logo
Dutch coaster titan Vekoma establishes downtown Orlando office

Dutch coaster titan Vekoma establishes downtown Orlando office

Yahoo15-05-2025
You can't hear the rumble of roller coasters in downtown Orlando, but thrill rides have a new presence there. Vekoma Rides, a manufacturing giant based in the Netherlands, has opened a North American office in the downtown business district.
'This is the place to be in terms of theme parks, even though we work all over the U.S.,' said Ricardo Etges, vice president for sales and marketing for the Americas. Etges was Vekoma's first Orlando-based employee.
Now there are eight people working out of its office near the intersection of Orange Avenue and South Street, including research and development engineers.
'We basically have an extension of our engineering department in the Netherlands,' Etges said. 'In the Netherlands, we have between 250 and 300 people, and we found out that we can expand our engineering capacity with local resources in Orlando.'
The company, founded in 1926, originally made farm equipment and later steel products for the coal-mining and petrochemical industries. It started shifting to amusement park rides in the 1970s and in 2019 decided to focus more on North American markets.
United Parks: SeaWorld attendance, revenue dip in 1st quarter
In March, Vekoma opened the Flash: Vertical Velocity at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. It's the first 'super boomerang' style coaster in the western world, Etges said. Coming up is Siren's Curse, a tilt coaster under construction at Cedar Point in Ohio.
It's 'a traditional lift-hill coaster with the seesaw element on top,' Etges said. 'The train parks in the horizontal position, and there is a track section that goes from horizontal to vertical, like a seesaw. And then once it locks on the vertical position, it releases a train.'
Among its Florida coasters are Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom as well as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Tron / Lightcycle Run at Magic Kingdom plus Epcot's Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which debuted in 2022. It has also produced rides for Universal Orlando and Legoland Florida.
The move into Orlando was designed to help expand the business in Central Florida and to become 'more proactive and present to our clients,' Etges said.
'A roller coaster is almost like you have a long-term relationship with the park,' he said. 'Because the roller coaster is not only about installing the ride and making sure that the ride is up and running, but also keeping the ride up and running and reliable for decades.'
Other plusses for a Central Florida office include proximity to parks ('We actually had a field trip to Epic [Universe]'), vendors, potential employees and November's IAAPA Expo at Orange County Convention Center, Etges said.
Disney Jollywood Nights show among Brass Ring winners
'We usually have 15 to 20 people from our team coming from the Netherlands, and we have a lot of meetings with clients,' at the Expo, he said. 'We usually have at least one vehicle being showcased' on the convention center floor, which is produced by Orlando-based International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, he said.
There are other projects in the works, but they remain hush-hush.
'We always need to wait until the park announces the ride to be able to start to talk about it,' Etges said. 'But at IAAPA this year, we're going to have some surprises.'
Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. BlueSky: @themeparksdb. Threads account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.
Epic Universe: Exec blends arts, engineering in theme park roles
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

New AI platform has mapped every construction project in Texas giving contractors "God mode" for leads
New AI platform has mapped every construction project in Texas giving contractors "God mode" for leads

Business Journals

time12 minutes ago

  • Business Journals

New AI platform has mapped every construction project in Texas giving contractors "God mode" for leads

A New Edge in Construction Intelligence Texas GCs have always relied on luck, timing, and relationships to win new construction projects. But a new AI-powered platform by is a game changer helping GCs discover private projects earlier, engage decision-makers sooner, and win deals ahead of competitors. One Houston-based general contractor put it plainly: 'It's God mode for leads.' a Texas-focused market intelligence platform, has mapped over 65,000 active private construction projects across the state. The platform provides structured access to early-stage signals such as rezoning activity, land title changes, permitting updates, and ownership transfers—often before plans are finalized or teams are selected. Unlike traditional platforms that rely on user input or call centers, pulls directly from city and state databases, private sources, and creates proprietary data where no structured information currently exists. Every update is tied to a traceable source document, giving users a clear paper trail for every insight. equips users to act early by connecting dots that would take a human weeks to uncover. Built for Early Signal Detection Contractors can follow civil engineers, developers, and architects, track movement across projects, and engage earlier with decision-makers. The platform helps BD teams position themselves as trusted advisors—shaping scope, not reacting to it. is the only source of early intelligence on private construction projects before the bid stage, giving contractors real-time visibility into upcoming opportunities. It surfaces what's coming—not just what's already out there. 10x Better Than Legacy Tools Traditional bid-management platforms like ConstructConnect and Dodge track public bid-stage activity. But by the time projects hit those systems, it's often too late. Private work is different. You find very few private opportunities on bid boards, and often the ones featured are much too late. 'ConstructConnect tells you what's already happening. Mercator shows you what's coming,' says founder Chloe Smith. Chloe Smith created the platform in 2020 after watching her father, a 45-year industry veteran, prepare for retirement. 'They were flying blind,' she recalls. 'Had he walked out, they wouldn't know where the work was coming from next.' 'My dad always talked to me about relationships,' she adds. 'As I matured, I realized the massive risk this imposed on his company. If he decided to retire, those relationships would disappear. Their revenue channel instantly appeared highly fragile.' She describes as a force multiplier tool for BD teams: a sales 'cheat code' that eliminates hours of manual research and replaces it with verified, real-time intelligence. And more than that, it solves a deeper pain point: the FOMO of not knowing what you don't know. 'We were tired of hearing about projects too late. With Mercator, we're in early—and it's directly impacted our win rate.' — VP, Business Development Free Permits App – Click Here Results on the Ground Texas-based users are already seeing impact. It's already being used by GCs like Joeris, Bartlett Cocke, and ChalkLine, and it's quickly becoming the de-facto standard in proactive business development across the state. A Houston interiors firm used to identify a permit revision, secure a meeting, and win the project. A Dallas GC tracked multifamily conversions early and secured two jobs before competitors were even aware. One Houston-based contractor secured a self-storage project by spotting an early land acquisition and rezoning signal. They invited the developer to tour a similar build, influenced the design, and ultimately won the job. A self-perform contractor identified a healthcare expansion weeks in advance and locked in supplier work ahead of any bid package. Internal metrics show users surface 3–5x more early-stage opportunities weekly—and spend far less time chasing dead-end leads. 'If I have one coffee meeting, I might walk away with two leads in an hour. If I'm on Mercator, I could find five in that same time.' — Director of Business Development, General Contractor 'It really allows us to parse the data, analyze it, and get high-quality leads to reps in the field. So yes, I'm a fan.' — Senior Manager, Business Development 'Mercator cuts through the noise. We don't waste time chasing dead-end leads anymore.' — Sales Manager Pricing – Click Here to Book a Live Demo Widespread Adoption and Growing Demand is actively used by members of Houston AGC, Austin AGC, San Antonio AGC, and Texo AGC/ABC. It tracks commercial, industrial, healthcare, institutional, and multifamily projects across tenant improvement, exterior renovations, core and shell, and ground up construction in every major metro in the state. The platform's growth reflects a broader shift in how construction teams are using technology. In a more competitive, margin-conscious market, timing and insight have become decisive advantages. 'AI gives people the time and space to be more strategic,' says Nihar Dalmia, a partner at Deloitte. 'It enables higher-value work and accelerates decision-making.' doesn't replace business development. It sharpens it. The best teams don't just react faster—they show up earlier, with more to offer.

