Bolliger & Mabillard: The Engineers Behind Modern Steel Coasters

Bolliger & Mabillard, widely known in the industry as B&M, is a Swiss roller coaster design and manufacturing company founded in 1988 by engineers Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard. Based in Monthey, Switzerland, the pair previously worked together at fellow ride manufacturer Giovanola before striking out on their own, quickly establishing a reputation for smooth, reliable, and innovative steel coaster engineering.

B&M’s first coaster, Iron Wolf, opened at Six Flags Great America in 1990, and the company has gone on to become one of the most respected names in the amusement industry. Its designs are instantly recognizable for their signature box-section track and comfortable, open-air trains. Over the decades B&M has introduced ride formats that reshaped the industry, including the inverted coaster, floorless coaster, dive coaster, flying coaster, wing coaster, hyper coaster, and giga coaster, with installations at major parks across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Stats at a Glance

• Founded: 1988
• Founders: Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard
• Headquarters: Monthey, Switzerland
• First Coaster: Iron Wolf, Six Flags Great America (1990)
• Coasters Built: over 120 roller coasters worldwide
• North American Fabricator: Clermont Steel Fabricators (Ohio)
• Notable Innovations: Inverted, floorless, dive, flying, wing, hyper, and giga coasters

Pioneering Ride Formats

B&M’s biggest legacy is the sheer number of coaster categories it invented or popularized. The inverted coaster, debuted with Batman: The Ride in 1992, sent riders soaring beneath the track with their feet dangling free, and the design was so successful it was cloned at parks around the world. The company followed with the floorless coaster in 1999 and the dive coaster in 1998, which introduced dramatic vertical drops from a beyond-vertical holding position. Later designs like the wing coaster, introduced in 2011, seated riders on either side of the track with nothing above or below them.

A Reputation for Smoothness

Unlike many steel coaster builders, B&M is known for engineering rides that deliver intense forces without the rough, jarring sensations common to older designs. This reputation has made the company a favorite among both parks and enthusiasts, and several of its coasters, including Fury 325 at Carowinds, have topped Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards rankings for the world’s best steel coasters.

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Notable Bolliger & Mabillard Coasters on ThrillZing

• Alpengeist — Busch Gardens Williamsburg
• Apollo’s Chariot — Busch Gardens Williamsburg
• Banshee — Kings Island
• Batman: The Ride — Six Flags Magic Mountain
• Batman: The Ride — Six Flags Over Georgia
• Batman: The Ride — Six Flags Great Adventure
• Batman: The Ride — Six Flags Great America
• Batman: The Ride — Six Flags St. Louis
• Behemoth — Canada’s Wonderland
• Black Mamba — Phantasialand
• Candymonium — Hersheypark
• Dragon Khan — PortAventura Park
• Fury 325 — Carowinds
• GateKeeper — Cedar Point

Browse every ride profile in our roller coaster guides.

Bolliger & Mabillard FAQs

What does B&M stand for?

B&M stands for Bolliger & Mabillard, named after founders Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard.

Where is Bolliger & Mabillard based?

The company is headquartered in Monthey, Switzerland.

What was B&M’s first roller coaster?

B&M’s first roller coaster was Iron Wolf, which opened at Six Flags Great America in 1990.

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