESG program that has planted 170,000+ trees.

Name

Glice Eco Skating Rinks

Legal name

Glice AG

Website

https://glice.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Glice AG is a Swiss-engineered manufacturer of modular synthetic ice rinks using proprietary polymer panels, serving hockey clubs, municipalities, hotels, retail venues, events, and residential buyers across 100+ countries with German manufacturing and a growing accessory and rental ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Synthetic Ice Rinks / Sports Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Rinks & Winter Sports Facilities (MPAKAEAG)

Keywords

• Synthetic ice rinks
• Ice skating surfaces
• Hockey training systems
• Curling rink equipment
• Polymer skating panels

Headquarters

HQ city

Lucerne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Synthetic Ice Panel Sales: Sale of polymer ice panels in various thicknesses (Home 10mm, Pro 13mm, Pro 20mm) with different warranty periods. Core product revenue stream.
2. Complete Rink Systems: Full turnkey packages including panels, dasher boards, skates, skate racks, cleaning systems, and accessories. Available in multiple configurations (Hockey Center, Pro Rink, Recreational, Curling, Eisstock, Custom, Home).
3. Rental Rinks: Rental of complete turnkey synthetic ice rink packages for seasonal activations. Standard fleet uses refurbished previous-generation panels; new panels available on request. Demand peaks September-January.
4. Professional Services: Installation supervision, staff training, and Rink Manager Certification included with purchase. On-site Glice supervisor guides local team through first installation.
5. Glice Care Products: Surface nourishment product for periodic application to extend service life of heavily used rinks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Glice Eco Skating Rinks designs, manufactures, and installs modular synthetic ice rink systems built from self-lubricating engineered polymer panels with proprietary StellarGlide technology. The company sells complete rink configurations for professional hockey, recreational skating, curling, Eisstock, events, and residential use, eliminating the need for refrigeration, water, or electricity. Panels are manufactured in Germany and assembled into turnkey or custom installations for commercial and consumer buyers.

Product overview

Glice offers a comprehensive portfolio of Swiss-engineered synthetic ice rink systems built on modular polymer panel technology with StellarGlide. The product line spans from residential (Glice Home Rink with 10mm panels) to professional installations (Glice Pro Rink with 13mm/20mm panels), with specialized configurations for hockey training (Glice Hockey Center featuring Skatemill and Interactive Shooting Target), curling (Glice Curling Rink with curling stones), Eisstock (Glice Eisstock Rink), and custom builds. The Complete Recreational Rink provides a turnkey package including panels, rink boards, skates, cleaning system, sharpener, and storage. Rental options and Glice FlatPack storage solutions offer flexible deployment. Core differentiators include self-lubricating sintered panels, tongue-and-groove connections, Crease Embedded Technology for permanent markings, and Rink Manager Certification for operational excellence.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• StellarGlide: Breakthrough technology used in Glice synthetic ice panels for enhanced glide performance.
• Crease Embedded Technology
• Glice FlatPack
• Rink Manager Certification
• Skate for the Planet

Products and services

• Glice Pro Rink

Quantifiable outcome

• 52% lower friction coefficient than next-best synthetic ice competitor (Fraunhofer IWM tribometer testing)
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Trees for the FuturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Skate for the Planet reforestation program. For every panel produced, a tree is planted. 170,000+ trees contributed to verified reforestation. Trees for the Future is a UN World Restoration Flagship project. Provides verified ESG line item for customer sustainability reporting.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWMcoreTechnology or IntegrationIndependent third-party testing partner validating Glice performance metrics. Testing conducted at Fraunhofer IWM in Freiburg, Germany - specialists in tribology, surface science, and material characterisation. Confirmed 52% lower friction, 45% less blade sinking, and 6% less abrasion than competitors.
• CCM HockeyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCM Hockey Lab selected Glice in a blind skating test as the synthetic ice for the world's largest Hockey Lab in Montreal. CCM is a leading hockey equipment manufacturer.
• International Skating Union (ISU)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerChosen to demonstrate the future of figure skating at the 2026 ISU World Congress. High-profile validation from global figure skating governing body.
• NHL (National Hockey League)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected as a breakthrough in hockey technology at the 2026 NHL Sport Innovation Conference. High-profile validation from the premier professional hockey league.
• Swiss Olympic Committee / House of SwitzerlandflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected by House of Switzerland to showcase synthetic curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina. National showcase of Swiss innovation.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Xtraice: Spanish manufacturer of synthetic ice rink panels and turnkey systems, widely considered Glice's most direct global competitor. Competes head-to-head on hockey training, residential, and commercial synthetic ice installations across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
• KwikRink: North American synthetic ice rink manufacturer offering modular polymer panels for hockey training and recreational skating. Direct competitor in the US and Canadian markets with overlapping customer segments in hockey academies and home installations.
• PolyGlide Ice: Synthetic ice panel manufacturer producing self-lubricating polymer panels for hockey and figure skating applications. Competes with Glice on panel technology, glide performance, and price point across consumer and enterprise channels.
• SmartRink: Canadian synthetic ice rink manufacturer offering modular panel systems for hockey training facilities and residential rinks. Comparable product architecture and target market overlap with Glice's North American business.
• EZ Glide Ice Rinks: US-based synthetic ice rink supplier offering polymer panels for hockey, figure skating, and recreational use. Smaller-scale direct competitor primarily focused on North American SMB and residential customers.
• Skate Anytime: Synthetic ice rink manufacturer and installer serving residential and commercial markets. Competes with Glice on home rink installations and small-to-mid commercial deployments.
• Ice-Skating International: Synthetic ice supplier serving commercial, residential, and event customers with modular panel rinks. Comparable offering to Glice in lower-volume, project-based deployments.

Broad incumbents

• Athletica Sport Systems: Designer and manufacturer of dasher boards, glass, and rink equipment for both refrigerated and synthetic ice facilities. Adjacent incumbent serving the broader ice rink infrastructure market with overlapping components Glice bundles (boards, accessories).

Emerging players

• HockeyShot: Hockey training equipment retailer expanding into synthetic ice surfaces and training aids. Adjacent player targeting the same hockey training customer base with complementary (rather than competing) product offerings.

Others

• CCM Hockey: Leading hockey equipment manufacturer and partner/customer of Glice via CCM Hockey Lab. Not a direct competitor, but a key ecosystem player whose equipment is used on Glice surfaces; relevant for understanding the hockey training market structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Glice Eco Skating Rinks