If you read the numerous posts you’ll realize that for now foam is an extremely hard to come by for Americans. Of course there are other countries who are producing polyurethane foam. The point is that for the NUMEROUS amount of AMERICAN shapers who rely on Clark, and countless others around the world who relied on Clark, there is a gaping hole that all the ramping up of production by pu companies around the world won’t fill any time soon. I don’t know the numbers now, but I would venture to guess that as far as the number of custom boards produced, America is a top supplier. No offense, but this means alot to many peoples livelihoods, and while polyurethane will never completely die out, for the time being polyurethane (for Americans) is out of the question. Why not try something new now, at least while we wait for the return of pu(hahahaha). Sorry if this is long winded, but of course this is Ameri-centric, it concerns an American business and thousands of Americans livelihoods. Good luck to Brazil, Australia, Europe, and Timbuktu.
…yes, like I said before in other thread, 50% at least of the market is on the rest of the world; so, what will happend; USA polystyrene and the others PU? c`mon men…
…yes we bring another alternative for us the surfers, but I dont think the rest of the countries changes so fast…
I guess time will tell as right now no one can say with any certainty what direction surfing [edit - surfboard construction; surfing will continue as long as their are waves even if all the foam in the world disappears] will take after the closure of Clark. It is all speculation and hope at this point, in my opinion at least.
In the Wall Street Journal, the statistic was that clark supplied 80% of the WORLD market with blanks… well… guess what… america isn’t 80% of the world market… only 50%… so that leaves the other 30%… what about them? the closure of clark will have obvious reprocussions in several countries other than the US… australia for one is already limiting boards and blanks… just ask bert about the sunova and nev lines… hes limited them to existing customers and pros… so, 20% of the market is not enough to keep Pu/Pe tech at the top of the food chain… the other 80% will be either going out of business or transitioning… so, alot of people will lose their jobs… im sure those people don’t appreciate the sarcasm…
P.S. moderators… move this post to industry talk please…
In the interest of providing a little perspective to you; CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, and HAWAII (in alphabetic order) have provided MORE celebrated, influential, and champion surfers than anywhere else in the world. (please note, all three are in AMERICA) The same is true of shaper/designers. But you addressed PU foam, specifically CLARK. Clark who? Oh, that Clark, the LARGEST producer of foam surfboard blanks in America, and perhaps the WORLD. Any wonder there has been an outcry of concern? America, and Australia, have been the twin epicenters of surfing sport and industry, and will continue to be so. You don’t have any reason to be as smug as your post conveys. The one thing I agree on with you is that it is not a disaster, but a setback. It’s bad, but not the end. The industry is rebounding as we speak. So pardon us if we (Americans) come across as too self concerned, I think we’ve earned the right.
Also, just because someone can make foam blanks doesn’t mean they’ll fill the void. Clark doesn’t just make “blanks” he makes blanks for the companies that dominate the surfing industry and those blanks that he makes have custom rockers which no one else has (yet? maybe surftech). So if Clark goes, so does all the custom rockers.
What’s an even worse situation IMHO is that the small shapers that are relying on clark not just in america but in other parts of the world that would be affected by clark’s demise would have a really hard time filling orders if they can’t get their blanks (which are also custom).
Daklaw, here is a board I made from a custom-rockered, custom-stringered blank by SURFOAM, Hossegor, France. And I have just read another thread about HOMEBLOWN (England) doing the same.
I like your work by the way. my point was not that you couldn’t get custom rockers but that Clark is the only one that carries the rockers for the “Big Guns” of the surfing industry. I really doubt that surfoam has the rocker template for a merrick flyer (maybe soon?). If they do…then let me know ;). Just because someone can blow foam doesn’t mean that they can supply Rusty, Lost, Etc.
Rio
EDIT: I’m sure these companies will find an alternative soon though.
small shapers that are relying on clark not just in america but in other parts of the world that would be affected by clark’s demise would have a really hard time filling orders
Christ mate, pull ya head in. A company that has supplied backyard shapers and major labels with the raw materials to create things of beauty for 40+ years has closed and that is what you have to say?? Whilst this is not such a big deal to me because I live in Oz I can still see why there is so much uncertainty at the moment. A bit of sensitivity wouldn’t go astray!
We have a name for the condition you suffer from, that causes you to state that Clark is a fool, you have your HEAD UP YOUR ASS. How old are you? 13?, 14?, ,if so, you have time to outgrow the condition, provided you start eating some humble pie.
I spent a large period of my life as an Aussie believing that Americans were loud, aggressive and above all very arrogant. That was until I started dealing with Brazilians…
We had a policy in the shop that we would give a maximum trade of $20 for any brazilian board while an Aussie or US board of the same condition would get maybe $200-250. Why because customers on the Gold Coast know full well that Brazilian boards are made from second rate materials and fall apart. The shapes are usually great but the quality is terrible. To even make a claim that Brazillians have some call in this is absurd.
Louis, Clark was not a fool mate. He was a shrewd businessman who protected his own IP and income very well. So well in fact that when he closed his doors he left an industry in turmoil. The shockwaves have hit Australia on this as well as Big dollars are being thrown at my local blank suppliers (Burfords, South Coast etc) to send blanks to the US. So far they have resisted the temptation as they know full well that in a world of capitalistic orientation someone will somehow pick back up the ball and run with it very quickly. For now the Americans may need to diversify into EPS EPOXY but even the Aussie blank companies will not sell out to temptation and leave their customers high and dry as they know that soon enough PU will be available again in the US and their customers will not forget.
the created chaos and many lies, the epa, the fire department didnt shut him down.
the guy has no care and that make you a sucker without boards.
take your head out of you ass.
i shaped clark for many years but i also shaped teccel,homeblown,hossegor foam,burford and there is nicer than clark.
the problem with brazil quality is due to the resin, not the blanks. they have surform mix.
the foam is actually more dense for the same weight than clark and a bit whiter because they mix a bit of blue in it that give a really cold white effect.
I spent a large period of my life as an Aussie believing that Americans were loud, aggressive and above all very arrogant. That was until I started dealing with Brazilians…
Not all Americans, but enough to warrant the stereotype and the current leadership in our goverment doesn’t help. Australia has never been given it’s due on it’s contributions in both shaping and surfing.
In the words of Hans solo though, “Don’t get cocky.” Ye Har
