14 minute read
Zamperla S.p.A Amusement Built to Last
AMUSEMENT
Supplying theme parks around the globe for decades, Zamperla S.p.A stands as a manufacturing BUILT TO LAST company blessed with the task of manufacturing happiness. We speak with Antonio Zamperla, CEO of the company, to learn more
Writer: Marcus Kääpä Project Manager: Matthew Taylor
Antonio Zamperla S.p.A (Zamperla) has always been the home of amusement.
Since its establishment in 1966 to the present day, Zamperla prides itself on manufacturing, producing, installing and maintaining its various amusement park rides in venues across the globe, and exists as a company synonymous with creative design as well as cutting edge technology.
With a focus on fun and thrills, Zamperla’s ability to innovate and entertain lies within its unique ability to bring an amusement venue to life – from early design concepts to finished products.
“The company is turning 55 years old this year,” Antonio Zamperla, CEO of the company, says proudly. “My grandfather Antonio founded Zamperla under his name – one that I share – and the position of leadership was passed to my father and then onto me.
“We are in the business of amusement; we manufacture and produce rides for clients and venues. But at the same time, we also manage amusement parks. In this way we are involved throughout the entire process, from manufacture to the installation, maintenance and decommissioning of rides. In this way we are a full-service company.”
On top of being business to business (B2B) based on its manufacturing side, Zamperla also works from business to customer (B2C) side to answer the demand of the market.
“I like to say that our company is ‘B2B2C’,” Antonio muses. “Working closely with and focusing on our customers we are able to receive feedback on our business and offerings, and because of this are able to push the boundaries and are driven to produce at least two new rides every single year. This collaboration with our customers provides us with insights into future demands and allow us to plan and market new ideas and new novelties.
AT A GLANCE: ZAMPERLA PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
• Family Rides • Major Rides • Kiddie Rides
• Aqua Rides • Thrill Rides
• Tower Rides
• Used Rides
• Roller Coasters
- ANTONIO ZAMPERLA, CEO, ZAMPERLA S.p.A
Vesta Automation Srl is an Italian company specialized in the manufacturing of standard and custom pneumatic cylinders &valves.
It provides pneumatic solutions in over 60 markets worldwide, with 100+ official distributors and +35 million components manufactured since its foundation(1984).
The company is highly-valued for the quality of its products and the wide customization, that allows Vesta to design special solutions for a range of different industries. In particular: throughout the Amusement sector from the Railways to the Automotive, Pharma, Chemical & Welding.
Vesta started to work with Zamperla in 2016, designing special pneumatic actuators for applications in their famous rides; the partnership has been strenghtened during 2020, when Zamperla chose Vesta Automation as local partner to supply special components for a ride in the well-known Disneyland Paris.
Vesta Automation is not the unique firm of the Vesta Group that collaborates with Zamperla: Tecoma srl, a system-integrator & Vesta sister-company provides mechanical and pneumatic components and advanced automation services to the famous entertainment company.
Established in Padova in the 80’s, Tecoma srl is specialized in the collaborative robotics, handling & vacuum systems and development of special automated industrial machines.
www.vesta.it
THE SAME AS OUR CUSTOMERS” - ANTONIO ZAMPERLA, CEO, ZAMPERLA S.p.A
“Zamperla has come a long way since my grandfather. We have envisioned new ideas, expanded around the globe and have offices across the continents – we have grown from local to international, and yet we operate with the values of a local company because we think, act and breathe the same as our customers.”
This familiar and enduring relationship that Zamperla has with its customers makes up part of the company’s charm for the many global customers that work alongside them, and coupled with its expert Italian craftsmanship, top notch engineering and innovative creativity, it is no wonder why Zamperla holds an international reputation amusement ride manufacturer and supplier of choice.
CONEY ISLAND
A famous area of Brooklyn that draws thousands of visitors each year, Coney Island is renowned for being a relaxation and entertainment resort during the summer including its beach, street performers, circus, parades and even a well-known hot dog eating contest. But one of its greatest attractions without question is its amusement park; one which Zamperla has a great involvement.
“We won the bid to build up and manage an amusement park for Coney Island back in 2010,” Antonio tells us proudly. “We had just 100 days to get this complete and fully operational, this includes shipping the rides, installing them and building up the entire infrastructure of the company and the park itself.
“It was a complex operation involving the hiring and management of many people, multiple different
AIRON
AIRON collaborates with customer’s technicians in the choice of the most suitable materials for the production of pneumatic components which also are compatible with the geographical location of the amusement park.
