Building Roller Coasters and Building a Brand with Rocky Mountain Construction COO Jake Kilcup

Manufacturing Happy Hour · 16 Nov 2021 · 39m

What this episode covers

Jake Kilcup, COO of Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC), explains how the company revolutionized roller coaster manufacturing by hybridizing steel track with wooden structures, starting with retrofits like the Texas Giant. He details the operational challenges of rapid scaling, the importance of vertical integration between design and fabrication, and the cultural mindset of 'I can' that allows them to meet aggressive deadlines like the 8-month Goliath project. Kilcup also discusses the emotional weight of preserving historic rides, the organic growth of their brand, and the collaborative leadership of founders Fred Grubb and Alan Schilke.

Mentioned

Companies
Rocky Mountain Construction, Mad Bomber Brewing Company, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Great America, Cedar Point, Silver Dollar City, Office Max
Products
Goliath, Twisted Colossus, Texas Giant, Iron Rattler, Steel Vengeance, Outlaw Run
Also
This Is How We Roll, Alan Shilke, Fred Grubb, Amy Garcia

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