A proud past,
A promising future

No matter what changes, our success comes from focusing on customer needs.

IN IT FOR THE LONG RUN

OWNED BY THE
SAME FAMILY SINCE

1924

PREV
NEXT

Our History

We're pretty darn proud of our past. In business since 1893, and owned by the same family for nearly 100 years (1924), we're excited about the 1000's of families we have provided a livelihood for and the 100's of thousands of customers we have served over the last century. Our future looks bright, and we like to think we're just getting started.

1890s › ESTABLISHMENT
1893

Home City Ice Established

Home City Ice is established in Home City Ohio (now Sayler Park, OH), servicing residential customers with home ice delivery prior to the modern refrigerator entering homes.

1924

Sedler family buys into Home City Ice

Frank J Sedler, a refrigeration equipment salesman buys into Home City Ice.  The Sedler family still owns Home City Ice to this day, with the fourth generation beginning to work in the business.

1928

First Acquisition

First acquisition takes place- Aurora Ice (Aurora, IN)

1940

Home City Ice becomes 100% Sedler owned

1950

Company Sales $66,000

1957

First Ice Merchandisers

The first three modern ice merchandisers were purchased for outdoor storage at convenience stores, and the first direct store deliveries (DSD) were made.

1958

Discontinued Home Delivery of Block Ice

1965

Company Sales $165,000

First year to make a profit in almost 20 years after the refrigerator disrupted home ice delivery, forcing a pivot to convenience store delivery

1968

Purchased first 14ft delivery truck

Equipped with a refrigeration unit and liftgate, now one truck and driver can complete a delivery route solo.

1970

Hired First Full-time Mechanic

Dave Shultz was hired as first full-time mechanic to maintain vehicles in house, and to this day each facility has their own facility to keep the fleet in top order.

1972

Poly Ice Bags Introduced

Poly ice bags replaced machined stitched paper bags.  Poly bags are more durable and enable the consumer to see the product before opening.

1972

Inside Ice Merchandising Began

Kroger and other grocers began retailing the product in indoor merchandisers with glass doors, a practice continued to this day.

1975

Company sales exceed $1,000,000

1978

Purchased first computer system - NCR 8150

Internally developed software for routing customers and achieving a high in stock percentage was introduced with this platform

1981

Introduced the Ice Nugget as primary product

Thicker turbo ice in the form of Ice Nuggets replaced cubes, which were a sanitation hazard and expensive to produce.

1986

First Full-time Customer Representative

Greg Geiser moves into a full time customer facing role, creating a department and team to understand customer needs and advocate for them.  He leads this team today.

1990

The Big Bag!

Introduced a second product line of 25lb bags.  This line has become the consumer's package of choice and makes up the majority of sales today.  History has shown this package to increase a retailers sales by 30%.

1990

First Corporate Office Opened

First time back office functions were separated from operations.

1991

$10,000,000 Sales, First Annual Manager's Meeting

For the first time, due to growth and multiple facilities our management staff gathered annually to learn from each other and spread best practices to every facility.  Sales crossed $10mm for the first time.

1994

First CFO/ Controller

Jay Stautberg was hired as the first full-time controller who became the company's first CFO.  He continues in this role today.

1997

Acquired Ice Masters - Lexington KY

1998

Developed Central Equipment Facility

HCI's central equipment facility "Rt. 128" was the first of its kind in the industry.  Merchandisers, trucks and equipment were purchased, stored and rehabbed centrally, allowing ice plants to focus on core duties of keeping up customer service.

2000

Polar Ice Acquisition/ Merger

Acquired Polar Ice Company, 50% of Home City Ice's sales- greatly expanding footprint and facilities.

2001

Company Sales $50,000,000

2002

Moved Into Nashville, TN

Moved operations into Nashville TN after a major retailer requested service, within two weeks of the call. Still a growing market today.

2002

Payment By Scan

Developed the payment by scan platform to give customers more options for payment in their ice program.

2005

New Corporate Office

Moved into current corporate office to accommodate growth.  This building supports our field operations today.

2007

Sales Exceed $100,000,000

2010

HCI Enters Georgia Market

With the acquisitions of Dixie Ice, Sonny's Ice, Mid City Ice, Iceberg and Ballard Brother's, Home City Ice effectively moves into the Georgia market.

2012

HCI Enters St Louis Metro

With the purchase of Mr J's Ice, Consolidated Ice and Baker's Ice, Home City Ice enters the St Louis Metro.

2015

Sales Exceed $150,000,000

2019

Home City Ice Enters Kansas City

In response to customer demand for improved service, Home City Ice enters Kansas City, later purchasing Berry's Arctic Ice in Topeka, and opening distribution points in Kansas City and Wichita.

2020

Home City Ice Enters Iowa

With the purchase of Messershmitt Ice, Home City Ice enters the Iowa market.

2020

Sales Exceed $200,000,000

PRESENT

OUR MISSON

Home City Ice is an industry leading, full service ice company. Our Mission is to improve, continually our product and service to meet and exceed our customer's needs which allow us to grow and prosper as a business and provide value for our stakeholders, which are our customers, employees, suppliers and community.

when good enoughisn't good enough

IPIA

The international packaged ice association is the accrediting organization for packaged ice suppliers. Home City Ice is a proud member.

Perfect Inspections

Home City Ice has more perfect operational inspections over the last decade than any other supplier, and most of the rest of the industry combined.

TOP