Intamin: Designers and masterplanners of innovative theme park attractions – for over 50 years
The Innovation Factory
Founded as a small, local family business and carefully grown into a large, international fun factory over the course of several generations; Intamin has worked hard for its name to be synonymous with out-of-the-ordinary, tailored-to-the-needs amusement rides. Each innovation represents the starting point for the next. Scroll through some of the iconic moments from the most successful and renowned manufacturer in the amusement industry.
Start
1967
Intamin was founded
The Intamin company was founded in 1967. Over the following 50 years, Intamin has become a well-known international brand within the amusement industry.
From the start these were very positively received by the main markets. A company formed by three men sharing a small apartment as an office in Bern, the capital city of Switzerland, has now evolved into a number of independent and self-supporting Intamin companies with hundreds of employees in many countries worldwide.
1970
Growing the brand
Among the unique rides being produced at the time were favourites such as: The Flying Dutchman, Looping Starships, Tow Boats, Double and Triple Wheels, and Bounties of all sizes, including a gigantic 320 seat version for Japan.
1979
Space tower, the tallest tower in the world, at 182m
Intamin is at the forefront of providing another benchmark to the market of Observation towers around the world. The tallest tower, 182 meters (600 ft), is in Argentina, but many others will be supplied between 50 to 110 meters as well in the coming years.
1979
Birth of the legendary rapid ride
Six Flags AstroWorld and Intamin AG partnered in 1979 to build the world’s first river rapids ride in 1980 called Thunder River. The water ride became so popular at AstroWorld that Six Flags debuted six new river rapids in the early 1980s, including Six Flags Over Georgia in 1982, and at Six Flags St. Louis in 1983.
1980
At the forefront of the simulator market
Since Intamin was already very busy with several different rides, Robert Spieldiener decided to create a separate company, based in his home town in Liechtenstein, and focus on different types of attractions. Teaming up with a Californian large format film projection system supplier, Intamin was at the forefront of the emerging simulator market and quickly became the market leader with over 50 motion cinemas to their name, including the exotic Back to the Future / Simpsons for Universal, Multi Motion Dark Rides for Leo Foo and Lotte World, and other specialized simulators.
1982
The first free fall
The first Free Fall was supplied to Magic Mountain for the 1982 season. A total of 15 such rides were delivered to the USA, Canada, and Japan. This was a major high profile ride which pushed the envelope as far as technical achievement in the amusement industry, however due to its popularity and long lasting commercial life, it was imperative to increase the capacity and decrease the maintenance costs.
1994
Breaking records
The world’s first and largest travelling Inverted Coaster, the Eurostar. It was transportable using over 90 trucks. As well as an Inverted Coaster, an Indoor Spiral Coaster, a Spinning Coaster, a Runaway Mine Train, the first Roller Coaster over 100mph which subsequently was also the first Linear Motor powered coaster and not to forget, the World’s record 10 Inversion Coaster.
1995
First ever giant drop
Finally, in 1995, birth was given to the tremendously successful, and often copied, Giant Drop. This new technology employed rare earth magnets, utilizing the phenomena by passing an inert blade between two rare earth magnets creating an eddy current onsequently increasing the resistance and thus a braking of the movement, which results in a failsafe system without any friction or wear and tear.
2000
Tallest wheel in the world, giant wheel Fukuoka, Japan
Back in 2000, a Giant Ferris Wheel was built in Fukuoka, Japan. Standing at 120 meters, it was the tallest at that time. Design has also been completed for even taller wheels.
2002
First ever wheel on a building, Roppongi, Japan
As well as the common wheel, Intamin also provides the very unusual wheel, such as the wheel on a building in Roppongi, Japan. This wheel circles around the outside of the building and has consequently initiated a new chapter in the Big Wheel business with an array of diverse shapes being possible.
2003
Intamin's unrivaled hydraulic launch technology
As technology becomes more accessible, the company attempts wherever possible to employ it in our industry and conceptions. When the diminishing supply of power became a concern, especially in the United States, a new system of launching was investigated and developed. The resulting hydraulic powered winches allow for coasters of even higher speeds and accelerations, going from a standing start in just 4.5 seconds!
2005
The highest & fastest coaster in the world - KINGDA KA
Combining this new innovative system with Intamin’s ingenuity produced not only launch coasters containing inversions, but also the highest coaster in the world at over 140 meters tall.
2010
Setting new world records, Formula Rossa, Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi
Intamin has set a further new world record for the fastest roller coaster on earth with an amazing speed of 240 km/h, which is reached from a standing start in just 4.5 seconds!
2014
The Sky Jump
The most innovative new ride in the segment of free fall towers is the new Sky Jump. This free fall tower is with a height of way beyond 100m the tallest freestanding drop ride in North America. But what makes this free fall attraction incomparable and incredibly spectacular is the dropping position of the passengers. The vehicles are tilting forwards 95° once at the top and enable the passengers to experience the position of a skydiver. The ride experience is absolutely unique and despite being a white knuckle attraction the ride experience is extremely smooth.
2016
Multiple record breaking launch coaster - Taron
With this unique layout, the track crosses an unbelievable 116 times, which is a World record for any coaster. TARON holds a total of 4 World Records. Besides being the fastest multi launch coaster in the world, having the fastest catapult drive (LSM) in the world, it is also the longest multi launch coaster of its kind in the world and the number of intersections is breaking any record.
2017
50 years Intamin
Celebrating 50 years of success – another milestone has been reached.
2019
Dueling Dragons
The Dueling LSM Triple Launch Coaster features a world-first – a combined coaster track which simultaneously launches a sit-down and a suspended train. The thrilling ride includes great heights, fast speeds, and a vertical loop and several near-miss elements. This highly innovative ride won a Brass Ring Award for Best New Product at IAAPA Expo 2019.
2022
Showcase Technology: The Vertical LSM Launch
Always searching for innovations, Intamin, as a pioneer in the application of linear motor technology, has successfully developed and implemented a vertical launch system. As a world’s first already in operation at the Storm Coaster at Dubai Hills Mall, UAE, the state-of-the-art technology allows trains to accelerate towards the sky on a vertically aligned track section. As an alternative to all different ways and means to bring a coaster train to the top, this thrill element in form of a vertical launch combined with increasing speed is another Intamin success story that will allow new opportunities for coaster designs.
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