Industry Manufacturing Founder Stan Checketts Parent organization Sansei Technologies | Area served Worldwide Founded 1994 | |
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Predecessor Arrow Development
Arrow HUSS
Arrow Dynamics
S&S Sports Inc.
S&S Power Products Amusement rides, roller coasters Website www.engineeringexcitement.com Headquarters Logan, Utah, United States Profiles | ||
S&S - Sansei Technologies, formerly S&S Worldwide, is an American company known for its pneumatically powered amusement rides and roller coaster designing.
Contents
History
S&S - Sansei Technologies was founded by Stan Checketts as S&S Sports, Inc. S&S Sports manufactured bungee jumping and trampoline equipment. S&S Sports was sold in 1996. In 1994, S&S began manufacturing air-powered amusement rides which is now the main stay of the company. S&S - Sansei Technologies is based in Logan, Utah.
In 2002, S&S began looking for opportunities to expand their business, citing acquisitions as the best method to do so. Following the bankruptcy filing of wooden roller coaster manufacturer Custom Coasters International (CCI), S&S hired founder Denise Dinn-Larrick and several other former CCI employees to start a new wooden coaster division for the company. In October 2002, S&S founded S&S Arrow, a limited liability company which purchased the assets of the bankrupt Arrow Dynamics. However, the only Arrow Dynamics coaster design S&S continues to offer is the 4th dimension coaster.
In 2004, after four wooden roller coasters were built, S&S closed that division of the company.
In 2006, S&S Power opened Celebration Centre, a Family Entertainment Center featuring a number of S&S rides and prototypes. The facility was later sold and is currently no longer operating.
On August 25, 2006 S&S Power, Inc. announced that Stan Checketts and Gene Mulvihill, both original founding partners of S&S, had formed a group to purchase a controlling interest of S & S. The negotiations took several months. CEO Checketts was to direct the company based on the same principles upon which it was founded; "...to provide the amusement industry with thrilling, high-quality rides the entire family can enjoy." Checketts also announced that the business operations of S&S would remain under the direction of Rich Allen, who would continue in his role as Chief Operating Officer.
In February 2009, Larsen MacColl Partners acquired a significant equity interest in S&S, including all shares previously owned by Checketts. The Koffman family and affiliated shareholders were to maintain their ownership interest. Checketts ended his consulting relationship with the company in order to pursue other business interests. As of December 2013, those interests included Soaring Eagle Zipline Inc., of Logan Utah.
In November 2012, S&S Worldwide Inc., entered into a binding agreement with Sansei Yusoki Co., Ltd., of Osaka, Japan, whereby Sansei acquired 77.3% interest in S&S. Signage at the 2012 and 2013 IAAPA Attractions Expos promoted the new company as S&S - Sansei Technologies.