Leviathan Construction Updates

[rappa]

On 1/3/2022 at 10:03 AM, Naazon said:

I work in the motor insurance industry and we have close relationships with the major manufacturers in Australia so this info is accurate.

Don’t be trying to post accurate facts that we know from our actual jobs that we work in every day. 
 

It’s what casual hobbyists BELIEVE to be the case that is ‘their truth’ on this and that is that. 😉

 

I waited 10 months for delivery of my car but apparently that didn’t happen just because someone else got a totally different car in less time 🤦‍♂️ 

[Gazza]

What brand did you get quick out of interest @red dragin?

[red dragin]

I simply provided an example of how my car only took three months. I didn't dispute the 18 months statement, or belittle @Naazon for what they said in providing their point of view. I was just providing my personal experience and contributing to the conversation about shipping delays.

Given your background @Naazon, that's interesting to know, much worse than I think the consumer is hearing on the ground. I appreciate the information. 

Hyundai i30 @Gazza - apparently they stock piled chips at the start of covid and were able to get through the downturn in chip production better than other manufacturers. 

[StingRay]

45 minutes ago, rappa said:

 

I waited 10 months for delivery of my car but apparently that didn’t happen just because someone else got a totally different car in less time 🤦‍♂️ 

Well, you could be right. You also could be wrong. 

If they (VRTP) change the date as fast as they recently did then they don't understand project management. I know delays can occur, this delay tho seems to be getting stretched a little further than most.

I recently helped to order machinery from the USA (large warehouse-style machinery) and it still got delivered within the time frame we expected (8 weeks). So unless the containers are lost now thanks to the War or something I have no idea what else the delays could be. 

Covid and shipping/air freight delays can't be this excuse for much longer. As I said in my previous post so many other projects within Australia have been delivered even during the former pandemic.  

[Ash]

From personal experience, we ordered a new mustang gt and a Toyota prado, mustang was a 9 month wait list, prado 6 month. Was told all due to covid, and chip shortages. Hence why the second market has gone crazy.

Edited March 4, 2022 by Ash

[rappa]

Let’s be clear. There is a mile long gap between 

Being bad at communication 

and 

Delays due to covid being bullshit and them being bad at project management. 
 

Yes 100% the messaging has left a lot to be desired. But again if you think everyone other than you is a bad project manager or liar just because you managed to ship one specific product, one time without issues then that’s silly. 
 

Another example. We just had a 40 foot container of product arrive today, 3 months from its already delayed arrival. Why? Because instead of going into Sydney shipping company just decided to send to Brisbane, then Victoria and then back to Sydney. Nice little holiday. 
And that was through ZERO fault of our own company. 

[Naazon]

On 04/03/2022 at 2:15 PM, red dragin said:

Hyundai i30 @Gazza - apparently they stock piled chips at the start of covid and were able to get through the downturn in chip production better than other manufacturers. 

Korean manufacturers have some of the lowest wait times  

KIA has also stockpiled chips and actually have cars ready for delivery in AUS.

Other 'budget' companies like MG who have less tech and 'features' have shorter time frames also as they use less chips/semiconductors.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

On 04/03/2022 at 3:01 PM, rappa said:

Let’s be clear. There is a mile long gap between 

Being bad at communication 

and 

Delays due to covid being bullshit and them being bad at project management. 

Being bad at communication and being bad at project management aren't that far away from each other.

On 04/03/2022 at 3:01 PM, rappa said:

Another example. We just had a 40 foot container of product arrive today, 3 months from its already delayed arrival. Why? Because instead of going into Sydney shipping company just decided to send to Brisbane, then Victoria and then back to Sydney. Nice little holiday. 
And that was through ZERO fault of our own company. 

