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International Copier Exchange, or ICE, specializes in digital copiers across the gamut of brands—from Ricoh, Sharp, Konica, Canon, Savin and Toshiba, to your brand. “We carry everything,” says Peter Resnick, co-founder and president of ICE.

So, if you are in the market for a copier, perhaps it’s time to contact the 10-year industry veteran to see if ICE has what you’re looking for in their combined 75,000-sq.-ft. facilities strategically located across the U.S. ICE services customers from coast to coast with facilities located in California, Texas, and Missouri.

What’s more is how they will be servicing customers in the future with finance options (see end of “Products” section). “We will be the only wholesaler in the country to offer some unique financing on used equipment,” says Resnick. While this will include select machines, ICE is focused on getting dealers what they need, when they need it. In fact, ICE has set up a system where dealers can do just that.

Product Profiling to Fit your Needs

ICE sets up a profile with companies with specific needs. ICE understands that many dealers need a certain type of machine, or have unique requirements for a certain account. That’s why they have implemented a computer “matchmaking” system to match machines that come into inventory with the dealers that may be looking for the particular features of that machine.

This is how it works: First, dealers tell ICE what they are looking for—the make/model, meter restrictions, accessory requirements, etc. Once this is set, ICE uses its matchmaking program to pull up machines that fit that dealer’s parameters. Also, as ICE gets new equipment in, they can contact the dealer and let them know that they have something that might interest them.

“I like to say that we are an extension of a customer’s purchasing department,” Resnick says. “Instead of having somebody in your purchasing department spend eight hours on the phone all day looking for used equipment, we set up the company profile on the front end of the computer. We know exactly what you want as it lands, and we will literally call you on a weekly basis to tell you what we have that meets your criteria.”

He went on to say this about the contact service: “It’s information that only pertains to [that customer], not just a mass quantity of information that doesn’t even pertain to them. It’s very specified to what they want.” The system is set up to search all three facilities, so that customers have ICE’s maximum inventory available—usually 3,000-4,000 machines.

And if they don’t have what you need, they will make it for you. For instance, if ICE has a machine but it doesn’t have the accessories that you want, or it needs to be modified in some way, they will make the necessary adjustments that you require.

“That’s what our strong suit is—catering to dealers’ specific needs,” says ICE co-founder Andy Bongar. “A lot of wholesale distributors sell equipment as is, where it is and what it’s like. We go over and above to add accessories, change accessories—we will really cater to a dealer’s specific needs.”

“If you need five machines with print boards, five machines with fax boards and pedestals, or whatever it happens to be,” he adds, “we will configure it to meet the needs of the dealer.”

To meet these needs, though, ICE applies quality control procedures that reveal everything about each machine in a complete assessment report. ICE’s QC procedures go into action as soon as a new machine arrives. The machine immediately goes through a strict audit process where everything is evaluated

First, the mechanical condition is evaluated and rated. Then, the cosmetic condition is thoroughly appraised and logged into the report. They look to see if the machine has all its accessories, and if they are in working order. Then, they clean the machine. Finally, they test the over-all working condition of the machine.

“We make sure that it is not passing a code and is passing a copy,” says Bongar. “We accurately represent all of our machines, each machine gets its own report.

So, no matter what kind of copier you need, or what requirements you have, ICE is looking forward to servicing all your copier needs. As for pricing, while the more machines you buy the bigger discount you get, Bongar says his prices are competitive whether you bbuy one or one hundred.

Even so, look forward to ICE’s used-machine financing.

“Soon, we are going to be providing some lease options on specific machines that will match new machine sales,” Bongar adds. “With these interest rates and the financing—whether it be fair market value or dollar buy-out—we’re going to be able to provide some finance options on specific machines for dealers to be able to use in selling to their customers. Just like a dealer does with their new inventory manufacturer, ICE will be able to create the same type of finance options with used equipment.”

ICE Beginnings

ICE was started in 1996 by Andy Bongar and Peter Resnick. They were regional copier sales representatives for a copier wholesale distributor—and both were the lead sales people in their divisions. “We had been in the industry about five years, and we looked at each other and said, ‘Why are we doing this for somebody else when we could do it ourselves?’ ” Resnick recalls.

And so, the duo founded ICE. Their niche market was high-end, hard-to-find copiers. “We only sold high-end,” Resnick says. “The latest model, lowest-meter equipment—the best equipment that dealers needed to find. We made a name for ourselves just by filling the niche of being the go-to guys for hard-to-find equipment. And, our customer service was at a much higher level than any other wholesale distributor around.”

They began in a 1,500-sq.-ft. office in L.A.; within six months, they hired their first employee. Over time, they increased the size of the California location twice, going to 5,000 and then 10,000 before today’s 20,000-sq.-ft, facility. Then, they opened up a 35,000-sq.-ft. facility in St. Louis, Mo., in 1999, and 2001 saw the acquisition of a 20,000-sq.-ft. building in Dallas, Texas. All told, their combined square footage is just under 100,000 sq ft.

A Future in Exports

While their future goals are to keep expanding here in the U.S.—with an average growth rate of around 20% since they started—the two also have set their sights on the international market.

Exporting has become a large, more common part of ICE’s business: containers and trailers are filled with machines bound for Asian or South American markets. “The more equipment we get in our facilities on a consistent basis, the more we can help our exports,” Resnick says.

To expand his export business, Resnick adds he will continue to do more of the same. “There are international advertising opportunities,” he says. “But honestly, word of mouth is what’s helped the most. When buyers like that hear about companies that have the product, they seek you out as well.”

“As long as you have a good reputation and you’ve been around long enough [to make contacts], you will succeed,” Resnick says. “The guys that are doing well in his business are the guys that have lasted a long time.”

Contact ICE:

ICE—Los Angeles
7833 Canoga Ave.
Canoga Park, CA 91304
888-423-2679 (toll free)
Andy Bongar

ICE—Dallas
4134 Billy Mitchell Dr.
Addison, TX 75001
866-503-2679 (toll free)
Greg Zander

ICE—St. Louis
4330-E. Rider Trail North, Bldg. D
Earth City, MO 63045
800-933-2374 (toll free)
Marge Davis

By Jamie Hamilton— in addition to writing business profiles in ENX, Jamie writes and designs ads, brochures, catalogs, newsletters, and manuals for companies in the imaging industry. She can be contacted at: Tel/ Fax 502-896-1051 or e-mail her at: jamiewriter@hotmail.com.

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