Vekoma: world-class player in the entertainment industry

Steel in the DNA

After World War II, Vekoma capitalized on the Limburg economy by producing and building steel structures for the mining industry. In the early 1960s it became clear that the mining industry was going to disappear and Vekoma focused on manufacturing installations and structures for the chemical industry. When this market also began to decline, a way was sought to generate additional income from the processed steel. In the early 1970s, Vekoma made the switch to the amusement industry and started building roller coasters for the European market under license from the American company Arrow.

In 1979, Vekoma built its very first in-house roller coaster 'Tornado' which was designed for what is now Walibi Belgium. With the construction of the Python at the Efteling in 1981, Vekoma definitively established itself in the amusement industry as a professional roller coaster manufacturer. In 2001, Vekoma was purchased by Huisman Equipment, and the company continued to grow into a major player in the world market. This brought Vekoma to the attention of Japan's Sansei Technologies, which bought the company in 2018.

Everything under one roof

Vekoma employs about 375 people worldwide, including 150 engineers. In addition to its headquarters in Vlodrop, the company has local offices in the Netherlands in Breda and abroad in the US and China. Carin Davits, Marketing & PR, says: “We are the only manufacturer in the world that has all disciplines in-house. From sales, R&D, engineering, production, project management to after-sales and 24/7 service. We have since gained worldwide recognition with presence in more than 50 countries. Our roller coasters are supplied to theme and amusement parks ranging from the smaller family parks to the big names in the amusement industry, suitable for all ages, from first-time riders to thrill seekers.”

The latest trend in the roller coaster market is the combination of family & thrill. This ensures that a broad audience is addressed, from the very young to seasoned roller coaster enthusiasts. This is important for theme parks, because family rides provide most of the revenue. But of course you also want crowd pullers. Among other things, Vekoma has developed a Family Launch Coaster, which is already accessible for children with a length of 95cm, but also adventurous enough for an adult audience. Not too intense, but endless fun that keeps visitors coming back. 

Not too intense, but endless fun that keeps visitors coming back. Its effortless maintenance, ergonomic seating for all sizes and comfort and safety, make this roller coaster a great addition to any theme or amusement park. Big Bear Mountain at Dollywood in the U.S. is a great example of this type of roller coaster. The layout features three powerful launches and as many as 23 airtime moments, with positive G-forces like no other family roller coaster. The train passes a spectacularly constructed waterfall and plunges through a tunnel, while reaching a top speed of 77 mph. With audio on board and theming on the trains that resemble SUVs with four-wheel drive and working headlights and taillights, you will be immersed in the ride experience in search of “Big Bear” in the Smoky Mountains.

In recent years, dozens of roller coasters have been delivered worldwide, from North America to Asia, and from the Middle East to Australia. Vekoma supplies not only the big theme parks, but also the smaller family parks. To be able to take the next step in the development of a park, the roller coaster manufacturer is a partner that likes to think along with them. What are the customer's wishes and what is the desired target group?

Counterguarantees

In recent years, dozens of roller coasters have been delivered worldwide, from North America to Asia, and from the Middle East to Australia. Vekoma supplies not only the large amusement parks, but also the smaller family parks. To be able to take the next step in the development of a park, the roller coaster manufacturer is a partner that likes to think along with them. What are the customer's wishes and what is the desired target group?

What type of roller coaster fits the physical location? Do they opt for a standard type of roller coaster or custom-made design? What are the financial possibilities to realize the project? In the past 2.5 years alone, Vekoma has taken out cover from Atradius DSB for 15 transactions. Niels Verbugt, Legal Counsel: “Bank guarantees are especially important in Asia, because the financing banks there prefer to see a prepayment guarantee. If requested by the financier, we always use Atradius DSB. This is relevant for us, because these guarantees also allow us to maintain sufficient credit capacity and the costs at the bank are manageable.” Building the future

Geopolitical developments and tensions have no direct impact on Vekoma's order book. 

Indeed, the entertainment industry continues to thrive despite the turmoil in certain parts of the world. CFO Antoine Driessen: “For a few components, we have some challenges in getting them delivered on time, but because we have a global network for sourcing high-quality components, we have been able to absorb this very well so far. In addition, sustainability is playing an increasingly important role. Vekoma charts the impact on the entire chain and focuses on measures to reduce it. For example, energy consumption is taken into account when designing roller coasters.”

“Bank guarantees are especially important in Asia, because the financing banks there prefer to see a prepayment guarantee. If requested by the financier, we always use Atradius DSB. This is relevant for us, because these guarantees also allow us to maintain sufficient credit capacity and the costs at the bank are manageable.” 
Niels Verbugt, Legal Counsel at Vekoma

Vekoma Campus

Vekoma is developing a new campus a stone's throw from the existing site, with sustainability also playing an important role. In the first phase a new hall will be built for assembly and warehouse. In the second phase, the new office building will be constructed. In addition, the existing location will be completely renovated. This will bring the buildings back up to date, also in terms of working conditions for employees. And it will hopefully also contribute to even greater awareness in the region, because despite the great product it is sometimes difficult to find technical staff. To retain personnel, Vekoma offers internal training programs that ensure sufficient advancement opportunities and future prospects for employees. In addition, the Vekoma activities committee regularly organizes various activities to get to know each other better outside the shop floor, which promotes team spirit.