Board Building Community Stunned by the Sudden Shut Down of Clark Foam, the World's Leading Blank Supplier
By: Chris Mauro

"The surf world began reeling Monday afternoon, December 5, 2005 on the news that the premiere surfboard blank supplier on the planet, Clark Foam, is shutting down operations effective immediately.

Repeated phone calls to Clark Foam and its distribution plants went unanswered Monday afternoon, and the gates were locked at its Mission Viejo California headquarters.

Details remain sketchy at this point, but sources at Channel Islands, Clark's biggest account, say they received a fax today that stated Monday, December 5, 2005 would be Clark's last day of business."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Above, from surfermag.com.

The big news in the surf world today, at least in the world in which I live, is that Clark Foam, effective immediately, is out of business.

There are many reasons, apparently, why Clark shut his doors - environmental, local, state and federal laws, etc.

Those reasons are important, but more importantly, in my opinion, is the fact that anyone is surprised that they're gonna be purchasing molded boards or surfboards that are made outside of the US!

I started surfing in the fifties, no - not the eighteen fifties - the nineteen fifties.

I still remember - quite clearly I might add - the very heated discussions the older surfers would have regarding the merits, or lack thereof, of foam surfboards.

Foam boards suck!
Foam boards are too weak!
Foam boards are too light!
Foam boards don't feel right!
Foam boards will NEVER replace balsa wood boards!
When's the last time you ordered a balsa board - unless you wanted to pay thousands for a wall hanger?

It's pretty obvious to me that the bottom line of all of this stuff is the fact that surfboard sales $$ are insignificant to the total revenues generated by "surf companies" who would just as easily make fur lined thongs if there were money in it.

If the $$ generated by surfboard sales alone were significant to the entire surf related industry, others would have jumped into the blank making biz - For example, Quiksilver's Revenues for last year were about $1.5 billion - how many surfboards did they sell?

Nike's revenues were about $14 billion [I don't know how many $$ Hurley and Converse generated for Nike] - again - how many Surfboards by Nike / Hurley / Converse did you see in the line-up?

As long as there are kids out there who wish they could live a surfing lifestyle, and who have the $$ to buy surf related stuff - other than surfboards - the surf image market will contine to thrive - with or without surfboards. I know, I know - others have tried to make enter the blank making biz - in fact when I worked for Gordon and Smith, we attempted to manufacture our own blanks - however - besides the fact that our factory went up in smoke - it was always more cost effective to use Clark's blanks.

I don't have any idea what's gonna happen in the blank making business - the EPA and other regulatory agencies make it pretty darn difficult to manufacture anything in this country anymore -

- BUT -