Frozen Assets
These chilly towels prove their worth in the battle against the heat.
What: A manufacturer of
ice-cold towels
Who: Mike Fanning and Bill
Sammon of Hima Ice Towel Corp.
Where: Westlake, Ohio
When: April 2002
There's nothing like a hot product--or, in this case, a cold
product with hot sales. Just ask Mike Fanning and Bill Sammon,
founders of the Hima Ice Towel Corp., which sells prepackaged
cotton towels soaked with refreshing mixtures of essential plant
oils that promote evaporation and cooling. Sammon got the idea
after a trip to Asia, where he noticed mothers wiping down their
babies with towels dipped in isopropyl alcohol to cool them off.
With the help of another partner, Koy Thummaskra, Fanning and
Sammon developed their own version of the towels, which come in
different sizes and colors. Says Sammon, "It gives your
average person an affordable luxury in hot climates."
Fanning and Sammon, both 37, marketed the towels, which need to
be frozen for 12 hours prior to use, to amusement parks and
sporting events. The towels sell from $1.29 to $4 each, depending
on the venue. The pair also markets to corporate clients. Now that
2003 sales are expected to hit $3.5 million to $5 million, it's
clear these entrepreneurs have cornered the market on cold
relief.
Content Continues Below
Page 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 