It's interesting that another Gravity Group \ Martin & Vleminckx collaboration, listed with a March 2020 manufacture date opened in May of 2021. That's around a 14 month build time  (And by a park that was building FIVE new rollercoasters that same year)

Side note - that last link was an IAAPA article about coasters opening in 2021, so there were a lot of different parks and manufacturers listed including:

• Bombay Express - Dubai - GCI - Still Under Construction
• Boomerang - Sydney - Gerstlauer - Opened October 2021
• Fly With Flap - Doha - Extreme Engineering - Opened 2021
• Jersey Devil Coaster - New Jersey - RMC - Opened June 2021
• Kondaa - Belgium - Intamin - Opened May 2021
• Leviathan - Gold Coast - Gravity Group \ M&V - Still Under Construction
• Monster - Sweden - B&M - Opened June 2021
• Now You See Me - Dubai - Maurer - Opened January 2022
• Phoenix - New York - Vekoma - Opened July 2021
• Power Coaster - Tennessee - Wiegand - Opened March 2021
• Steel Taipan - Gold Coast - Mack Rides - Opened December 2021
• Tidal Twist - Ohio - Zamperla - Opened July 2021
• Wooden Dragons - Shandong China - Gravity Group \ M&V - Opened May 2021

I guess what we can take from this is wooden coasters sometimes take longer to build?

[Guest 239]

On 04/03/2022 at 4:01 PM, rappa said:

And that was through ZERO fault of our own company. 

Not your fault, but you still have to communicate these things with your clients and manage expectations. 

If I was your client and you told me when you found that out that there was a shipping delay and kept me in the loop then I wouldn't have an issue because it empowers me as a customer and shows that you care about my business. Though if you gave me a deadline after deadline and once they got near you just said "Yeah there has been a delay and it's beyond our control" then I'd be rightfully upset because it's withdrawn information that could help me make a decision to take my business elsewhere or whatever. 

Nobody is upset that the project is delayed. People are upset that the business has made consistent deadlines and then backtracked off them whilst acting like we should have never had an expectation to begin with. 

Underpromise and overdeliver. Its a lot easier to lose consumer trust then it is to earn it.

 

[rappa]

Soooo, pretty much what I said in regards to communication being less than stellar and the delays being BS are not the same thing. 
 

But also (and not saying this IS or ISNT the case here) you can only pass on what info you have. Both manufacturers and shipping companies have a habit of being less than forthcoming with delays on a premise of ‘not delivering bad news’. 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

12 hours ago, rappa said:

Both manufacturers and shipping companies have a habit of being less than forthcoming with delays on a premise of ‘not delivering bad news’. 

I don't know what exactly they're waiting on - But since we haven't seen it yet, I'll assume the coaster train is at least one of those things. (Because let's be real, if you're waiting on "themed elements" or other non-essential things you're probably going to resign yourself to pushing ahead without it and maybe adding it later - or operating it as 'technical rehearsal' until everything arrives)

If I had my order in for an opening in December 2020 (so assume original plan was for testing September 2020 latest), and I still didn't have my coaster train.... I wouldn't be waiting for the shipping company to tell me the bad news i'd be tearing every person involved a new asshole as to why my brand new multi million dollar attraction still didn't have a train 18 months on.

If the suggestion is Village are just sitting by the phone waiting to be fed a scrap of progress from the supplier, then  their project management is probably doing about as well as their communication.

On 07/03/2022 at 8:12 AM, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

Being bad at communication and being bad at project management aren't that far away from each other.

 

[themagician]

Is it the train they are waiting on? In the Parkz update last year they had photos of the train?

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

54 minutes ago, themagician said:

Is it the train they are waiting on? In the Parkz update last year they had photos of the train?

Must have missed that. The park's construction blog hasn't been updated since February 2021, so updates have been difficult to keep an eye on I guess.

That only begs the question - what could possibly be the hold up - what is that critical to the ride, that could have such a big delay?

[Brad2912]

Possibly nothing and it’s purely strategic as the industry should be back in full swing come spring. Winter is a somewhat at unknown variable for us when it comes to covid as we dealt with the major outbreak during our summer. I think they are possibly just sitting on it to launch when it can maximise attendance and give strong lead in to the Xmas holidays without a winter waning of interest…

[Naazon]

2 hours ago, themagician said:

Is it the train they are waiting on? In the Parkz update last year they had photos of the train?

For those who missed it, said photos are found here.

https://www.parkz.com.au/update/2021/10/20/721-Sea_Worlds_dormant_beast_up_close_with_the_Leviathan_wooden_roller_coaster.html

[Slick]

It's a good looking train, to be sure. Will definitely give Steel Taipan a run for its money in that regard. Here's hoping they install some good lighting for the ride - would be cool to see that train sparkle at night.

