“A Boxing Game for Everybody”
IGPM Distribution Bringing Kalkomat Boxers to U.S. for 20 Years
IGPM says it has the boxing game for every location. And it’s no surprise, given its general manager Peter Stolarczyk has been in the business for more than 20 years. Kalkomat, the Poland-based maker of the boxers has been at it for 28.
With Peter’s background in mechanical engineering, childhood friends at Kalkomat had asked if he liked their boxing machines. He did and placed the first units in the U.S. in Chicago bars back in 2005. That began Interactive Games, Promotion and Marketing – IGPM.
From those early placements in street locations, the product category has expanded significantly.
They’ve kept up with changes and trends and what’s going on in the industry, being at the forefront of the boxer evolution – from simple machines to internet-connected cabinets that can release tickets, capsules and other merchandise, and support online tournaments.
“We’re adding features to the machines as needed,” Stolarczyk said. “Whatever the industry needs – that’s what we want to add.”
Adhering to the fair pledge concept, they designed a 100% skill-based merchandiser. They’ve went from only have single-unit boxers to the combination boxer, which combines punching and kicking elements.
And they’ve added LEDs that aren’t just edge lighting but result in the whole body of the machine lighting up – an option particularly recommended for FEC environments. Models such as the Kaboom Boxer and Flash Boxer showcase these visual upgrades, while the newer TV Boxer expands the lineup further.
“We keep going,” he said of the company’s steadfast work ethic. “Whatever is needed – we are adapting and changing. We are constantly listening to our customers and implementing their suggestions.”
IGPM’s commitment goes beyond the machines themselves. Customized cabinets, attentive service and genuine support and friendship are all part of the package. The quality equipment is manufactured in Poland, while IGPM handles parts and service in the U.S.
“People know us from the industry, and they like our product and service,” Stolarczyk explained. “We are really here to have the games for everybody and support them as much as we can.”
Keeping with their “we have a boxer for that” credo, IGPM designs machines for not only FECs, street operators and arcades, but carnivals and rental businesses, too.
For rental business, they have the Spider Boxer, which can be disassembled into two pieces so one person can easily move the unit, he said.
Street locations get machines like Fire Boxer and Dynamic Glove, which have been mainstays on the route, IGPM’s primary customer base for many years. About 5-6 years ago, Stolarczyk said they began having success in FECs and similar facilities like trampoline parks.
Combo Boxer has been popular at all types of locations because it combines the traditional boxing feature as well as kicking, so soccer fans can test their strength, too. That machine does especially well in soccer-loving communities and locations where there are kids. (While smaller kids may not be able to reach up top to punch, they can certainly give the kick a whirl.)
For operators, there’s also Boxnet, an internet-connected management system that lets users remotely monitor, configure and manage their machines. It can track collections, ensure games are on and operational, and see how many prizes have been released in your Combo Prize Boxer, for instance.
Stolarczyk maintains a small route in Chicago to test new games and said he uses Boxnet all the time.
Having the machines internet-enabled also allows tournament features as a part of the game design. IGPM is currently working on an upgrade kit for all of their machines that’s expected in Q2.
In recent years, the company has also started expanding their offerings to include not only boxers in their various configurations and colorways, kickers and combo cabinets, but also air hockey tables, basketball games, kiddie rides and more. IGPM will be at Amusement Expo in booth 2455 and you can also check it all out by visiting www.igpmdist.com.
