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"The current pandemic situation is increasing the importance of dry ice in Qatar"

ASCO spoke to Jaison Thomas, manager of the "Crystal Dry Ice Factory" in Doha, Qatar. The newly established company, part of the Al-Diyar Group, produces dry ice using two ASCO BP420i dry ice machines. The core business of the Crystal Dry Ice Factory is the production of dry ice for various industrial applications for airlines, factories, the automotive industry, restaurants, etc. ASCO is keen to find out more about the local dry ice market, what the upcoming FIFA World Cup means for them, and why dry ice is important in motorsport.

Which sectors do you focus on?

Crystal Dry Ice Factory is currently focusing exclusively on dry ice distribution in Qatar. As a dry ice supplier, we supply the airline, logistics companies, the pharmaceutical industry, restaurants and cafés.

 

How much dry ice do you produce per week? Do you produce more pellets or blocks?

We currently produce around 6 tonnes of dry ice blocks and 1 tonne of dry ice pellets per week.

 

What are your plans for the coming months/years regarding dry ice production?

We cannot reveal our entire plan, but we look forward to benefiting from the demand for dry ice in the future, as the current pandemic situation is driving up the importance of dry ice in cold chain logistics.

 

In which sectors are your main customers for dry ice blasting?

The dry ice blasting cleaning method in the food sector has many advantages over conventional cleaning methods. The food industry is certainly one of our main customers for dry ice. We also have experience with blasting requirements in the plastics industry, as this sector also requires precision and residue-free cleaning.

 

To what extent does Crystal Dry Ice Factory supply dry ice to ensure the safe and efficient distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine?

Unfortunately, the distribution of the vaccine in Qatar is handled directly by the government, but we have offered our support in the fight against Covid-19 through our dry ice supply should it be required.

 

What are your plans regarding the supply of dry ice for the FIFA World Cup, which will take place in Qatar in 2022?

Hosting the World Cup is a source of pride for any country, and we are delighted that Qatar has been given the opportunity in 2022. It is expected that dry ice will only be required for the opening ceremony and the victory celebrations. We are therefore focusing on the presentation and the possibility of dry ice blasting at the event. There is a unique spot-cooling technology to cool the interior of the stadium, so dry ice is not required inside the stadium.

 

Qatar is known as a hot country: is dry ice used for fishing, outdoor picnics, etc.?

Yes, dry ice is used here for cooling during the transport of goods, particularly ice, fish, meat and poultry.

 

Do hotels use dry ice to present their specialities for their buffets, or is dry ice used more for catering and the transport of food?

Yes, hotels and catering companies mostly use our dry ice for food presentation, but also for transport.

 

Do you have a specific application for dry ice available in Qatar?

Dry ice is used in the motorsport industry in Qatar to draw in cold air for engine performance. Other countries have also started using it for this purpose. The locals in Qatar are mad about motorsport, so the demand for dry ice there is greater than in other countries.