History

In 1978, Jimmie Lopez, Jr. took his dedication to hard work and customer service and launched JL Refrigeration, LP, the parent company of JL ICE, LP. In 1984, JL Refrigeration purchased an ice machine to have for its refrigeration technicians. One day a customer came into the office to pay a bill for some refrigeration work that had been done at his store and saw that we had an ice machine with a full bin of ice. He asked us to bag it and sell to him because the local ice company would not deliver ice to him or fix the ice box. So JL Refrigeration had their first ice customer! He would buy around 20 bags a week. It didn't take long for the word to get out that JL Refrigeration had ice.  

Jimmie started bagging all the ice that little 300 pound machine would make and delivering it in the back of a Jeep Cherokee. In 1985 Jimmie bought a bigger ice machine. The new Manitowoc ice machine capable of making 1000 pounds of ice per 24 hours was installed and turned on. He then needed volunteers to bag the ice, his kids of course we the unwilling volunteers that were blessed with the fun filling task of scooping the ice by hand and tying the bags with bread ties. JL ICE was open for business!  

28 years later JL ICE is still a family owned and operated company with a new automated operation with new Vogt ice machines. JL ICE has become one of South Texas's premier ice manufacturers and distributors.