​Peter Hardy, owner of Michigan Clear Ice, has turned off the ice-making equipment and fired up the CNC machines he had around the shop. He's now manufacturing protective face shields.

"I have a background in machining and had received a shipment of plastic for a different project I was working on," Hardy says.

"I was able to come up with a design that the hospitals wanted. It was a pretty easy decision to make."

In a post to the company’s Facebook page, Hardy solicited local suppliers of .020” PETG sheet. The post has since been shared more than 2,000 times.

Customers responded, connecting Hardy with a supplier that had enough plastic to keep him busy for at least the next two to three weeks.

Hardy estimates that the has enough material to make 5,000 face masks.

​Ice might be the most overlooked ingredient of any cocktail recipe. It keeps a drink cold, ensures that it isn’t too stiff, and even alters taste perception.

Clear Ice Makers Market  is estimated to be valued at  USD 2,861.1 billion (sic) by 2025,  registering a  CAGR of 6.27%  during the forecast period. The growth of the foodservice industry and increasing use of clear ice makers in households are the major factors driving market growth. Product innovation is expected to create new opportunities for vendors active in the global market. However, the need for high initial investments is restricting the growth of the market.

Creating Crystal Clear Ice for Drinks is Not as Simple as Just Freezing Water
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HERE’S HOW TWO NEW COMPANIES, ICE CUBED HAWAI‘I AND ON THE ROCK HAWAI‘I, WORK TO MAKE YOUR COCKTAILS EVEN COOLER.

​Tim Stevens did everything he could think of to provide the perfect dram at Lucky Day Whiskey Bar.

He selected specific glasses to best showcase their liquid glories, hired skilled mixologists and curated a collection of 600-odd varieties.

Whether whiskey lovers are in the mood for throwbacks like Cutty Sark ($4 per 1-ounce pour) or esoterica like Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch 4 ($82), when they cross the threshold at 320 Pearl St., it’s their lucky day indeed.

With all that focused precision, though, there was still one variable left uncontrolled: the ice.