Kumbak Explained

Kumbak
Type:	Private
Founder:	9 former Vekoma employees
Location City:	Weert
Location Country:	Netherlands
Area Served:	Worldwide
Industry:	Amusement rides, roller coasters
Num Employees:	16

Kumbak is a Dutch amusement ride manufacturing company. In addition to manufacturing its own rides, the company primarily specialises in changing existing rides and attractions, originally made by other manufacturers.

History

Kumbak (originally Kumbak Coasters) was formed on 14 November 2001 just months after the bankruptcy of Vekoma, a roller coaster manufacturer.^[1] The company was founded by nine former employees of Vekoma. The company expanded to a total of 16 employees less than a month later. Kumbaks first project was to design a passenger evacuation platform for Morey's Piers' Great Nor' Easter Suspended Looping Coaster. Since then the company has performed a complete upgrade on several rides originally made by different manufacturers,^[2] as well as designing their own water coaster and dark rides.

Projects

• Great Nor' Easter, Morey's Piers (2003) – a passenger evacuation platform was constructed for the Vekoma Suspended Looping Coaster^[3]
• Space Invader 2, Pleasure Beach Blackpool (2004) – replacement of a portion of track, the lift hill, vehicles, ride controls and brakes on the 1984 Zierer roller coaster^[4]
• Wereld 3 Stalen Monsters, Nederlands Spoorwegmuseum (2005) – a dark ride designed and constructed by Kumbak^{[5] [6]}
• Python, Efteling (2005) – the Arrow Dynamics-designed, Vekoma roller coaster had its trains replaced with Kumbak trains, however due to multiple problems they were replaced later by new trains from Vekoma.^{[7] [8]}
• Grand National, Pleasure Beach Blackpool (2006) – a new braking and ride control system was added to this Möbius Loop roller coaster^[9]
• Phantom's Revenge, Kennywood (2006) – a new braking and ride control system was added to this Arrow Dynamics/Chance Morgan hypercoaster^[10]
• De Vliegende Hollander, Efteling (2007) – complete design and construction of this water coaster^{[11] [12] [13]}
• Stampida, PortAventura Park, PortAventura World (2007) – addition of 4 new trains as well as a new braking and ride control system for this Custom Coasters International wooden roller coaster^{[14] [15]}
• Tomahawk, PortAventura Park (2007) – Custom Coasters International wooden roller coaster which had its braking and ride control system replaced^{[14] [16]}
• Monkey Rail, Ouwehands Dierenpark (2008) – redesign of this 1979 Mack Rides Monorail to meet current operational requirements^[17]
• Miraculum, Vienna Prater (2008) – a 5-D theatre^{[18] [19]}
• Vienna Airlines, Vienna Prater (2008) – a 5-D theatre^[20]
• Hornet, Wonderland Park (2008) – upgrade of original Vekoma ride control system^[21]
• Sea Viper, Sea World (2009) – a new train to replace the original 1982 Arrow Dynamics train. The project began in 2005.^{[22] [23]}
• Robin Hood, Walibi Holland (2010) – new restraints for this Vekoma wooden roller coaster^[24]
• Rutschebanen, Dyrehavsbakken (2010) – overall upgrade to this wooden roller coaster from the early 1930s^[25]
• Arkham Asylum – Shock Therapy, Warner Bros. Movie World (2012) – a new train for this Vekoma Suspended Looping Coaster^[26]
• T3, Kentucky Kingdom (2015) - A new 14 seater train was provided for the 2015 season, when the coaster was refurbished and brought back from a 4 year operation hiatus.^[27] A second train was provided for the 2016 season, although only one has in use since June 2018 as a precautionary measure after the ride's pair of trains suffered a low-speed station collision.^[28]

List of roller coasters

As of 2019, Kumbak has built 1 roller coaster around the world.^[29]

