How you make ice in the UAE desert - in pictures

Gulf Ice Factory & Modern Ice Factory - G&M Ice - in Dubai Investment Park started producing ice in the Emirates in 1976

A visit to the Gulf Ice Factory & Modern Ice Factory -- G&M Ice -- in Dubai Investment Park. The company started producing ice in the UAE in 1976. Starting in Sharjah, it then set up of units like the Modern Ice Factory in 1989, the Quality Ice Distribution Office in 1992, Tube Ice Production in 2000 and its latest production centre at Dubai Investments Park, opened in May 2008. The company is the largest ice producer in the Emirates. Water is cleaned and filtered in a five-step process: chlorination, multimedia filtration, a five-micron cartridge filter system and a UV lamp. Finally, a metal detector screens the water before it is used to make ice. Antonie Robertson / The National

Food-grade ice, certified with the Emirates Quality Mark, leaves a collection point. Here it is divided into portions and bagged into different weight categories for sale. The tube ice takes 30 minutes to produce and will end up on the shelves of all major retailers in the country. Antonie Robertson / The National.

With employees working in shifts around the clock, tube ice is produced under the brand name Pure Ice. It is of a relatively cylindrical shape with a hollow core and comes in an assortment of sizes. The Dubai Investment Park factory alone produces a 120 tonnes of tube ice each day. Antonie Robertson / The National

An engineer watches over one of the four ice machines used to produce tube ice for human consumption. The four machines run 24 hours a day and use 250,000 litres of water. Antonie Robertson / The National

A worker rakes tube ice as it leaves one of four ice machines. From here the ice is packed into 1 kilogram, 2kg, 5kg or 20kg bags and then delivered to clients. The UAE's commercial, retail, leisure and entertainment, manufacturing, construction and hospitality sectors all use tube ice. Antonie Robertson / The National

With employees working in shifts around the clock, tube ice is produced under the brand name Pure Ice. It is of a relatively cylindrical shape with a hollow core and comes in an assortment of packaging sizes. The Dubai Investment Park factory alone produces a 120 tonnes of tube ice each day. Antonie Robertson / The National

With employees working in shifts around the clock, tube ice is produced under the brand name Pure Ice. It is of a relatively cylindrical shape with a hollow core and comes in an assortment of packaging sizes. The Dubai Investment Park factory alone produces a 120 tonnes of tube ice each day. Antonie Robertson / The National

Tube ice packed in 1 kilogram, 2kg, 5kg and 20kg are refrigerated at -18°C in preparation for delivery to retail outlets through the UAE. With a production capacity that runs for 24 hours a day, the factory can produce 120 tonnes of ice using 250,000 litres of water. Antonie Robertson / The National

Tube ice packed in 1 kilogram, 2kg, 5kg and 20kg are refrigerated at -18°C in preparation for delivery to retail outlets through the UAE. With a production capacity that runs for 24 hours a day, the factory can produce 120 tonnes of ice using 250,000 litres of water. Antonie Robertson / The National

Crystal-clear ice blocks weighing 200 kilograms take a week to produce. This is accomplished by keeping the water in motion while it is slowly frozen. This causes the ice to form without trapping air inside, giving it a clear, see-through finish that is perfect for ice sculptures. Such sculptures can last anywhere from 6 to 12 days before melting away. Antonie Robertson / The National

Crystal-clear ice blocks weighing 200 kilograms take a week to produce. This is accomplished by keeping the water in motion while it is slowly frozen. This causes the ice to form without trapping air inside, giving it a clear, see-through finish that is perfect for ice sculptures. Such sculptures can last anywhere from 6 to 12 days before melting away. Antonie Robertson / The National

Ice sculptures can last anywhere from 6 to 12 days before melting away. They are kept in separate refrigeration rooms that are set to -18°C. Antonie Robertson / The National

Ice sculptures can last anywhere from 6 to 12 days before melting away. They are kept in separate refrigeration rooms that are set to -18°C. Antonie Robertson / The National

Small ice blocks -- 100 centimetres x 16 cm x 17 cm -- are produced for non-food grade and food-grade purposes. These 25 kilogram blocks are edible and safety certified. Produced in steel moulds, they were first made for the fishing industry but their use now runs from construction to chilling swimming pools in the hot summer months. Antonie Robertson / The National

Small ice blocks -- 100 centimetres x 16 cm x 17 cm -- are produced for non-food grade and food-grade purposes. These 25 kilogram blocks are edible and safety certified. Produced in steel moulds, they were first made for the fishing industry but their use now runs from construction to chilling swimming pools in the hot summer months. Antonie Robertson / The National

Small ice blocks -- 100 centimetres x 16 cm x 17 cm -- are produced for non-food grade and food-grade purposes. These 25 kilogram blocks are edible and safety certified. Produced in steel moulds, they were first made for the fishing industry but their use now runs from construction to chilling swimming pools in the hot summer months. Antonie Robertson / The National

Small ice blocks -- 100 centimetres x 16 cm x 17 cm -- are produced for non-food grade and food-grade purposes. These 25 kilogram blocks are edible and safety certified. Produced in steel moulds, they were first made for the fishing industry but their use now runs from construction to chilling swimming pools in the hot summer months. Antonie Robertson / The National

Small ice blocks will be crushed into small chips that will be shipped to a seafood company. Antonie Robertson / The National

Small ice blocks -- 100 centimetres x 16 cm x 17 cm -- are produced for non-food grade and food-grade purposes. These 25 kilogram blocks are edible and safety certified. Produced in steel moulds, they were first made for the fishing industry but their use now runs from construction to chilling swimming pools in the hot summer months. Antonie Robertson / The National

An ice crusher breaks up a 25-kilogram ice block into ice chips destined for use at a seafood company. About 12,000 small blocks are produced daily at the Dubai Investment Park factory and shipped across the UAE in a fleet of 75 lorries. Antonie Robertson / The National

An ice crusher breaks up a 25-kilogram ice block into ice chips destined for use at a seafood company. About 12,000 small blocks are produced daily at the Dubai Investment Park factory and shipped across the UAE in a fleet of 75 lorries. Antonie Robertson / The National

Ice is packed by hand in a refrigerated truck that will deliver it to a fish market for use in keeping seafood fresh. Antonie Robertson / The National

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