Vekoma a Dutch company has been producing Themes Park attractions since 1967. They have over three hundred coaster installations throughout the world. Vekoma’s business model had made them very unpopular in the enthusiast circles. They designed cheaper roller coasters than their competitors then mass-produced them. Yet they have survived and thrived as a company. As for their image, their story is still being told.
Vekoma and Arrow Dynamics
In the ’70s another Coaster Manufacturer named Arrow Dynamics was looking for help building some steel pipe coaster track. That relationship was great till in 1979 when Vekoma took all that experience that they were taught by Arrow and began designing Roller Coasters as well. Their first couple were slight variations on coasters built by Arrow Dynamics. Then they built one of the models they would become infamous for.
Vekoma Boomerang
There are currently 55 Boomerangs currently in operation around the globe. These sit on a very small plot of land and, were cheap to build which made them hard for parks to pass on. They come with a total of 6 inversions with three forwards and three going backward. That made them an easy choice for companies wanting to add a roller coaster to their park but not looking to spend a lot of money. These were the exact customers that would have been buying from Arrow Dynamics before but instead were purchasing a Vekoma.
There are many variations on the Boomerang. There are the original, Invertigo, Giant Invertigo, and Family models. The Invertigo Models put the trains below the track. While the Giant Invertigo is just a larger model with slight variation to the lift hills. The family one would have the same basic design but with not offer any inversions.
Suspended Looping Coaster
The Suspended Looping Coaster or as it is better known the SLC wasn’t as mass-produced but was even more notorious for how rough of a ride they offer. Vekoma especially back in the early days would try to emulate their competitions big coasters but offer them in a cheaper package. In the SLC’s case, it was B&M who they were looking to steal some of their market shares. Where the B&M inverts are smooth and intense rides. SLC’s on the other hand are certainly intense but not smooth.
A Turn for the Better
A guaranteed headache machine like the SLC furthered their bad perception amongst Coaster Enthusiast. As the years went by they steadily improved. They produced a better version of their SLC called a Vekoma Suspended Family Coaster. The transitions were smoother and the restraints more comfortable. It is at this point that their reputation was turning.
Redemption
They’ve done a fantastic job at turning things around and have emerged as a real force in the amusement industry. – cltcoasters
Vekoma has maintained a great relationship with the Walt Disney Company. A good portion of their roller coasters are designed and manufactured by Vekoma. All of which are of the highest caliber. Not all of their models were bad either. The Flying Dutchman which gave riders the sensation of flying are renowned as great coasters.
Vekoma is one of the most innovative coaster companies. – Themeparkblogger
In 2018 the same company that had purchased Arrow Dynamics did the same to Vekoma. Kind of fitting that they would end up under the same roof. This has positioned them even better in the marketplace. Now in days, any enthusiast would be excited to hear their home park is getting a Vekoma!
Thanks for Reading
If you found this post informative or helpful would you please consider sharing it with your friends, family, or fellow coaster enthusiast? Post your thoughts on the rags to riches story for Vekoma in the comments below. You can also connect with us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/themeparkcoastercrazy/
External Links
Thanks to Themeparkblogger for his help with the quote and some of the pics. You can check out their excellent site at https://themeparkblogger.com/ also https://parkvault.net/ had a huge depth of knowledge which also helped.
Thanks a lot for the mention 😉.
After the recent introduction of the Suspended Thrill Coaster at Erlebnispark Tripsdrill and the reimagination of the Flying Dutchmen at Phantasialand, every enthusiast should beg their park to order a Vekoma, that’s for sure.