From the front line to the drive-thru. A Virginia man’s invention helps people who have to work in extreme heat stay cool under pressure.
The ICEPLATE from Qore Performance is a body-shaping ice pack that fits snugly in your backpack.
Company co-founder Justin Lee, who now lives in Northern Virginia, was previously a police officer in San Diego County, patrolling mountains and deserts to avoid heatstroke. He said he realized that if he could release some of the heat his body produced, he could improve his endurance. He quit the police force and took crash courses in apparel design and American manufacturing.
“Normally, the body absorbs the heat it tries to throw away through radiation, conduction, and evaporation,” he explained.
ICEPLATE is now worn by tens of thousands of employees working in the heat. Lee’s customers include the Army, Boeing, FedEx, and several Chick-fil-A franchises, including the Laurel, Maryland franchise.
Impact of ICEPLATE vests on fast food restaurant staffing
For employees who spend hours on tablets in the heat taking drive-thru orders, Icevest is a game-changer.
“They will be able to go out a little longer. Not very often, but they can be replaced,” said franchise owner Richard Plank.
Li said ICEPLATE will increase productivity and most companies will see a return on investment within weeks.
“Without you having to do anything else for your business, we increase the capacity of your workforce pool by about 20-25%. “Because there is no time to waste,” he said.
Lee said the company’s customer list is growing with major fast-food chains.
The company also produced the cooling case ICECASE for the iPad. Lee said he and his partner were surprised when Apple first reached out.
“We thought, ‘Wow, is this really Apple?'” The man said to us, “Hang up, call the 800 number on the website and ask for this extension. ’ had to be said. I’m real ‘And we did, and he was real,’ said Lee.
In addition to vests and iPad cooling cases, the company is looking to develop more fashionable gear, possibly working with sporting goods makers.