Giovanola question - CoasterBuzz

Are they a spinoff from B&M, like B&M broke off from Intamin. I was wondering because they seem to be very similair.

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Don't mess with the X in 01

I think they split from Intamin also. But if they split from B&M with the goal of building better coasters, I think they're dreaming (just like the other steel coaster designers).

It says here...

GIOVANOLA was founded in 1888 by Joseph Giovanola. At the beginning, it was only a modest forge workshop, but the company developed by orienting its activities towards the manufacturing of penstocks in order to meet the growing demand for equipment required by the burgeoning power supply industry.
In 1930, GIOVANOLA Freres SA built a new factory covering an area of 115,000 m^2. It now houses a wide range of manufacturing facilities which are continually being brought up-to-date.
GIOVANOLA Freres SA currently has approximately 300 employees. Thanks to the competence of its engineers and skilled qualified personnel GIOVANOLA Freres SA has firmly established an international reputation. The realization of numerous complex industrial projects requiring new developments in each case ensures the ongoing technological expertise and dynamic qualities of GIOVANOLA Freres SA.

(Penstocks are the tubes that carry water from the reservoir down through the dam and into the turbines.)
In fact, Giovanola was a subcontractor for Intamin, and Bolliger and Mabillard used to work for Giovanola. So there's the 'family tree'.
In fact, this information packet I have shows photos of "The Edge", which we all know as an Intamin freefall ride.
--Dave Althoff, Jr.

RideMan said:
"In fact, Giovanola was a subcontractor for Intamin, and Bolliger and Mabillard used to work for Giovanola. So there's the 'family tree'.
In fact, this information packet I have shows photos of "The Edge", which we all know as an Intamin freefall ride.
--Dave Althoff, Jr."

Question: Do you know definitively that B&M worked for Giovanola or is that an inferrence? If so, how did you come across that information. A buddy of mine and I have been having a debate about this for a little while.
jeremy

I thought that B&M worked for Intamin. I think they did because I am pretty sure they designed
Z-force or flashback.

And If I remember right the track that B&M/Giavanola uses is basiclly the same because they share the patent on it.

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#1 Steel-Incredible Hulk
#1 Wood--Timber Wolf

I read recently...and unfortunately I don't remember where...that a Giovanola rep was talking about how B&M do smooth rides because they used to work for Giovanola and Giovanola does smooth rides. But I can't remember where I saw that...whether it was someone's comments on r.r-c or CoasterBuzz, or if it was in Amusement Today or something.

The stuff I quoted last night came straight out of a Giovanola information packet that I picked up at IAAPA.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Actually, Giovanola specialized in building wheel assemblies and other parts for Schwarzkopf and Intamin. So if you ride an old Schwarzkopf, the mother of it all is Giovanola. Their skills where so thought after, that they eventually decided to venture in the coaster biz by themselves. Note that B&M and Giovanola are located in the sametown and EVEN IN THE SAME STREET!

Giovanona used to manufacture track for Intamin and B&M. Intamin was located a few blocks from Giovanola, and when B&M split from Intamin they opened up right next door to Giovanola. This also explains Giovanola's close resemblance to B&M track.

SFoTxTREME said:
"Giovanona used to manufacture track for Intamin and B&M. Intamin was located a few blocks from Giovanola, and when B&M split from Intamin they opened up right next door to Giovanola. This also explains Giovanola's close resemblance to B&M track."

Intamin is located in a place called Wollerau, B&M and Giovanola reside in a small town named Monthey (thats in the french side of switzerland). Switzerland is not a big country, but those two towns are NOT next to each other.