Sansei Technologies acquires Vekoma

Here's hoping Vekoma benefits from improved marketing globally. Their new rides look amazing and I want to see more in America.

If B&M is the BMW of coaster makers, I've always thought of Vekoma as the Geo of coaster makers. I only really know them for their slc and various types of boomerangs though, none of which I have high opinions of. Should I be more openminded about this company?

Vekoma makes some nice stuff, I just think the SLC's and Boomerangs soured our view. Disney sure doesn't seem to mind using them.

Stateside, there isn't much apart from SLCs, various Boomerangs, and the Flying Dutchmen (Disney and Family Coasters as well)- I really don't mind those types, but I know a lot of people outright avoid them. They've built some intriguing coasters overseas, though. Lech Coaster and F1 in Poland are two examples of what they've been up to lately. There was also a Hypercoaster design on the table for Energylandia, but the park went with Intamin's proposal. Hopefully, Sansei can help bring some of their recent designs over here. We'll see.

I attribute Vekoma's bad reputation among enthusiasts to their trains more than track design. SLC's track design is awesome. Put a train with better wheel carriage design and restraints that don't box your ears on an SLC and I guarantee complaints would decrease.

Moreys put new trains with vest harnesses on Great Nor’easter and it still sucks. They didn’t heartline those rides. I’ve heard better things about their newest generation of inverted coasters, however.

Heartline, shmeartline.

Seriously, I have no issues with the transitions on that ride other than the shakiness of the trains and bashing of my skull on the restraints. The layout frigging rocks.

I found an odd phenomenon on my trip through Netherlands and Germany. Every Vekoma ride I tried was great. Further confirming my theory that they keep good stuff for themselves.

I rode an SLC (with helix) in Spain (Jaguar at Isla Magica in Seville) and it was quite good. And this was with old classic SLC trains.

I think their newer track and train designs are better and seem to be gaining traction. The interesting thing is now Sansei owns both Vekoma and the successor to Arrow, S&S.

Curious to see how Morey’s SLC turns out now that it got all new track to go with the new trains from a few years ago... But I agree that the trains seem to be the issue; the upstop wheels don’t even touch the track on Mind Eraser at Darien Lake. I also wonder if the slight sway in the train chassis has something to do with the ride slamming around.

I've heard good things about the refurbished Nor'Easter, though I still have yet to get down there to give it a try myself.

I wonder how this acquisition will affect competing product lines between the two companies. Will both Vekoma and S&S continue to produce their own family suspended coasters, for example?