Notes and References

1. News: Emmons. Natasha. Nine Former Vekoma Employees Come Back With Kumbak Coasters. 15 October 2011. All Business. 3 December 2001.
2. Web site: Complete Upgrade of Existing Rides. Kumbak. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120502160045/http://www.kumbakcoasters.com/products/complete.html. 2 May 2012.
3. Web site: Morey's Pier (US) – Great Nor'Easter Evacuation Platform (2003). Kumbak. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120425065353/http://www.kumbakcoasters.com/great_nor.html. 25 April 2012.
4. Web site: Pleasure Beach Blackpool (UK) – Space Invader 2 (2004). Kumbak. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120425070102/http://www.kumbakcoasters.com/space_invaders.html. 25 April 2012.
5. Web site: Explore 5D partners with Kumbak. Park World Online. 15 October 2011. 1 January 2007. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080828125158/http://www.parkworld-online.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/187/Explore_5D_partners_with_Kumbak.html. 28 August 2008.
6. Web site: Nederlands Spoorwegmuseum (NL) – Wereld 3 'Stalen Monsters' (2005). Kumbak. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120425070136/http://www.kumbakcoasters.com/stalen_monsters.html. 25 April 2012.
7. Python. Efteling. 897. 15 October 2011.
8. Web site: Efteling (NL) – Python (2005). Kumbak. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120425070334/http://www.kumbakcoasters.com/python.html. 25 April 2012.
9. Web site: Pleasure Beach Blackpool (UK) – Grand National (2006). Kumbak. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120425070414/http://www.kumbakcoasters.com/grand_national.html. 25 April 2012.
10. Web site: Kennywood (US) – Phantom's Revenge (2006). Kumbak. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120425070457/http://www.kumbakcoasters.com/phantoms.html. 25 April 2012.
11. Web site: Hold the excitement!. Park World Online. 15 October 2011. 1 November 2006. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110105014056/http://parkworld-online.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/123/Hold_the_excitement!.html. 5 January 2011.
12. Web site: Vliegende Hollander. Park World Online. 15 October 2011. 22 August 2007. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120329135008/http://parkworld-online.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/522/Vliegende_Hollander.html. 29 March 2012.
13. Vliegende Hollander. Efteling. 3291. 15 October 2011.
14. Web site: KumbaK upgrades Port Aventura coasters. Park World Online. 15 October 2011. 1 January 2007. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20081013185930/http://www.parkworld-online.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/189/KumbaK_upgrades_Port_Aventura_coasters.html. 13 October 2008.
15. Web site: PortAventura (ES) – Stampida (2007). Kumbak. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120425070824/http://www.kumbakcoasters.com/stampida.html. 25 April 2012.
16. Web site: PortAventura (ES) – Tomahawk (2007). Kumbak. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120502155614/http://www.kumbakcoasters.com/tomahawk.html. 2 May 2012.
17. Web site: Ouwehands Dierenpark (NL) – Monkey Rail (2008). Kumbak. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120502155630/http://www.kumbakcoasters.com/monkey_rail.html. 2 May 2012.
18. Web site: KumbaK changes direction. Park World Online. 15 October 2011. 18 December 2007. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110105221946/http://parkworld-online.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/671/KumbaK_changes_direction.html. 5 January 2011.
19. Web site: Explore 5D / 5D Network (AT) – Miraculum (2008). Kumbak. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120502155646/http://www.kumbakcoasters.com/miraculum.html. 2 May 2012.
20. Web site: Explore 5D / 5D Network (AT) – Vienna Airlines (2008). Kumbak. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120502155732/http://www.kumbakcoasters.com/vienna.html. 2 May 2012.
21. Web site: Wonderland Park (US) – Hornet (2009). Kumbak. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120502155829/http://www.kumbakcoasters.com/hornet.html. 2 May 2012.
22. Web site: KumbaK makes comeback!. Park World Online. 15 October 2011. 1 November 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120329134949/http://parkworld-online.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/1486/KumbaK_makes_comeback!.html. 29 March 2012.
23. Web site: Sea World (AU) – Sea Viper (2009). Kumbak. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120502155849/http://www.kumbakcoasters.com/sea_viper.html. 2 May 2012.
24. Web site: Walibi World (NL) – Robin Hood Restraint (2010). Kumbak. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120502155923/http://www.kumbakcoasters.com/robin_hood.html. 2 May 2012.
25. Web site: Bakken (DK) – Rutschebanen (2010). Kumbak. 15 October 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120502155947/http://www.kumbakcoasters.com/rutschebanen.html. 2 May 2012.
26. Web site: Wilson. Richard. Movie World, September 30, 2011. The Parkz Update. Parkz. 15 October 2011. 30 September 2011.
27. Web site: Gut-wrenching Kentucky Kingdom coaster opens. Roldan. Roberto. July 3, 2015. IndyStar. December 28, 2020.
28. Web site: Kentucky Kingdom roller coaster reopens after crash investigation. Novelly. Thomas. June 5, 2018. Courier Journal. December 28, 2020.
29. https://rcdb.com/7608.htm Kumbak - rcdb.com
30. De Vliegende Hollander. Efteling. 3291. 28 October 2013.