AIRON studies and manufactures its products to obtain the best performance while maintaining a high level of reliability.
Cylinders with strokes longer than 7 meters, with low friction coefficient, designed to facilitate periodic maintenance interventions, using certified materials and treatments which can be provided – on request - with structural calculation reports.
www.airon-pneumatic.com
LANARO S.R.L.
LANARO S.R.L. is a five generations carpentry specialized principally in steel manufacturing.
Our production covers various sectors of industry, in particular architectural field, industrial and transport equipment, machinery design and construction, alternative energies, retractable roofing, amusement parks.
The cooperation with Zamperla started almost 40 years ago and has grown together with technological and mechanical evolution of both companies. Our activities are performed in 3 different workshops, all based in the same industrial district in Breganze (Italy).
In 2019 we inaugurated LANARO MIDDLE EAST, a second department settled in Dubai (UAE).”
www.lanarosrl.it
EME OUTLOOK:
HOW DO YOU VALUE YOUR EMPLOYEES AND RECOGNISE THEIR IMPORTANCE?
Antonio Zamperla, CEO: “The Zamperla staff are family at this point. Within the company we have generations of employees and their family members involved with the business, just as I am the third generation of the family that started it. “When it comes to the core of the company we are not just talking about quality and happiness, but we are also talking about Italian heritage and values; these are some of the most important aspects of the business, and every employee knows this. We care about our staff and always seek to maintain a positive can-do attitude, when it comes to either projects or employee training. And with our staff based around the world we find that this family approach to operation helps keep the localised feel within the company. “We have over 45 engineers that oversee every aspect of a project’s safety as well as technical elements, and 60 employees based in the sales division of the company. We are all familiar with one another and we all know each other by name, and at an executive level, we see it as our duty to make sure that each of our employees ends a day going home with a smile on their face. We are in the business of amusement after all!”
LOCATIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD” - ANTONIO ZAMPERLA, CEO, ZAMPERLA S.p.A
teams that worked across various fields, as well as the obvious logistical requirements that followed a task of that scale. It was a challenge, but thanks to the bid we were able to show New York City what we were capable of, and the opportunity opened the doors to even further expansion thereafter.”
Coney Island remains to this day a source of work, pride and joy to Zamperla. In 2022, the company will be installing a flume ride – a project having been postponed from 2020 due to COVID-19 – and so next year will see Zamperla adding a new lens to the amusement district of the area.
WORKING WITH GIANTS
Zamperla works with some of the largest and most well-known amusement parks and companies across the globe. And with the promising notion of expansion before it, the company is heavily investing in one of the staple attractions at amusement parks – roller coasters.
“We believe that roller coasters are an aspect of business where we still have a lot of growth room, whether they are themed rides or simply high-octane entertainment,” Antonio elaborates. “They are one of the most popular attractions at any park and are definitely worth investing in moving forward. At Zamperla we pride ourselves on providing our customers top notch manufacturing, installation and maintenance, and we are one of the only companies able to cover the entire market, from children’s rides to special projects.
“We are one of the biggest suppliers of amusement rides for Disney Parks and Universal Parks & Resorts in their locations all over the world. Over the course of the last 25 years, we have delivered more than 30 rides to Disney locations, and this is impressive considering that a Disney amusement ride usually lasts for over 40 years.”
Our goal is to give maximum flexibility, based on our experience, to achieve the best result, beyond customer expectations.
Founded in 2017, The Industry is focused in the railway sector by manufacturing interior components and spare parts, but also produces specifics for amusement park attractions and medium-small carpentry parts.
Our company deals mainly with:
• Bonded components such as: sandwich panels consisting of plastics or composite material with aluminum or steel materials … with any surface finish; • Welded components such as: aluminum windows frame, brackets of any dimensions and a wide kind of sub structures;
In order to expand our bonding area, we made major upgrades and investments into a new 600mq production site, allowing us to create a new 300 mq clean room with surrounding areas such as the Warehouse, Adhesive Storage, Supply System (as In-put flow), Quality Control, Packaging and Shipping Area (as Out-put flow). This area, built according to “DIN 6701” guidelines, is involved in the production of adhesive joints with high level of classification. By equipping it with new self-made molding system that focus on the use of Vacuum Technology, we were able to exceed the limit of the shape and dimensions (e.g. max size 2500x4000mm, depending on the Customer’s requests) of the components to be pressed, thanks to the advantage of flexibility that this technology allows. Francesco Brusegan | Sales Manager | francescobrusegan@theindustrysrl.it Cesare Modarelli | Chief Executive Officer | cesaremodarelli@theindustrysrl.it Riccardo Crivellaro | Technical Department | ufficiotecnico@theindustrysrl.it
AT A GLANCE: Z+
The Z+ brand is a new business division of the company, born with the aim of creating new experiences through the use of the latest hi-tech developments applied to rides.
