PINSETTER PROBLEMS? BOOST ST IS THE SOLUTION

Hudsonville Lanes in Hudsonville, Michigan, opened as a 12-lane center in 1961 and expanded in 1978 to add 12 more. Over the last several years, proprietor Dana Sorensen has been faced with challenges that are all too familiar to proprietors around the globe—replacement parts were becoming increasingly difficult to find, and, following the retirement of their lead mechanic in 2020, Hudsonville Lanes struggled to maintain the machines.

“When we started looking at replacement options, it quickly became clear that string machines would provide the most user-friendly, economical, and sustainable solution,” says Sorensen. “We hoped to find a product that was durable, low maintenance, easy to operate, efficient, and functional for competitive play.”

Sorensen found what he was looking for in Boost and Brunswick Bowling.

“Boost pinsetters ticked the most boxes of what we were looking for from the pinsetter and guest experience as a whole,” says Sorensen. “The sales process was also the most authentic of all the manufacturers we worked with. Once we made the decision, the installation process was as seamless as we could have hoped for. The Brunswick service and engineering teams were very knowledgeable and efficient, and training was productive yet flexible while we stayed open.”

“None of the other competitors that we interviewed, tested, or worked with were as devoted to our success as Brunswick,” adds Sorensen. “It’s the difference between providing a product and a partnership—Brunswick provides unparalleled support from beginning to end. The value that Brunswick provides reaches far beyond their modern and reliable equipment. It is in Brunswick’s principles to partner with and support their customers’ success.”

Boost is the only cloud-enabled string pinsetter offering the durability, ease of operation, low operating costs, and labor savings that today’s centers require. Leveraging the Brunswick Cloud, the 360 Controller’s powerful yet flexible software allows proprietors to enjoy endless updates in functionality and features without replacing hardware. The Controller seamlessly updates performance features, user interface improvements, and other functionality.

Advanced sport technologies elevate performance, safety, operational efficiency, and the bowler experience, while adaptive detangling automatically resolves 99.99% of frames bowled. It all adds up to a better guest experience and happier staff members.

BETTER BOWLER EXPERIENCE AND REDUCED LABOR COSTS

“Most open-play bowlers don’t even notice a difference, and that’s a good thing,” says Sorenson. “If they do, they are fascinated by the concept of pins on strings. It led to some great conversations about the investments we are making at the center. Our league bowlers are very supportive and excited to have far fewer mechanical issues.”

“Staff love that new machines are faster and quieter, with far fewer breakdowns,” adds Sorensen. “As long as you can untie a knot, you can respond to the majority of machine issues. The absence of a full-time pinsetter mechanic is no longer a concern, and staff training for basic support takes about 15 minutes.”

BOOST: BY THE NUMBERS

Sorensen shared some of the specific benefits that Hudsonville Lanes has experienced since replacing his freefall pinsetters with Boost.

Electricity costs: Boost ST is 70% more efficient than freefall pinsetters, helping Hudsonville achieve an average of 18% overall power savings for the entire center since installing Boost.

Frames per stop: Boost ST delivers up to 8,000 FPS depending on who is bowling (with more stops during some competitive men’s leagues compared to open bowling).

Labor cost savings: An average of 54 mechanic labor hours per week, for an estimated labor savings of over $90,000 per year.

Downtime: A roughly 97% reduction overall, so far, with about three calls per day compared to three calls per hour with the old pinsetters. The average stop time has gone from 15 minutes to 7 minutes (essentially the time it takes for a staff member to walk to the machine). “We’ve estimated over $10,000 in recovered downtime revenue annually, and that’s not taking into account that we were previously chasing stuck balls regularly,” says Sorensen.

Parts: Boost’s inventory requirements are negligible, and warranty parts arrive within 3 days. Replacement parts for Hudsonville’s old pinsetters averaged about $24,000 a year. “And this cost savings doesn’t factor in the 3,500 sq ft onsite warehouse full of used parts that can now be repurposed into revenue-producing space,” says Sorensen.

Additional benefits: “Reduced noise has improved the customer experience and allowed us to work with special needs groups we couldn’t before,” says Sorensen.

THE BRUNSWICK DIFFERENCE

Boost ST is backed by Brunswick’s exceptional ongoing support and commitment to software-driven upgradability and innovation. Like all Brunswick products, Boost comes with unmatched installation, training, 24/7 tech support, service, and warranty from the biggest name in bowling.

“I would absolutely recommend Brunswick and Boost ST,” says Sorensen.

Find out how Boost ST can elevate your guest experience, reduce labor and operational costs, and prepare your center for the future.

LEARN MORE AT BRUNSWICKBOWLING.COM/BOOST