Europe's Leading Research Institute Confirms Breakthrough: Swiss Company Glice Develops Synthetic Ice with Real-Ice Glide
Fraunhofer Institute validates five years of Swiss innovation
LUCERNE, Switzerland, Sept. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the first time, scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute, Europe’s leading applied research organization, have confirmed that synthetic ice can match the glide of frozen water. Swiss company Glice AG developed a new surface technology that reproduces the unique sensation of skating on real ice—without water or energy.
“The first moment is particularly critical when ice skating. High initial resistance hinders the skater’s safe start to gliding,” explains Prof. Dr. Matthias Scherge, project manager at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM. To test Glice’s new material, researchers built a special friction-measuring device that allowed a skate blade to glide over polymer samples under realistic conditions. In addition to friction forces, they measured the blade’s depth of penetration.
The innovation lies in the material itself: an ultra-stable base made of refined polyethylene combined with a highly mobile surface layer whose polymer chains offer minimal resistance to the blade. Years of adjustments to the plate composition, cleaning processes, and conditioning procedures have led to a quality that even ice hockey professionals endorse.
Recent laboratory results show friction coefficients of about 0.035—values slightly lower than those of frozen ice at low sliding speeds. This milestone not only redefines skating performance but also marks a leap forward in sustainability. Glice rinks require no water, coolants, or electricity, drastically reducing environmental impact.
“This breakthrough makes our vision a reality: sustainable skating worldwide, with an experience that is in no way inferior to real ice,” says Viktor Meier, CEO and co-founder of Glice.
Find the full media kit here.
About Glice
Since its founding in 2012, the Swiss company has redefined the skating and ice hockey experience with innovative materials and technologies. Today, Glice is represented in over 100 countries and it stands for the highest quality, ecological responsibility, and the vision of making sports and leisure activities accessible in a resource-efficient way. In the United States, Glice operates through its subsidiary Glice Inc., with offices, manufacturing, and warehouses located in Boulder, Colorado. Learn more: www.glicerink.com
The Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials has independently issued a press release. Find their statement here.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
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Press contact Viktor Meier, CEO Glice E-Mail: viktor@glice.com Tel: +1 303 493 9398
Glice Synthetic Ice Sample
Viktor Meier CEO Glice and Marion Kugler Scientist at Fraunhofer- nstitute holding a sample
Hockey players on Glice
Hockey players test Glice synthetic ice in Cham, Switzerland
Review of lab results
Marion Kugler and Viktor Meier reviewing test results at Fraunhofer Institute
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