Remo Fabbri first started working with rides just after the Second World War. Remo was the son of a blacksmith, however chose to work as a mechanic, gaining a reputation for his technical skills and outstanding talent. Encouraged by his brother Antonio, and following requests from many travelling showmen in his home town of Bergantino (Rovigo), he started working on their rides, improving how they operated and were made. Remo realised there was room for innovation: he in fact replaced the hydraulic and mechanical operation of the rides with higher-performance compressed air.
At the end of the 1950s, in the business now called ‘Officina Fabbri’, together with his brother he designed and built the first Aviogiostra (plane ride): this marked the beginning of an adventure and a passion that would accompany him throughout his long life – he passed away in 2020, at the age of 100 – and that he would share with his son Alfonso from the mid-1960s on.
By the 1970s production had reached an industrial scale: from the evolution of the Avio came the Telecombat (one of the company’s all-time greatest successes), followed by rides such as Tagada, the Pirate Ship, the Flying Carpet, Ranger, Crazy Dance and Kamikaze.
Rides that very quickly established themselves on the domestic market, followed in the 1980s by other markets in Europe and the Middle East.
Remo’s pragmatism can also be seen in his rides: already existing models that he redesigned with extreme care, managing to simplify both the production process and assembly and transport. The result was high quality rides, very competitively priced and easy to manage for operators, who could not fail to love them.
Photos © archive Fabbri
By the end of the 1990s Fabbri was already manufacturing rides that were shipped to every continent, for customers ranging from travelling showmen to permanent amusement parks (including theme parks and indoor parks), family entertainment centres, museums, events and other entities.
The large number of rides sold and the expansion of the international customer base required expansion of after-sales service and a fast and efficient support and spare parts department: in 2000 FC Fabbri thus teamed up with GAS – Global Amusement Services. The two companies work side by side in Calto, the company’s production site, operating together under the name of the FABBRI GROUP consortium.
The new millennium brought sensational new successes. Mistral, Fabbri’s first large rollercoaster, went into production (11 models are now available).
In 2001 came the first Booster, later to become the Fabbri brand’s most iconic attraction. To date (2022) Fabbri has sold 82 Booster units all over the world.
Photos © archive Fabbri
In 2002 the company marked another milestone, creating the Giant Wheels division, devoted specifically to the design and construction of large Ferris/observation wheels. The first model was released in 2003: a 40m wheel transported on three semi-trailers.
Others soon followed, both fixed and portable versions, and even much larger in size, such as the 80m high wheel installed in 2010 in Taiwan, on the roof of the E-Da Mall.
Observation wheels that can reach up to 100m and become temporary city icons for major events or permanent tourist attractions in their own right.
Indeed, Fabbri currently holds the record for the highest indoor Ferris wheel in the world. It is installed in Turkmenistan.
The combination of know-how and latest-generation applied technologies led Fabbri to make, in 1997, its first drop tower, the iconic Scary Drop. Over the years this has been made in different versions and different heights, from 20m to 75m. The technology used in the Fabbri braking system is based on permanent magnetic brakes to guarantee normal operation of the attraction. Scary Drop (which can be installed in any space and location) has been such a success that it is manufactured in a continuous cycle at the Fabbri factory.
In summer 2021, a 34m high Scary Drop was chosen by the Sky Hotel in Cape Town (South Africa) to offer its guests an unforgettable experience. Located 100m above the ground on the roof of the hotel, it offers breathtaking views over the city and amazing thrills, with a free fall controlled by magnetic brakes.
In 2016, in collaboration with Brogent, Fabbri developed and manufactured 3D Tower, a 20m tower combined with a large screen. The seats move in sync with the images projected on the screen, and the riders wear 3D glasses. The first model was installed at the Shang Shung World amusement park in Taiwan.
Fabbri Attractions was a new addition to the Fabbri group in 2021. The new company supports FC FABBRI PARK as regards manufacturing, so as to fulfil growing market demand.
Today Fabbri Group is headed by Gianluca Fabbri. Together with his staff (Giulia, Edward and Giancarlo), Gianluca continues to make innovation the company’s hallmark, the aspect that has defined the Fabbri brand since its inception.
The Rovigo company is today one of the world’s leaders in the production of amusement rides and Ferris/observation wheels, both fixed and portable.
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