Hello Friends at Swaylocks.
I spend quite a lot of time here, but rarely feel compelled to post. I am amazed by the amount of insightful information here, and equally amused by the amount of misinformation and garbage.
To give you a little background, I have been sourcing products from China, Taiwan, and Japan for over ten years. I have also been in the surf business for about that long. I produce and import surfboards and other products China right now. Most of you on the west coast have probably seen one of my boards. I travel to China at least 3 times per year. I am on my 3rd passport in 3 years. I am also affiliated with several board producers in the US. Many of my very good friends are shapers you know. I am offering this information to help all of you understand and respond to the current situation. I don't care to name specifics, but you will get the thrust of it.
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W Foam is attempting to produce blanks in China. As many of you know, producing blanks is not easy. It took Clark a long time to get where he was. In fact, he probably felt as though he was learning something every week. Even if you lift all environmental constraints, the other issues are tremendous. Do not be fooled into thinking China does not have environmental limitations. The factory is based in a very developed area in South China, and there are significant environmental constraints. Furthermore, there are going to be material supply issues, mold issues, and more. The other most significant issue is trained workers. Once you train them, they get lured to another company with more money, or just for a change. Keeping good workers is one of the biggest problems China factories face.
W foam is being produced (and was essentially bought by) a Chinese surfboard supplier. For the record, there are four significant producers in China. The 3rd largest (around 35,000 boards / year) of these bought or licensed the W process. Another tremendous problem for China board factories was getting blanks from Australia. They were typically regarded as “B” customers, and many of the blanks were seconds. Given the new demand for Aussie blanks, there will be an even more difficult time for them to get blanks. So, you can bet that the first person getting blanks from W production in China will be the new owner, this surfboard factory. Why would they sell blanks for even 3 times the normal price when a finished board commands a larger profit?
What does this mean? Well, the very people that were building the Chinese boards and bringing them to California so cheap, are the ones you are hoping will bail us out of the Clark closing? Don’t count on it. They will supply their own needs first. It is unlikely that anyone can get blank production to the levels Clark achieved in 40 years. Much less will it occur in 2 months. It takes more than money and desire to build 1000 blanks a day.
- The australian blank makers are maxed out. Even if they doubled, they would only make a dent in the US needs. At this time they are not accepting new customers. Clarks closure is considered the opportunity for Aussie labels and manufacturers to gain some share in the US market. Why would they sell blanks to the US when an Aussie board sold in the US is so much more important. Anyone familiar with Oz Government export incentives? Check into it. You will be amazed.
For now, don’t count on China or Australia to come to the rescue. At this point there is no reason for them to do so, unless it is in the form of finished boards.
Rescue yourselves. People and materials exist that can show you how to build boards, maybe even better boards without relying on PU blanks. Ten years from now, we will remember this time as the beginning of the greatest leap forward in board technology ever. Smart and innovative people will experiment, learn, and achieve great things. Other people will go to work at Home Depot. Some of the commercial shapers should have done that a long time ago. There is nothing bad about the rising surfboard prices. Something that gives you so much joy, and takes so much time and skill is worth many times the price you paid for it last week.
I for one will be moving much of my production back to the US. My epoxy partner has been doing it for a long time, and waiting for this day.
I will add more information to this later if anyone cares. We are expecting an update from Oz on monday. Even though a big part of my business relies on Chinese boards, I feel devestated by these developments. Frankly, many of the Chinese boards will dry up as well as Aussie labels drive into the US and demand more blanks. Many of my friends are out of work. Many of my customers will suffer. We can never get that Black Beauty, or the Quan, or Tudor longboard we wanted so bad.
Let’s get over it, and get on with it. The future is out there, and you must go to it. It will never come to you.
(i saw that in subtitles on traditional Chinese Kung Fu movie).
