What Larson International does

Larson International is a privately held US amusement ride manufacturer founded in 1967 in Plainview, Texas. The company designs, engineers, and manufactures a portfolio spanning thrill rides (Giga Loop 100-ft, Giant Loop, Fireball, Super Shot drop tower), family rides (Tilt-A-Whirl, Hubless Ferris Wheel, Flying Scooter, Star Dancer, Skyrise observation tower), kiddie rides (Flying Rides, Spin Rides), and portable/self-erecting rides for carnivals and seasonal venues. Core technology combines mechanical engineering, computer-controlled ride kinematics, magnetic brake systems, and LED lighting packages; proprietary designs include a patented Hubless Ferris Wheel architecture and the Stardancer telescoping observation tower. Following the 2011 acquisition of Sellner Manufacturing, Larson owns the iconic TILT-A-WHIRL trademark, and in 2023 it merged with Rocky Mountain Construction to combine family/thrill ride manufacturing with roller coaster engineering.

The company's revenue model combines one-time new ride sales (quote-based, not publicly priced), an aftermarket parts business maintaining 500+ SKUs available 365 days per year, ride refurbishment services performed at the Plainview facility, and custom design/engineering work for unique attractions. Distribution is exclusively direct B2B via enterprise field sales, targeting amusement parks, water parks, family entertainment centers, carnivals, zoos, and seasonal venues worldwide. Marketing relies on a content-rich website, Facebook presence, email newsletter signup, and direct phone/email engagement.

Larson has pursued growth through both organic product launches (Hubless Wheel, Giga Loop in 2018) and inorganic moves (Sellner acquisition 2011, RMC merger 2023), while occasionally diversifying into adjacent manufacturing verticals such as Mine-ARC refuge chambers (2010). The combined Larson-RMC organization is led by RMC's CEO Darren Torr and operates from Texas and Idaho, respectively.

Name

Larson International

Legal name

LARSON INTERNATIONAL INC.

Website

https://larsonintl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Larson International is a US-based amusement ride manufacturer (founded 1967, Plainview, TX) that designs, builds, and services thrill, family, kiddie, and portable rides — including the Tilt-A-Whirl and Hubless Ferris Wheel — for amusement parks, carnivals, zoos, and entertainment venues worldwide, and merged with Rocky Mountain Construction in 2023.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Plainview

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. New Ride Sales: Direct sale of manufactured amusement rides including thrill rides, family rides, kiddie rides, and portable rides. Options include ready-to-go models or custom-designed attractions built to customer specifications.
2. Parts and Service: Sale of replacement parts for existing rides including Fireball, Tilt-A-Whirl, and Flying Scooters. Maintains inventory of over 500 different parts available 365 days per year. Provides ongoing support services.
3. Ride Refurbishment: Refurbishment services including repairs, inspections, upgrades, new paint, graphics, and regular maintenance for rides brought to their facility in Plainview, Texas.
4. Custom Design Services: Custom design and creative services for unique ride configurations, theming options, and entirely new ride or attraction development.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Larson International designs, engineers, and manufactures amusement rides across thrill, family, kiddie, and portable categories for entertainment venues worldwide. The company sells ready-to-go standard rides as well as custom-designed attractions, complemented by an ongoing parts inventory of 500+ SKUs, ride refurbishment services, and custom design and engineering support. All products are 100% US-designed and manufactured at the Plainview, Texas facility.

