FIVE THOUSAND eye-catching new ice-cream dispensers have just been delivered to Richmond Ice-Cream.

The Leeming Bar company, the UK's largest ice-cream manufacturer, will sell the Nestl Ice-Creamery dispensing machines to retailers throughout the country.

The contract to supply the central chassis was won by Malton Laser, the laser engineering specialists of Malton, and follows Richmond's purchase of the Dairygold Co-operative Society's "Ice-Creamery" business last year.

"We took all the strengths of the previous Ice-Creamery system, added to them and improved them," said Andy Downes, Richmond's national business manager for the Nestl Ice-Creamery branded system.

The result was the new dispensing machines which retailers can buy from £99. In the past, some retailers have been put off selling soft ice-cream because traditional dispensers could cost thousands of pounds.

Charles Corner, managing director of Malton Laser, was delighted to win the contract. "Our two firms share a commitment to innovation, quality products and excellent customer service so we work together exceptionally well," said Mr Corner, whose firm has worked with Richmond before.

Ibrahim Najafi, Richmond Ice-Cream group operations director, said they preferred to work with local companies and Malton was a perfect match.

The new dispenser has already exceeded sales forecasts and is being used by retailers across the country in almost every type of retail environment, from small outlets to large leisure operations such as Haven Holiday Parks, and UCI Cinemas.

Malton Laser also produced main components for a dozen Nestl Ice-Creamery handcarts which were installed within all London's Royal Parks. The handcarts had to be based on a traditional design but capable of including the latest refrigeration technology with a re-chargeable 12-volt battery supply. The exacting standards demanded by the Royal Parks meant design specifications were stringent.

Malton Laser, founded by Charles Corner in 2000, now employs 24 staff across an 11,000sq ft site on the Pyramid Industrial estate in Malton and has just recorded its first £1m annual turnover.