Are B&M stagnating?

[Pokemaniac]

A big part of B&M’s ‘stagnation’ in the Western market has got to be the loss of Six Flags as a customer for them. Just had a look on rcdb and they built 25 coasters across their parks, all between 1992-2006 other than X-Flight in 2012. If SF hadn’t had their bankruptcy and change in strategy since, perhaps we would have seen a few more dive machines, wing coasters and hypers/gigas (wishful thinking?!) from them in the past ten years or so across America.

Yeah, this. And without the competition from Six Flags, Cedar Fair could lean back and not buy any B&M coasters either. Well, outside of the headliner parks, of course.

 

[RcTmix]

Though, I do wonder what will happen when the Eastern, particularly Chinese, market becomes saturated and their parks become less interested in B&M. Is this what the Surf Coaster could be in preparation for? Or will it just not be a problem and they'll always have enough interest from around the world to tick on by?

The Surf Coaster does seem like a new product they can offer to delay market saturation, but I also wonder what will happen to the company in the next decade or so. Bolliger and Mabillard have been working in the industry since the 1970's. In that time they've invented and perfected the modern invert, invented the dive coaster, invented the floorless coaster, perfected the flying coaster, perfected the wing coaster, had some real success with standup coasters - I like them, fight me ;-) - perfected the hyper/giga coaster, and become the gold standard in well built, reliable, high capacity rides. That's an amazing contribution to the world of roller coasters, and also quite a bit of innovation.

Now they're both nearly 50 years into their careers. If B&M plan on retiring at some point will the firm continue? I suppose they could find a couple youngblood designers to groom so they can eventually pass the torch, but it's hard to imagine B&M with neither a Bolliger nor a Mabillard in charge. I wonder if they are even interested in chasing innovation anymore, or if they'll just reach market saturation with their current product line then step back from the industry.

 

[Matt N]

Now they're both nearly 50 years into their careers. If B&M plan on retiring at some point will the firm continue? I suppose they could find a couple youngblood designers to groom so they can eventually pass the torch, but it's hard to imagine B&M with neither a Bolliger nor a Mabillard in charge. I wonder if they are even interested in chasing innovation anymore, or if they'll just reach market saturation with their current product line then step back from the industry.

Could Walter and/or Claude possibly have children who the company will be passed on to once they retire, thus making B&M (the company) a family business that passes through multiple generations, a bit like Mack Rides (they’ve existed since the 1700s, so Roland and co certainly weren’t the first heads of Mack)?

I seem to remember hearing a Bolliger who’s first name wasn’t Walter mentioned in the SeaWorld Orlando Surf Coaster lien (don’t quote me on that, though), so that would imply that there could possibly be relatives of Walter and/or Claude poised to gain more active roles in the company once the original duo retire.

As an example of where this has happened, Werner Stengel’s company seemingly continued without Werner Stengel himself at the helm, so it wouldn’t surprise me if something similar happened with B&M in the future.

 

[Gazza]

I don't think B&M are stagnating, their order books are constantly full.

 

[roomraider]

Could Walter and/or Claude possibly have children who the company will be passed on to once they retire, thus making B&M (the company) a family business that passes through multiple generations, a bit like Mack Rides (they’ve existed since the 1700s, so Roland and co certainly weren’t the first heads of Mack)?

I believe Walters daughter Sophie is the Head of marketing at B&M so there's already a family member at the company.