Uninterrupted production and clear cost planning: SOL Kohlensäure relies on ASCO Carefree

Thank you very much, Mr Čurčić, for your time! It has been several years since our last interview. Could you please give us a brief overview of the strategic development and direction of SOL Kohlensäure GmbH & Co. KG?
In the years since our last conversation, SOL Kohlensäure has undergone significant strategic development and achieved substantial growth. We have also been able to continuously expand our market presence in the dry ice sector and consolidate our position as a key player. A key step in this development was the merger with SOL Deutschland GmbH, which was completed this year. This merger enables us to offer our customers an even more comprehensive range of services, whilst ensuring our proven quality remains consistently high. As part of the internationally active SOL Group, which was founded in Italy in 1927 and is now represented in over 32 countries with more than 7,000 employees (as of 2024), we are ideally positioned to continue our growth strategy and constantly optimise our services.

What role and significance does the topic of ‘dry ice’ play within the company?
Dry ice is a strategically extremely important and growing business segment for the SOL Group and also for SOL in Germany. We have consistently strengthened this area in recent years by opening further sites and strategically expanding our workforce. To further expand our market position, we have also entered into targeted new partnerships and successfully acquired companies in the dry ice sector. Our future strategy is to further increase the flexibility of our services in order to guarantee our customers the best possible service. To this end, we continue to invest specifically in the expansion of our production sites and in the training of our team. These investments are essential to efficiently meet the rising demand for dry ice, particularly in new application areas.

You use several ASCO machines – including the P55i, BP420i and the APM120 packaging machine – all in the Carefree model. How did you come to choose this setup?
The decision to opt for the ASCO Carefree model and this specific machine setup was based on several strategic considerations. The ASCO machines are in use at various production sites. For us, it was crucial to be able to adapt the machine configuration flexibly to the specific needs of each site, rather than having to adapt our processes to the machines. The Carefree model offers us the maximum flexibility and operational reliability required for this. It enables us to maintain continuous production without having to worry about unexpected downtime or high initial investment costs. This is particularly important for being able to react quickly and efficiently to rising demand. Our positive experiences with ASCO in the past further reinforced this decision.



What were your reasons for choosing the Carefree model for all your machines?
The main reasons for deciding to operate all ASCO machines under the Carefree model lie in ensuring continuous production capability and eliminating significant investment risks. When we entered the dry ice business around six years ago, maximum flexibility combined with the greatest possible reliability was most important to us. The Carefree model ensures this by offering us a fixed monthly price, which allows for maximum cost predictability. This minimises our risk regarding service and repairs and allows us to focus fully on our core business.

What has been your experience with the rental model so far – particularly in terms of service, maintenance and reliability?
Our experience with the ASCO Carefree rental model has been consistently positive. We particularly appreciate the rapid availability of specialist staff in the event of a problem. Although there have been isolated instances of machine breakdowns, these were always resolved competently and swiftly, thereby minimising operational downtime. The service and maintenance included in the rental price, as well as ASCO’s assumption of risk regarding repairs, offer us a high degree of planning security and contribute significantly to the reliability of our production.

Is there anything you particularly value about working with ASCO?
I would particularly like to highlight the personalised service and the high level of expertise of our contacts at ASCO. Communication is always on an equal footing, which fosters a trusting and effective working relationship. When challenges arise, a suitable solution is sought immediately and proactively. This proactive and solution-oriented approach is, for us, a key added value of the partnership.

What future developments do you foresee in the field of CO₂ utilisation and dry ice on the German and European markets?
I expect the market for CO₂ utilisation and dry ice utilisation to develop significantly further. The diversification of CO₂ sources will significantly increase supply flexibility whilst reducing transport costs. This development will also have a positive impact on the dry ice market. Intensive research is currently underway across numerous industries into new, practical applications for dry ice. Based on these innovations and the growing importance of sustainable solutions, I am convinced that the dry ice market will see significant growth in the coming years.

What advice would you give to companies considering starting their own dry ice production or opting for a rental model such as ASCO Carefree?
I strongly advise companies considering starting their own dry ice production or opting for a rental model such as ASCO Carefree to carry out a comprehensive needs analysis and define their long-term strategic goals. As we can confirm from our own experience, the ASCO Carefree model offers considerable advantages, particularly in terms of eliminating high investment costs, maximising cost predictability through a fixed monthly price, and providing high flexibility in the face of fluctuating demand. It eliminates the risk associated with servicing and repairs and enables continuous production. The ability to focus on the core business whilst an experienced partner such as ASCO takes on the technical responsibility is a decisive competitive advantage.