Giovanola
Encyclopedia
Giovanola Freres SA was one of the prominent thrill ride
manufacturers in the world. It was well-known for thrill rides and also built electrical power stations, water storage tanks, pipelines, highway
bridges, and many other steel
products. The company started out as a small metal forging shop, founded by Joseph Giovanola in 1888. It served as a subcontractor to Intamin A.G. supplying rides and roller coasters. In 1998 Giovanola started marketing directly under the name Giovanola Amusement Rides Worldwide. The company was based in Monthey
, Switzerland
. During its last years in business, Giovanola fashioned steel behind the scenes for companies such as Intamin and Bolliger & Mabillard
. The company also built its own thrill rides and roller coaster
s from 1998 to 2001. Examples of Giovanola roller coasters are Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain
, Titan
at Six Flags Over Texas
and Anaconda at South Africa
's Gold Reef City
.
Giovanola was filed for bankruptcy in 2001 after their last coaster. The company went completely bankrupt in 2004 right after. It is now merged into Bolliger & Mabillard
and Intamin.
Thrill ride
Thrill ride or Thrill Ride may refer to*Amusement ride*3-D Ultra Pinball: Thrill Ride*Thrill Ride, the 4th book in The Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers series....
manufacturers in the world. It was well-known for thrill rides and also built electrical power stations, water storage tanks, pipelines, highway
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
bridges, and many other steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
products. The company started out as a small metal forging shop, founded by Joseph Giovanola in 1888. It served as a subcontractor to Intamin A.G. supplying rides and roller coasters. In 1998 Giovanola started marketing directly under the name Giovanola Amusement Rides Worldwide. The company was based in Monthey
Monthey
Monthey is the capital of the district of Monthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.- History :The castle in the town center was built in 950 on a hill, the first houses of Monthey surrounded it. Monthey is first mentioned in 1215 as Montez At the 13th century, the counts of Savoy owned the...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. During its last years in business, Giovanola fashioned steel behind the scenes for companies such as Intamin and Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, with Bolliger acting as president and Mabillard as vice-president...
. The company also built its own thrill rides and roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
s from 1998 to 2001. Examples of Giovanola roller coasters are Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain is a theme park located in Valencia, California north of Los Angeles. It opened on Memorial Day weekend on May 30, 1971 as Magic Mountain, by the Newhall Land and Farming Company. In 1979, Six Flags purchased the park and added the name Six Flags to the park's title. In...
, Titan
Titan (roller coaster)
Titan is a steel hyper coaster located at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas. Unlike most hypercoasters, Titan is a combination of an out and back roller coaster and a twister roller coaster.- Ride History :...
at Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Over Texas is a major amusement park located in Arlington, Texas , east of Fort Worth and about west of Dallas. It is the oldest park of the Six Flags chain. The park opened on August 5, 1961 following just a year of construction and an initial investment of US$10 million by real estate...
and Anaconda at South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
's Gold Reef City
Gold Reef City
Gold Reef City is a large amusement park in Johannesburg, South Africa. Located on an old gold mine, the park is themed around the gold rush on the Witwatersrand. Park staff wear period costumes of the 1880s, and the buildings on the park are designed to mimic the same period...
.
Giovanola was filed for bankruptcy in 2001 after their last coaster. The company went completely bankrupt in 2004 right after. It is now merged into Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, with Bolliger acting as president and Mabillard as vice-president...
and Intamin.