Trading day: Ending on another high
Trading day: Ending on another high

Yahoo

time41 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Trading day: Ending on another high

By Jamie McGeever ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) -- TRADING DAY Making sense of the forces driving global markets By Jamie McGeever, Markets Columnist I'd love to hear from you, so please reach out to me with comments at . You can also follow me at @ReutersJamie and @ For the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, the week ended on Friday as it began on Monday: new highs on growing confidence that the U.S. will strike favorable trade deals with major trading partners and that tariffs won't choke growth, and optimism around the earnings-boosting power of artificial intelligence. This offset some less encouraging signals from U.S. and European earnings about the impact of tariffs and trade uncertainty. But the bulls are in control, it seems, and markets go into next week's heavy event risk at or near their all-time highs. This Week's Key Market Moves * The S&P 500 gains 1.5%, rising every day of the week, andthe Nasdaq rises 1%. * Intel shares slump 10.4% on Q2 loss. * Japan's Nikkei 225 jumps 4%, getting to within 1% of lastJuly's record high 42,426 points. * Japan's 10-year JGB yield rises 7.5 bps, its biggestweekly rise since May, to a 17-year high above 1.60%. * China's yuan rises to its strongest level of the year,reaching 7.1478 per dollar on Thursday. Ending on another high The week just ended saw a wave of record stock market highs on Wall Street and around the world as investors cheered the US-Japan trade deal and a raft of corporate earnings results. Next week will be packed with even more market-sensitive events. Policy decisions from the Fed and other major central banks, Fed Chair Jerome Powell's press conference, U.S. PCE inflation, earnings from four of the 'Magnificent Seven' tech giants, and Washington's August 1 tariff deadline for most countries await. Meanwhile, U.S. and Chinese officials will meet in Stockholm to discuss extending the August 12 deadline for reaching a trade deal. This will be U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's third round of talks with his Chinese counterparts That's a lot to be heaped onto investors' plate, and one wonders how they will digest it all. It wouldn't be a surprise if market volatility picked up from surprisingly low levels - the VIX index is the lowest in five months, and the Treasury market's MOVE index is near its recent three and a half-year low. Meanwhile, demand for U.S. government debt will be tested as the Treasury auctions $173 billion of notes in the 2-7 year part of the curve. Recent auctions of longer-dated bonds have drawn strong demand and foreign private sector investors bought huge quantities of Treasuries in May, which bodes well. But the sales come as Treasury also announces its quarterly refunding plans, a reminder that investors will have around $1 trillion of new debt to absorb by year end, an increasing share of that in bills. Chart of the Week What's driving the rally on Wall Street? Lots of things, including tariff relief, trade deals, and renewed optimism around AI. One potential red flag, however, is the amount of leverage fueling it. Figures from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) show that margin debt in U.S. stocks has crossed the $1 trillion mark for the first time. This comprises retail and institutional investors, but is thought to be more skewed toward the retail cohort. Of course, investors' margin debt should rise over time in line with inflation and the underlying equity indices. But it's a marker. Here are some of the best things I read this week: 1. How Europe can avoid a transatlantic trade war -Brookings 2. Rethinking the Politics of Money - Katharina Pistor 3. The Case that China is Now Actively Resisting Pressureon the Yuan to Appreciate - Brad Setser 4. Inflation Comes Home to Roost With the Help of Trump'sTariffs - Rebecca Patterson 5. Global Current Account Balances Widen, ReversingNarrowing Trend - IMF's Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas What could move markets on Monday? * India industrial production (June) * U.S. and Chinese officials meet in Stockholm for tradetalks * U.S. Treasury auctions $69 billion of two-year notes and$70 billion of five-year notes Opinions expressed are those of the author. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias. Trading Day is also sent by email every weekday morning. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here. (Writing by Jamie McGeever;)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store