Over the years, we developed much more precise restoration procedures. Things like sanding sequence, machine pressure, heat control, polishing compounds, and movement patterns all became extremely important.
How Dominique Bastien Turned Gondola Restoration Into a Specialized Manufacturing Discipline
Brandon Hetherington, Editor | Q&A with Dominique Bastien
As gondola systems become increasingly important components of both tourism infrastructure and urban transportation networks, operators face a growing challenge: how to extend the life of aging fleets without committing to costly full-system replacements. While manufacturers focus primarily on building new systems, a small number of specialized companies have emerged to help resorts and transportation operators restore, modernize, and extend the lifespan of existing gondola cabins through advanced restoration, fabrication, and lifecycle management techniques.
Few people have played a larger role in that evolution than Dominique Bastien, Founder of The Gondola Shop. Over more than two decades, Bastien has helped pioneer restoration methodologies for acrylic and polycarbonate transportation systems, transforming what was once considered a niche maintenance service into a highly specialized discipline that combines manufacturing, materials engineering, fabrication, and infrastructure preservation. Today, The Gondola Shop works with ski resorts and transportation operators across North America and beyond, restoring passenger cabins, engineering replacement components, and developing long-term solutions for aging gondola fleets.
To start, how did you first get involved in gondola restoration, and what drew you into such a highly specialized area of infrastructure work?
I got started almost by accident. In 1998, while working at Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, I co-founded Sunshine Polishing with a partner after overhearing guests complain they could not take photos through the scratched gondola windows. At the time, resorts mostly replaced the panels entirely. We thought there had to be a better solution.
We began by restoring gondola windows; learning directly on borrowed panels, experimenting with different tools and products, refining techniques, and proving that restoration could dramatically extend the life of existing components. Once we had a sanding and polishing technique, we went on a road trip and did demos in all the ski resorts we could. Very quickly, resorts saw the value. What started as a small, hands-on service grew organically through word of mouth and real-world results, first across Canada and then internationally.
In 2006, I continued the business independently, which further shaped the company’s evolution. Those early years taught me to build everything from the ground up: without manuals, tooling, or precedents to rely on. We learned to reverse-engineer components, document our own processes, and create repeatable systems that could scale safely and consistently.
Over time, that mindset expanded beyond windows into full cabin restoration: covering disassembly, painting, upholstery, hardware, and custom fabrication. In 2019, we transitioned the business under The Gondola Shop name and moved to Colorado, and when we began taking on gondola fleets, the foundation was already in place: practical knowledge, strong documentation, and a manufacturing approach with a long list of satisfied customers
Over the last twenty-seven years, how have restoration techniques for acrylic and polycarbonate transportation systems evolved alongside advances in manufacturing and materials engineering?
Twenty-five years ago, restoration was much more basic than today. A lot of people thought scratched polycarbonate was impossible to restore correctly, especially on large curved gondola windows. There was no information available, so most of what we learned came from trial and error in the field.
Over the years, we developed much more precise restoration procedures. Things like sanding sequence, machine pressure, heat control, polishing compounds, and movement patterns all became extremely important, especially on large transportation windows where visibility has to stay uniform. Small mistakes can create distortion, optical waves or weaken the material over time.
The materials themselves also changed a lot. Newer polycarbonate sheets have better coatings and UV resistance, but mountain environments remain extremely harsh on plastics. High elevation UV, ice, wind, and temperature swings slowly break materials down, no matter how advanced they become.
Manufacturing technology improved too. CNC fabrication, precision-cut protective films, better coatings and more advanced inspection tools all helped improve long-term durability and consistency in restoration work.
At the same time, resorts expect a much higher level of finish today than they did 20 years ago. Gondolas are no longer viewed only as transportation. They became part of the guest experience and the resort's image.
What are the biggest misconceptions about industrial plastic restoration and lifecycle extension?
Twenty-five years ago, restoration was much more basic than today. A lot of people thought scratched polycarbonate was impossible to restore correctly, especially on large curved gondola windows. There was very little information available, so most of what we learned came from trial and error in the field.
Over the years, we developed much more precise restoration procedures. Things like sanding sequence, machine pressure, heat control, polishing compounds, and movement patterns all became extremely important, especially on large transportation windows where visibility has to stay uniform. Small mistakes can create distortion, optical waves, or weaken the material over time.
