BY GABRIELLE
Two global attractions industry legends have been inducted into the IAAPA Hall of Fame at the 2019 IAAPA Expo Orlando. Frederick “Fred” Langford and Alberto Zamperla were given the honour for the contributions they have made and what they have accomplished in the worldwide attractions industry.
Fred Langford is a designer and architect and is widely considered to be the creator of the modern-day waterslide. Throughout the industry, Fred’s work is recognised as being the ‘gold standard’ for waterslide design.
Langford was the first to use fibreglass in the construction of waterslides, which replaced concrete, an innovation which has become the foundation of elevated waterslides in waterparks across the globe. Another of Langford’s landmark innovations, was the creation of self-supporting beams, which allow waterslides to be longer, providing guests with an experience that resembles a rollercoaster ride.
Alberto Zamperla took over the Zamperla Company in 1994 and helped the family business grow from manufacturing around 50 rides a year, to more than 200. Alberto has also worked to bring international safety manufacturing standards to the company’s facility in China, while simultaneously significantly improving rider accessibility.
In 2014, Zamperla donated “Lori’s Magical Ride” to Give Kids The World Village in Kissimmee, Florida. The ride enables children with disabilities to experience a thrilling attraction. Alberto Zamperla has also worked to support the global attractions industry, serving as the founder and first chairman of the European Suppliers Association (EAASI), which later became the organisation that created the Euro Attractions Show, known today as IAAPA Expo Europe.
The IAAPA Hall of Fame was founded in 1990 as a means of honouring icons and innovators for their significant and lasting contributions to the growth and development of the global attractions industry.