For a few years it was the exception. But now, producing coasters at capacity each year has become the norm at Gerstlauer Amusement Rides. The Munsterhausen-based company’s reputation has grown to the point that each year the company finds itself selling as many coasters as it can produce. Gerstlauer has responded to the growth by expanding. In 2008 the company opened a new production space dedicated to track manufacturing. At that time they felt it would never be completely utilized. But four years later it is extremely busy with roller coaster track being bent for every corner of the globe.
This year the company recently unveiled its newest addition, a new sandblasting and painting facility. Huge pieces of track and structure can now be sandblasted on-site and their painting ability is greatly expanded, which allows the company to do more work on site. Managing Director Siegfried Gerstlauer said, “We have tried to balance the desire to stay small with the need to produce everything in a timely manner for our customers. We are always cognizant of the problems that come with getting too big too fast and have worked to ensure that we have stable, manageable growth.”
While 2011 saw a lot of Gerstlauer coasters opening, 2012 was the year of many different projects. “We had a lot of different products open around the globe,” said Gerstlauer. “We had three SkyFly rides debut. In addition, our Japanese representatives Hanwa sold and installed turn-key the “Veil of Dark” Spinning Coaster to Sega Joyoplis in Tokyo, which was the world’s first spinning coaster to incorporate an inversion. We also opened our second Family Shuttle Coaster at the OK Corral in France and a Polyp at Liseberg in Sweden. All of these very different, unique rides have broadened the portfolio. Next year we are busy doing more classics like hybrid coaster trains and Bobsled Coasters, but also some more firsts, such as our newly-designed 8-passenger launch vehicles.”
This year in the North American market Gerstlauer was busy opening one of the Sky Fly’s at Nickelodeon Universe in the Mall of America. In addition, they debuted the first eight-seater Euro-Fighter vehicles with lap bars at the new Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier and replacement trains for the classic “sooperdooperLooper” roller coaster at Hersheypark.
Siegfried Gerstlauer continued, “We have several exciting projects opening next year on three continents. We look forward to sharing all of them with our customers worldwide.”