Industry Manufacturing Founder Joseph Giovanola Area served Worldwide Headquarters Monthey | Fate Bankrupt Defunct 2004 (2004) Founded 1888 Ceased operations 2004 | |
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Products Amusement rides, roller coasters | ||
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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 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 coasters 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 built several submarines: the Auguste Piccard, the Ben Franklin and the F.-A. Forel.
Giovanola filed for bankruptcy protection in 2001 after the completion of Titan at Six Flags Over Texas and left the roller coaster building business. The company went completely bankrupt in 2004.