The domestic and worldwide surfing industry was stunned by the sudden closing of surfboard blank manufacturing giant Clark Foam this past December, which left board builders large and small in a chaotic lurch.
The Orange County company had dominated the world market for more than 45 years in the manufacture and supply of polyurethane foam core blanks utilized in constructing surfboards. The sudden decision to shut down operations by owner Gordon “Grubby” Clark left the majority of the surfboard craftsman industry in a scramble to attain the essential lightweight foam products needed in board-building for both custom and mass market sales.
Annually, 550,000 polyurethane blanks had been produced in the United States and overseas, with Clark Foam producing 250,000 until shutting down, leaving a giant lack of materials.
Cooperation among industry manufacturers was unprecedented in the weeks following Clark’s closing, as companies assisted each other in finding alternate sources of foam blanks to help weather the storm until other foam suppliers could fill the void.
The local San Diego company Reef, which produces surf-inspired footwear and other casual apparel, recently stepped up to help ease the anxiety in acquiring foam products. Reef has arranged for a 40-foot container of blanks to be shipped from South Africa, scheduled to arrive at its headquarters sometime in late March. “We’ve ordered five sizes of blanks from Safari Foam, which will allow shapers to produce finished boards between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet 6 inches,” said Bob Tanner, Reef’s Strategic marketing manager.
The blank size is perfect for building the popular twin-fin “fish” design that originated in San Diego. These blanks will be offered to local San Diego County shapers with a California resale certificate and business card shown as proof and sold by lottery at pre-shortage prices. All shapers can purchase up to 20 blanks each. This will continue until all 600 blanks have been sold.
“We felt strongly about doing something to help the San Diego grassroots surfboard community,” stated Mark Price, Reef’s vice president of marketing. “While it’s by no means a long-term solution, every blank helps.”
In other developments, at the recent Action Sports Retailer (ASR) Convention held at the San Diego Convention Center, a large turnout attended a forum concerning the foam shortage, sponsored by the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA). Promises were made that the surf-blank void would be filled within two months. Wilmington-based Walker Foam has tripled its work force and production, and Just Foam, out of Riverside, is ramping up its production to 1,400 blanks a month.
Overseas companies are also looking to capitalize on the opportunity to increase business. Elova Foam from Argentina, Surf Blanks ” Australia, Surf Foam France and Tecel, out of Brazil, are some of the other foreign manufacturers that could see an upswing in their U.S. sales, at least temporarily. Walker Foam has a new factory in China that will soon be in production as well.
Environmental issues are also forcing a harder look at less chemically harsh alternative materials to polyurethane foam. Their hands forced, many manufacturers have been experimenting with different foam materials. Epoxy resin-based foam produces a more EPA-friendly product, but as local board maker Rusty Preisendorfer noted, “Epoxy foam produces a good short board, but the challenge is to make a strong, great big-wave board as well.”
The next few months should see the stormy seas caused by the lack of surfboard blanks settle down somewhat, although the situation for board makers won’t be entirely resolved for some time to come.