It is the beginning of Zamperla remade with a new and differentiated identity. Already existing as one of the most innovative and forward-thinking companies in the industry, the Z+ brand shows just how serious Zamperla is in developing amazing new experiences for its customers, including virtual reality (VR) activities:
VR BOX
The VR BOX is the first six-dimensional, suspended simulator that incorporates VR content. VR BOX has the capacity for eight riders in two rows of four suspended seats who will enjoy a genuine coaster experience. In fact, the VR headsets display real videos of roller coasters shot by 360° cameras. This sensation is enhanced by real audio recorded on site and wind machines within the product.
Zamperla was involved with the first European-based Disney Park that was established in 1988, having provided eight out of the 12 rides available on the opening day.
“Those rides that were installed back in 1988 are still operating today,” Antonio tells us. “So, you can see that providing 30 rides to the parks over the past 25 years has been a large success as well as last for decades for the enjoyment of many end users to come.
“And that is our mission – amusement built to last.”
EXTERNAL COLLABORATION
Of course, Zamperla’s positive relationship with its customers, creatively innovative engineering and its overall operational efficiency is due EME OUTLOOK: CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER
HISTORY AND EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH ZAMPERLA?
Antonio Zamperla, CEO: “I have always been inside the Zamperla business – I must have started when I was seven or eight years old. I would go with my father, uncles and relatives to visit customers, so since I was a child, I have had experience in this industry.
“By the time I was 12 or 13, I was working for the company in a variety of roles during the summer, and my responsibilities grew year on year until I went to university. As an adult I was able to understand the nuts and bolts of the business from every angle, from data entry and manufacturing assemblies to going out into the field and assembling the rides themselves.
“One of the greatest responsibilities I was given was training in the form of managing an amusement park from 2007 to 2010. From there I became General Manager, then Chief Operations Officer, and even Chief Innovation Officer, climbing the ladder to the role I have today as CEO. And now I know the company inside out.”
to a mixture of elements, and a great part of this is the company’s partners — businesses that have helped shape Zamperla to this day.
One such partner is AIRON s.r.l., an Italian-based firm that specialises in high quality pneumatic machinery components for industrial automation. AIRON has produced a range of products across the manufacturing market and supplies Zamperla with important components for multiple products.
“These external businesses are the key to Zamperla’s past, present and future success,” Antonio explains. “Partners are the backbone of the company – we cannot make it work without them. In this industry there are many technical issues that need to be solved which differ to other areas of manufacturing, for example car manufacturing which, although still complex, is more repeatable and part of a large industry where a larger pool of experts makes issues easily solvable.
“Because we are in a niche market, we need to work with reliable partners who can take these issues from start to finish while retaining the end product’s purpose; enduring machinery that will make people smile, because an amusement park needs to produce a number of smiles per hour.”
Zamperla’s partners understand this need and it’s their vast array of abilities that enable the company to achieve what it sets out to do, continentally or internationally.
THE FUTURE OF FUN
Expansion sits on the horizon for Zamperla and the amusement industry. Amid the promise of growth, the company plans to continue looking into further opportunities in various locations while retaining the core elements and Zamperla values. Tel: +39 0444 998400 zamperla@zamperla.it www.zamperla.com
“THE AMUSEMENT RIDE COMPANY SINCE 1966” - ANTONIO ZAMPERLA, CEO, ZAMPERLA S.p.A
“We are constantly thinking about how we can revolutionise everyday aspects of amusement parks,” Antonio tells us. “If you think about queuing for a ride for example, an amusement park queue is no different to an airport queue; people are bored and are waiting for a ride. Airports are not only places where customers take trips, but they are more like shopping centres now with a lot of commercial opportunities.
“We want to change the way these mundane aspects, such as queuing, are experienced for the betterment of overall end-user experiences. It is this sort of dedication to the amusement park visitor that we aim to develop moving ahead into the decade, and we believe that it will lead to greater entertainment and more happiness.”