Product overview

Larson International is a US-based manufacturer of amusement rides offering a diverse portfolio of thrill rides, family rides, kiddie rides, and portable rides. The product line includes flagship attractions like the TILT-A-WHIRL (acquired from Sellner Manufacturing in 2011), the Super Loops family including Fireball and Giant Loop, observation towers like Skyrise and Star Dancer, and the innovative Hubless Ferris Wheel. In 2023, the company merged with Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) to expand into roller coasters. All products are 100% designed and manufactured in the USA with a focus on affordability, fast delivery, and safety. Services include parts supply with over 500 parts in inventory, custom design and creative services, and ride refurbishment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fireball (55 Ft) A 55-foot portable thrill ride with a self-erecting single trailer design featuring a 20-passenger train that completes 7 inversions at 30+ mph with gravity-defying hang time.
• Giant Loop (72 Ft) A 22-meter (72 ft) freestanding park model loop with a 24-passenger train that rocks back and forth gaining momentum, completing 7 inversions at 30+ mph.
• Giga Loop (100 Ft) A 100-foot freestanding thrill ride featuring a centerless loop structure where a 32-passenger train rocks back and forth gaining momentum, completing 7 inversions at 30+ mph with gravity-defying hang time.
• Super Shot (132 Ft) A 132-foot drop tower co-produced with A.R.M., Inc. featuring a 12-passenger gondola that climbs and plunges at freefall speeds over 45 mph, using a magnetic brake system for smooth capture.
• Tilt-A-Whirl A classic amusement ride originating from circa 1926 featuring a large segmented undulating spinning platform with seven vehicles where each car spins on its axis delivering a unique experience for every rider.
• Star Dancer A high-capacity observation tower with vertical lift and slow rotation providing 360-degree panoramic views, designed and manufactured in the USA with options for LED lighting and custom configurations.
• Hubless Ferris Wheel An innovative Ferris wheel design using a patented loop-like structure with gondolas on both sides of the ride's structure, providing double the capacity of a traditional Ferris Wheel while maintaining a relatively small footprint.
• Flying Scooter An interactive flying ride featuring vehicles with fixed rear wings and moveable front wings that riders control, providing hands-on flight experience with high-speed rotation.
• Skyrise A high-capacity observation tower with small footprint featuring vertical lift and slow 360-degree rotation, serving as a viewing platform for parks, zoos, and venues with optional LED lighting package.
• Flying Rides (Kiddie) Kiddie flying rides featuring 8 interactive vehicles that rotate and elevate with or without passenger input, controlled via integrated audio system with themed voice instructions.
• Spin Rides (Kiddie) Kiddie rides with oversized interactive themed vehicles where 4-6 passengers can spin each vehicle using a large turntable, featuring ready-to-build themes including Barrels of Fun, Berry-Go-Round, and Chilly Willy.
• Portable Fireball A portable version of the Fireball thrill ride with self-erecting single trailer design, featuring a 20-passenger train, 7 inversions, and dazzling light shows.
• Portable Flying Rides Portable flying rides with 8 interactive vehicles featuring themes like Jumping Jumbos and Bumble Bee Bop, designed for easy installation and quick setup.
• Portable Spin Rides Portable spin rides with 4 oversized interactive themed vehicles where 4-6 passengers per vehicle can spin independently, available in themes like Barrels of Fun and Pumpkin Patch.
• Portable Mega Bounce A portable high-capacity rotating bounce attraction with computer-controlled up/down bouncing patterns including opposing, wave, and unison movements for quick-paced high-energy experience.
• Parts Services Parts service maintaining an inventory of over 500 different parts available 365 days per year from the 100% US-based facility to ensure uninterrupted ride operations across Fireball, Tilt-A-Whirl, Flying Scooters and other installed equipment.
• Custom Design and Creative Services Custom design services for creating unique ride configurations, new ride types, or improving operation and aesthetics of existing attractions, supported by an in-house engineering team.
• Ride Refurbishment Ride restoration services including repairs, inspections, upgrades, new paint, graphics, and regular maintenance performed at the Plainview, Texas facility.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Major merger in 2023 combining Rocky Mountain Construction with Larson International to create 'a powerhouse in the amusement industry.' RMC, founded in 2001, is known for its roller coasters including the conversion of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's wooden Gwazi coaster into the wood/steel hybrid Iron Gwazi. The combined company will merge engineering R&D efforts to drive innovation. RMC President and CEO Darren Torr oversees the combined company. RMC continues to operate from Idaho headquarters while Larson maintains Texas headquarters.
• Sellner ManufacturingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Acquired in 2011, Sellner Manufacturing had been manufacturing the iconic Tilt-A-Whirl and various other midway favorites since 1923. This acquisition brought the Tilt-A-Whirl brand under Larson International's portfolio.
• Mine-ARCminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Partnership in 2010 resulting in construction of several life-saving mine refuge chambers, diversifying the company's product offerings beyond amusement rides.
• A.R.M. (Automated Ride Manufacturing)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Long-standing partnership for co-production of thrill attractions. Co-produced the Supershot tower ride and Mega Bounce ride. A.R.M. provides complementary manufacturing capabilities for specific ride types.
• Chance RidesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Successful collaboration resulting in co-production of the Aviator ride, working alongside Chance Rides manufacturing company.
• Walter HousecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1967Original collaboration in 1970-1972 where Mr. Walter House from Amarillo, TX approached Walter Larson with an extraordinary prototype amusement ride (Super Loop/Fireball). Together they refined the design and created the first Super Loops in 1972, founding the company's amusement ride business.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Sellner Manufacturing: Minnesota-based manufacturer of amusement rides including the original Tilt-A-Whirl, acquired by Larson International in 2011; now operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary within the Larson/RMC combined entity.

Broad incumbents

• Zamperla: Italian global amusement ride manufacturer and one of the largest in the industry; competes across thrill, family, and kiddie categories and supplies most major theme parks worldwide, overlapping with Larson across multiple product lines.
• Mack Rides: German manufacturer of roller coasters, dark rides, and family attractions (e.g., Europa-Park supply); large diversified incumbent competing for both major theme park contracts and family ride installations.
• Vekoma: Dutch roller coaster and family ride manufacturer (now part of Sansei Technologies); broad international incumbent offering coasters, family rides, and thrill rides that overlap with Larson's expanding portfolio post-RMC merger.

Direct peers

• Premier Rides: Maryland-based manufacturer of launched roller coasters and large thrill rides (including Flight of Discovery and Mindbender); competes for major theme park thrill-ride contracts with engineering-driven custom designs.
• Rocky Mountain Construction: Idaho-based roller coaster designer/manufacturer (Iron Gwazi, Twisted Colossus) that merged with Larson International in 2023; now part of the same combined entity and overlapping in custom thrill-ride engineering and engineering talent.
• S&S Worldwide: Utah-based designer/manufacturer of thrill rides, coasters, and pneumatic/compressed-air attractions; directly competes in drop towers and thrill ride categories and shares US-based manufacturing focus.
• A.R.M. (Automated Ride Manufacturing): Oklahoma-based thrill ride manufacturer and long-standing Larson co-production partner (Supershot, Mega Bounce); directly competes and collaborates on drop towers and bounce-style attractions.
• Chance Rides: Wichita, Kansas-based manufacturer of portable, family, and thrill rides including the Trabant and Chaos; long-time Larson collaborator (1994 Aviator co-production) and the closest US-headquartered competitor in portable amusement rides.

Emerging players

• Gerstlauer: German manufacturer specializing in compact steel coasters and family thrill rides; emerging player competing for mid-sized park installations where Larson also targets growth, particularly European export markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/people/Larson-International-Inc/100063575941339

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Larson International