All those custom rockers that took years to perfect, Rusty, Rawson, Yater, Eaton etc…gone.
Yeah- Just got back from the factory- we got the fax too. Clark foam is over.
-Carl
you’ve gotta be shittin’ me, man…i was gonna put in an order TOMORROW!!!
(expletive deleted)!!!
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Clark foam is NOT answering the phone here on Oahu, Fiberglass Hawaii confirmed Clark shut down by EPA… what? didn’t they have a septic system for the toilet???
I drove down the street to Clark and they are saying they are going to try and sell whatever remaining stock as fairly as possible. All the customers will be notified what will happen and they are trying to come up with a plan as we speak. Dennis Pang, Bushman, JC’s wife among some of the shapers that were there trying to get info on what can be done and how to get some blanks but one thing is for sure… Clark Foam is closing its doors for good.
We were told there were a number of reasons they are shutting down with the EPA being just one of them. Let’s put it this way, pouring blanks does not make any community happy…
Hey Carl, would you mind posting that fax??? or is it hush hush for now?
Yea Benny, it is like someone died. I see lots of potential for better times from this point but there is some mourning the end of an era. The insecurities we must all be feeling today are pungent to say the least. I will say this, if this is the end of urethane, I will do all I can to make an industry shift as reasonable as it can be. I’ll back you guys up 150%. The prospect of this is daunting to say the least but I’ve seen this industry respond to changes in the past and do better in the end.
I don’t know how anyone else feels about this but I do feel a bit betrayed that this happened as suddenly as it appearently has.
Chippy, That’s NOT racism.
well i think its time for a couple of stiff drinks for me. i fell like i need to cry.
Don’t worry boys. I’m getting together a group of investors (who, BTW, like monopolies) to buy clarks equipment and some of the knowledge capital and we’re moving the whole shebang down to to Baja. San Diego dino shapers will be set.
Don’t worry…
uh Greg, is your chemical factory ready for this??
REALLY regretting ordering UL boards for this year right about now! Better make em last …
once again, thanks for another completely useless comment…
man…all those gorgeous harbours and taks. i’ll never surf a longboard, but I’ll miss eyeing up those gems.
this is super sad. I think we’re gonna see alot of people later on in the game just give up rather than adapt.
the potential loss here is incredible.
totally right; what about all those custom rockers…
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Finally the domestic surfboard industry gets a chance to make a real statement to the world about production of quality product and getting paid what their worth. They get to make a statement about their own survival. About their ability as craftsmen.
I think the reality is that the asian import market will take over poopie production lickity split. The machinery at Cobra is ready to go with poopie imports. You will see $300 poopies all over the place now that there is not a broad market pu blank supplier domestically. Domestic customs will be EPS and lighter and better and will cost $500+. But a lot of shapers will not survive the transition. And most of the domestic glass shops will close, because polyester resin is useless domestically and they are not ready for the epoxy transition. The other shoe is about to fall.
Rasche and Stretch, already epoxy/eps ready, are gonna make a killing.
Or, maybe not. When a vacuum suddenly appears it is not always obvious what will fill it.
ENSENADA, in BAJA, is a major shipping port. Bulk chemicals can be brought in, cheaper rent, cheaper labor, no EPA poking their nose up your ass. Major Southern California market just two hours away. Sounds like br’er Rabbit getting thrown in the Briar Patch!
I’ll be quick to get on the other side of any irreverent remarks about Clark Foam. Clearly, Clark Foam has (and maybe still is) one of the most important and progressive influences in surfboard manufacturing - ever. If they are gone, it is clearly a loss to many people in the industry. In my area, everyone uses Clark. This is not good news.
Baja seems like a logical business move. One example: Fender did it with guitars, why not Clark with surfboards. Only time will tell eh?
blakestah
your right. its all over for the custom surfboard builder. the cost of building boards in america will go through the roof and there will be less and less people who will be able to make a profit.
i am glad that i have learned how to make boards so i dont have to by a pop-out
and what about the big guys like merric and rusty, what’s gunna happen to them after their blanks run out?
are they going to have to learn about epoxy and eps real fast, or adapt to walker or buford blanks?
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ENSENADA, in BAJA, is a major shipping port. Bulk chemicals can be brought in, cheaper rent, cheaper labor, no EPA poking their nose up your ass. Major Southern California market just two hours away. Sounds like br’er Rabbit getting thrown in the Briar Patch!
i wholly agree. it’s simple business sense. if you’ve got a gold mine, you don’t let it go bankrupt for anything. when a problem comes your way, you get around it.
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man…all those gorgeous harbours and taks. i’ll never surf a longboard, but I’ll miss eyeing up those gems.
yeah…keep in mind that this transcends the shapers…it hits the glass shops, too. Waterman’s Guild, Moonlight, and let’s not forget AUSTIN…all the great glassers with their crisp splashes and swirls…totally screwed.
this is exactly what i was getting at.
i don’t think anyone know to what extent this is going to affect the american manufacturing houses - i didn’t even think of all the glass shops until you mentioned it. moonlight/channin/etc… a lot of potentially lost talent there…
very sad indeed.
I guess Clark forgot the monthly payment to its lobbyists and got the shaft…