Waterloo, Ont.’s Athletica Sport Systems Inc., Burlington, Ont.’s CIMCO Refrigeration and Bradford, Ont.’s Jet Ice Ltd. and Zamboni Company Ltd. have formed the International Rink Manufacturers Association to help safeguard and advance the future of venues that are home to ice sports around the world.

The companies’ collective experience in the industry as a whole and their complementary assortment of products and services ensure that the group will try to represent the best interests of rink operators.

In an industry where recruiting, training and retaining skilled personnel is difficult, a focus of this organization will be to provide continuous learning opportunities and in fostering professional growth. The members of IRMA say they are already providing help through individual courses brought to the arenas and their employees to ensure consistency with product operation and reinforce best practices.