According to Screamscape, B&M have decided to end their contract with Clermont Steel Fabricators, this rumor lines up with reports from people around the area saying that the plant has recently shut down. Industry News
Rumor B&M No Longer Working With Clermont Steel Fabricators
- Thread starter wasteman
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Isn’t that… good? No more rattle? Maybe?
I'm glad to see a change being made. Hoping for the best!
That’s how I’m taking it, the Dragon Khan retrack seems like pretty solid evidence that the rattle problem was a track issue and not a train issue, so hopefully switching fabricators will fix the problem. If there is a downside here it’s B&M moving their fabrication to Europe, their rides were already insanely expensive without having to account for tariffs, so I feel like that move is gonna mean a lot less B&Ms in the US.
Honestly,
Ulterior motive here: I was scared B&M family coasters were gonna become the industry standard and I was gonna be too tall for all of these cool ass, well-themed family coasters popping up in the future. Vekoma supremacy as far as family launch and suspended coasters go. The Dutch understand tall people problems and don't have stupid ass height limits.
I read this a win for US installations of Vekoma coasters all across the country.
B&M will need to retool and re-innovate for what they are going to likely have to charge for any new coaster in the short term.
There are financial impacts to consider for parks looking to add a B&M Giga in the near-term (BGW/BGT specifically.) A potential cost increase of 5-10% due to manufacture location changes is not insignificant, and stands to reveal other makers as "on the list" now for future development.
B&M will need to retool and re-innovate for what they are going to likely have to charge for any new coaster in the short term.
There are financial impacts to consider for parks looking to add a B&M Giga in the near-term (BGW/BGT specifically.) A potential cost increase of 5-10% due to manufacture location changes is not insignificant, and stands to reveal other makers as "on the list" now for future development.
Have the issues been with Clermont specifically? I had assumed it was something B&M themselves changed; thresholds with their track design or something. Did Clermont manufacture the track for Dragon Khan and Nemesis Reborn? I assumed they did not because those were European projects but I honestly don't know.
My gut reaction to this was another assumption: that for the first time in a long time, no North American park has queued up a B&M project, and B&M sees no reason to maintain the contract with a fabricator they no longer need.
My gut reaction to this was another assumption: that for the first time in a long time, no North American park has queued up a B&M project, and B&M sees no reason to maintain the contract with a fabricator they no longer need.
Keep an eye on Energylandias dive coaster next year, that will tell us everything.
It's my understanding that ALL B&M track worldwide has been from Clermont. Maybe someone else knows something different?
As for who's at fault for the track quality issues, no idea, but a change in manufacturing at least offers a chance at improvement? Fingers crossed.
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I believe so, I know there is a photo of hair raiser track at clermont many years ago