Vekoma facts for kids
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| Subsidiary | |
| Founded | 1926 |
| Founder | Hendrik op het Veld |
| Headquarters |
Vlodrop (Roerdalen)
,
The Netherlands
|
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Area served
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Worldwide |
|
Key people
|
Anne-Mart Agerbeek (CEO) |
| Products | Amusement rides |
| Parent | Sansei Technologies |
Vekoma Rides Manufacturing is a company from the Netherlands that builds exciting amusement rides. They are especially famous for their roller coasters! The name Vekoma comes from a shorter version of "Veld Koning Machine Factory," which was started in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld.
Contents
History of Vekoma
Vekoma started out making equipment for farms. Later, in the 1950s, they began building strong steel structures for the coal mining industry. As the company changed from farm tools to steel, its name was shortened to Vekoma.
When the Dutch mines closed in 1965, Vekoma started making steel pipes for companies that worked with oil and gas. In the 1970s, an American company called Arrow Development hired Vekoma to build the steel parts for their roller coasters in Europe. As more roller coasters were needed, Arrow taught Vekoma how to build tracks and even let them use their special coaster-building technology.
In 1979, Vekoma started building its own roller coasters. They opened three new coasters in Europe under the name Vekoma Rides Manufacturing BV.
Changes and New Partnerships
On August 23, 2001, Vekoma faced a tough time and had to declare bankruptcy. However, they recovered and continued their work.
In 2006, Vekoma teamed up with an American company called Chance Morgan. Chance Rides helped Vekoma sell their rides in North America, and Chance Morgan even built some of the steel tracks for Vekoma's projects. During this partnership, Chance built four family-friendly coasters designed by Vekoma.
In 2008, Vekoma Rides Manufacturing bought the "Wheels of Excellence" line of Ferris wheels from Ronald Bussink. This meant Vekoma would now make smaller Ferris wheels (40 to 80 meters tall) through a new part of their company called Dutch Wheels BV. Bussink continued to make the really tall wheels (100 meters and up).
On October 17, 2012, Chance Rides and Vekoma decided to end their agreement to build rides together for North America. But soon after, Chance Rides got a special permission from Dutch Wheels BV to make and sell a specific type of Ferris wheel (R60 wheels) in North America.
On March 30, 2018, Vekoma was bought by Sansei Technologies, which is the parent company of another American ride maker, S&S Sansei. The good news was that Vekoma's way of doing business would not change. Vekoma still makes and sells its rides as a separate company.
Vekoma Roller Coasters
As of May 2018, Vekoma has built over 387 roller coasters around the world. Some of these are still being built, while others have been taken down.
Popular Coaster Models
| Model | First Built | What it's like |
|---|---|---|
| Bermuda Blitz | 2017 | This is a sit-down roller coaster with many loops and twists. It has new trains and safety restraints. There's only one of these, called Lech Coaster, in Poland. |
| Big Air | 2010 | This coaster used to spin, but now it doesn't. There's only one of these rides, located in Taiwan. |
| Boomerang | 1984 | A very popular type of Shuttle roller coaster that goes forwards and backwards. It has three inversions (where you go upside down), is about 36 meters (117 feet) tall, and reaches speeds of about 76 kilometers per hour (47 mph). |
| Flying Dutchman | 2000 | This was one of the first big roller coasters where you lie down and feel like you're flying. Only one of these is still running. |
| Giant Inverted Boomerang | 2001 | Similar to the Invertigo, but with tall vertical lifts that pull you straight up before you drop. |
| Invertigo | 1996 | This is an inverted version of the Boomerang, meaning your feet dangle below the track. |
| Motorbike roller coaster | 2004 | A Vekoma coaster that launches you forward, and the ride vehicles look like motorbikes! |
| LSM Launch coaster | 1999 | This coaster uses special LSM technology to launch you quickly, reaching speeds around 88 kilometers per hour (55 mph). It has three inversions. Only three of these exist. |
| Space Warp Launch coaster | 2016 | A sit-down coaster that launches you using LSM technology. It has new track and trains and many inversions. Only one of these has been built. |
| Splash Party | 2013 | This is a slower, inverted coaster designed with places for water guns and water bombs. Only one of these exists. |
| Stingray | 2009 | A smaller flying roller coaster that came after the Flying Dutchman. Only one has been built, called Stingray, in China. |
| Suspended Family Coaster | 2001 | An inverted coaster designed for families, similar to the Suspended Looping Coaster. |
| Suspended Looping Coaster | 1994 | A very common inverted coaster with many different designs. |
| Suspended Thrill Coaster | 2020 | This coaster is the next version of the Suspended Looping Coaster. It has a different track style and layout. The first one opened in Germany. |
| Mine train coaster | 1992 | These coasters are often themed like a Western mine or mountain. They come in different lengths, like 785 meters (2,575 feet). |
| Junior coaster | 1990 | These roller coasters are made especially for children. They come in different sizes, like 207 meters (679 feet) and 335 meters (1,099 feet) long. |
| Shockwave coaster | 2019 | A sit-down coaster that launches using LSM technology. It has new track and trains, multiple inversions, and sometimes goes through tunnels. |
| Top Gun Launch coaster | 2020 | Another sit-down coaster that launches with LSM technology, featuring new track and trains, but with a different layout and multiple inversions. |
| Wooden roller coaster | 2000 | Vekoma also built classic wooden coasters. Two examples are the Thundercoaster in Norway and Loup-Garou in Belgium. |
Vekoma also makes other coaster types like Wild Mouse, Hyper Space Warp, Firestorm, Swinging Turns, Illusion, Family Boomerang, Tilt Coaster, Energy Storm, and Powered Coasters.
In 2013, Vekoma made a deal with Rocky Mountain Construction from Idaho. This agreement allows Vekoma to sell Rocky Mountain Construction's roller coasters outside of North America.
Vekoma also helped build Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT in Walt Disney World. They designed special "omni-coaster" cars for this ride that can turn and spin in a controlled way.
Other Fun Attractions
Ferris Wheels
Vekoma's Dutch Wheels division makes Ferris wheels in different sizes: the R40, R50, and R60 models. Each size also comes in three different styles.
Famous Ferris Wheels
| Ferris wheel name | Location | Opened | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giant Wheel | Six Flags Darien Lake, Darien, New York, US |
|
Closed |
| Giant Wheel | Morey's Piers, Wildwood, New Jersey, US |
|
Operating |
| Navy Pier Ferris Wheel | Pier Park, Navy Pier, Chicago, US |
|
Relocated |
| Delhi Eye (R50) | Kalindi Kunj Park, Okhla, Delhi, India |
|
Operating |
| Hong Kong Observation Wheel | Central, Hong Kong |
|
Operating |
| Branson Ferris Wheel (former Navy Pier Wheel) | Branson, Missouri |
|
Operating |
| Grande roue de Montréal | Montreal, Canada |
|
Operating |
Madhouse
A madhouse is a ride that makes you feel like you're turning upside down, even though you're not! The room around you spins, creating a fun illusion.
Images for kids
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Suspended Looping Coaster, a popular Vekoma design
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Boomerang, another of Vekoma's most popular ride models
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Invertigo, a variation on the Boomerang design
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Giant Inverted Boomerang, a more extreme version of Invertigo
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Vekoma Roller Skater, a small family coaster design
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Wooden Coaster, One of Vekoma's wooden coasters (Thundercoaster Tusenfryd)
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Motorbike roller coaster, a specially designed coaster with seats that are like motorbikes
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Suspended Family Coaster
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