[themagician]

My guess is that they are purely just behind schedule overall. We saw those photos from inside the station last month and they were no where near done. It now might not be they are waiting on parts but purely just just need to finish the labour and testing the ride 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

2 hours ago, Brad2912 said:

Possibly nothing and it’s purely strategic as the industry should be back in full swing come spring. Winter is a somewhat at unknown variable for us when it comes to covid as we dealt with the major outbreak during our summer. I think they are possibly just sitting on it to launch when it can maximise attendance and give strong lead in to the Xmas holidays without a winter waning of interest…

I think this was said when they first announced the easter date - it was a head scratcher then too.

[New display name]

1 hour ago, themagician said:

My guess is that they are purely just behind schedule overall.  

It's a trade & material shortage in Australia causing the delays and nothing like the shipping f-up that caused issues for WWF over Christmas.  You're unlikely to test without a station and you can't build a station without available materials and trades in Australia.

As for SW’s communication.  It just sucks.

[rappa]

On 11/3/2022 at 1:05 PM, New display name said:

It's a trade & material shortage in Australia causing the delays and nothing like the shipping f-up that caused issues for WWF over Christmas.  You're unlikely to test without a station and you can't build a station without available materials and trades in Australia.

As for SW’s communication.  It just sucks.

Thank you for a realistic and fair post!

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

On 11/03/2022 at 1:05 PM, New display name said:

It's a trade & material shortage in Australia causing the delays and nothing like the shipping f-up that caused issues for WWF over Christmas. 

  trade and material shortage in Australia, or shipping delays?

On 27/02/2022 at 8:49 PM, themagician said:

The new attractions were originally due tolaunch in ‘mid-2021’, however was pushed back due to unavoidable transport problems caused by the pandemic.

Village Roadshow Theme Parks communications boss Mitchell Olivey said shipping delays due to Covid-19 was the main factor to why it was pushed back. 

“Our domestic team and international partners were severely impact by shipping delays that have changed...

There are already several posts calling bullshit on the shipping delay excuse. I won't reagitate them.

I'd totally believe if trade shortages were the issue. The local construction industry is having a really hard time finding certain tradespeople - house builders are struggling to find bricklayers and carpenters.

I'd totally agree with local material shortages given the construction industry went through a timber shortage, then a brick shortage, then a window shortage - i've even referenced the fact that suppliers have reduced what colours they're producing to reduce the amount of time they spend retooling or resetting their production equipment to produce different colours - when talking about why the station and maintenance bays were done in white sheeting instead of a more unobtrusive colour...

But these aren't shipping delays... which is what we're being told it is.

[New display name]

3 hours ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

  trade and material shortage in Australia, or shipping delays?

Shipping.

[rappa]

Ok I’ll double down and say FOREIGN TRADE AND MATERIAL SHORTAGE 

and Shipping Delays of the crap the above things make. 
 

Exactly what theming type equipment is made in Australia? Hint, the answer is zero

 

and just because my zero will get pedantically contradicted… the answer is more like 0.05% of it. 

[New display name]

@rappaI was talking about WWF when I said shipping delays.

Building material shortage in Australia has very little to do with shipping delays.

A building boom stared a few years ago in America and it didn’t have an impact on Australia because we were going through a building slump.  We are now going through our own building boom but America has drained the market of materials.  We are currently getting the leftovers on what America isn’t taking.

 

[LORD_Noodle]

On 14/3/2022 at 11:10 AM, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

  trade and material shortage in Australia, or shipping delays?

There are already several posts calling bullshit on the shipping delay excuse. I won't reagitate them.

I'd totally believe if trade shortages were the issue. The local construction industry is having a really hard time finding certain tradespeople - house builders are struggling to find bricklayers and carpenters.

I'd totally agree with local material shortages given the construction industry went through a timber shortage, then a brick shortage, then a window shortage - i've even referenced the fact that suppliers have reduced what colours they're producing to reduce the amount of time they spend retooling or resetting their production equipment to produce different colours - when talking about why the station and maintenance bays were done in white sheeting instead of a more unobtrusive colour...

But these aren't shipping delays... which is what we're being told it is.

I’m sorry but I would have to disagree I currently work at a place where we are reliant on shipping containers to send product over seas and I can confirm finding shipping containers and ports available to take the cargo is extremely difficult even now that covid is a vivid memory…… we are still finding it extremely difficult to obtain containers themselves.