The materials themselves also changed a lot. Newer polycarbonate sheets have better coatings and UV resistance, but mountain environments remain extremely harsh on plastics. High elevation UV, ice, wind and temperature swings slowly break materials down, no matter how advanced they become.
Manufacturing technology improved too. CNC fabrication, precision-cut protective films, better coatings and more advanced inspection tools all helped improve long-term durability and consistency in restoration work.
At the same time, resorts expect a much higher level of finish today than they did 20 years ago. Gondolas are no longer viewed only as transportation. They became part of the guest experience and the image of the resort itself.
What are some of the biggest technical challenges involved in restoring large-scale transportation and tourism infrastructure components operating in extreme environmental conditions?
One of the biggest challenges is simply the environment these cabins have operated in for decades. UV at elevation, freeze-thaw cycles, vibration, moisture, wind, and transport damage all affect materials differently over time.
Another major challenge is logistics. Many gondola stations are located directly on the mountain, so removing cabins for full restoration requires coordination with the ski resort teams and sometimes specialized transportation just to bring the cabins down safely. Because of this, most large restoration projects cannot realistically happen during winter operations. Everything has to be carefully planned around maintenance schedules and seasonal shutdowns.
Another issue is that many of these gondolas are older and no longer fully supported by manufacturers. Sometimes replacement parts simply do not exist anymore. Over the years, we have had to engineer and fabricate our own components while ensuring they meet the cabin's original design and operational requirements. In some cases, we worked directly with manufacturers to get those parts reviewed and approved before installation.
Disassembly and reassembly are also much more technical than people think. These are passenger transportation systems, not decorative structures. Door mechanism, suspension components, seals, alignment points, and structural points all of it matters. Small mistakes during restoration can create long-term operational problems if the work is not done properly.
You have developed proprietary restoration systems over decades of field work. What does innovation look like in a niche manufacturing and restoration industry where so much expertise is experience-driven?
In my business, innovation usually comes from solving problems nobody else really wants to deal with. The two main gondola manufacturers focus on building and selling new systems rather than restoring old gondolas, so we often have to develop our own solutions.
Most of what we developed came from field experience, not from sitting in an office trying to invent something. You run into the same issues over and over, and slowly improve the process year after year. Even today, after restoring hundreds of the same gondola models, we continue to improve our procedures.
You learn quickly that something looking good in a shop does not mean it will survive ten years on a mountain with snow, ice, wind and constant UV exposure.
A big part of our work has been creating restoration procedures that are repeatable and durable long-term, not just visually impressive when the cabin leaves the shop.
Innovation now comes from experience, strong industry connections, and a lot of good ideas from a diversified team.
Looking ahead, how do you see restoration technology and advanced materials shaping the future of gondola systems, transportation infrastructure, and industrial manufacturing over the next decade?
Looking ahead, I think gondola operators will continue to move more toward lifecycle extension rather than complete replacement whenever possible. Infrastructure projects are becoming more expensive every year, moving towards urban transportation too, and many operators simply cannot replace entire gondola systems every 20 or 25 years. They are looking for ways to modernize and extend the life of what they already have.
Advanced coatings, engineered plastics, protective films, and better fabrication technology will play a big role in that. Inspection technology will improve a lot, too. We already see greater interest in preventive restoration and long-term monitoring of cabin conditions.
I also think manufacturers will gradually place greater importance on restoration and lifecycle extension than before. For a long time, the focus was mainly on selling new systems, which is normal. But today, many resorts are seeking practical solutions between doing nothing and spending tens of millions on full replacements. Restoration is becoming part of that solution.
Sustainability will also become a bigger factor. Extending the life of transportation systems instead of replacing everything makes sense financially, but also environmentally.
At the same time, guest expectations keep increasing. Gondola cabins became part of the overall resort experience and branding. Resorts want cabins that operate well and look modern, clean, and high-end because the cost of using these transportation systems for guests today is very high. People expect a premium experience now, not a 25-year-old cabin that looks worn out. I think restoration quality and material performance will become even more important over the next decade.
The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of ManufacturingTomorrow
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