Got Foam?
In 1978 there was Big Wednesday. Now, December 5, 2005 will forever be remembered in the surfing world as Black Monday.
It was on this fateful day that an atom bomb was dropped on the surf industry. In a seven-page fax sent to its biggest accounts and partners, Clark Foam shocked the industry by announcing, "effective immediately Clark Foam is ceasing production and sales of surfboard blanks."
To appreciate the magnitude of this debacle, one must first understand Clark Foam (Malcolm Gault-Williams' Legendary Surfers books provide a detailed historical background).
In 1958, Hobie Alter (of Hobie Cat fame) and Gordon "Grubby" Clark began experimenting with Polyurethane (PU) foam and Polyester resin with fiberglass cloth as an innovative alternative to balsa wood surfboards. Their success heralded the birth of the modern surfboard.
Clark started Clark Foam in 1961 and it quickly became the premier foam manufacturer in the world. And nearly 45 years later, Clark Foam was still the single biggest PU surfboard blank manufacturer in the world, producing up to 1000 blanks a day at its Laguna Niguel plant in California. Over 80% of all PU boards built in the U.S. were made using Clark Foam blanks, a testament to his constant drive for product improvement and shrewd business tactics.
Back to Black Monday. Seemingly out of the blue, Clark, 72, decided to shut down his entire Clark Foam operation. In the infamous fax, he blamed increasing pressure by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), and other organizations for allegedly squeezing him out of business (both agencies have since denied such actions). Concerns over fines, legal fees, workman's comp settlements, and even the possibility of jail time led him to the sudden closure of his business. The fax seemed to echo the sentiments of an exasperated businessman.
There have been many other rampant rumors as to why the company closed, but it would be inappropriate to go there. Hopefully time will eventually flush out the truth.
Regardless, the ramifications of the closure of Clark Foam are immense, and have yet to be fully realized. Hawaii is especially susceptible since a greater percentage of shapers use Clark Foam, and there is limited access to alternate sources.
Island shapers like Makani McDonald are already missing the Clark blanks but are positive of what the future holds for the local custom board market.
Unfortunately, a lot of people may be out of work. Can't shape or glass without the necessary materials. It is heart wrenching to think that so many companies and careers and even lives may be ruined because of this.
Part of the romance of surfing is that we have these dedicated shapers and glassers, a lot of them with backyard businesses, working for ridiculously low margins to create handcrafted, custom works of art. In one fell swoop, many of these craftsmen and their skills may be lost.
This will probably have a ripple effect on all the other businesses that peripherally support the surfboard manufacturing industry such as board artists, delivery services, surf accessories, and retail shops. These businesses will obviously feel the pinch. (However, ding repair shops may ironically see an increase in business as surfers try to make the boards they currently own last longer.)
Also, surfboard prices will probably rise (some stores actually marked up their boards the very next day). It's just simple economics of supply and demand. From a consumer's standpoint, it sucks. But from the retail perspective, if that's all the stock you're going to have in the foreseeable future, then you better get what you can.
Unfortunately there are no quick solutions. For decades, Clark customized and even created machinery specifically for surfboard blank manufacturing. His chemical mixtures, along with the molds and even the pouring processes are well-kept secrets. Plus, it will be a long time before anyone can match the sheer production volume, not to mention the quality, the public is currently craving.
Boards with newer materials such as EPS cores and epoxy laminates will probably be more accepted and prevalent. We do have a few shapers locally doing these durable EPS/epoxy boards, but the shaping and manufacturing processes are different, the materials (and quantities) aren't readily available right now, and the boards are more expensive. It will take time for PU/Polyester shapers and glassers to adapt to EPS/epoxy, if they even choose to make the jump.
Also looming are all the "pop-out" boards being mass-produced in countries such as Thailand and China, further diluting the market. This could be discussed ad nauseam, but I digress.
Despite all this doom and gloom, surprisingly there is a tiny, underlying sense of optimism. Apparently, Clark Foam was such a monopoly that they sometimes (allegedly) used strong-arm tactics to maintain a grip on market share. Many see this change as an opportunity to finally break free, allowing surfers to further exploit new materials and manufacturing techniques without fear of reprisal. The couple of shapers that I talked to are a bit nervous, but open-minded to opportunities that may eventually transpire.
The coming months will be challenging and pivotal for both the surf industry and for affected individuals. Good luck and godspeed to all. The landscape will definitely be altered as we go through the metamorphosis of the ultimate surfing icon that is the surfboard. Hopefully in the long run, we may look back say it wasn't such a black Monday after all. In any case, thanks Grubby for the fabulous 45-year ride.
Sign on Clark Foam Hawaii's warehouse door
Stay stoked!
Neal Miyake
The Attempted Interview with
Ted Wilson of Fiberglass Hawaii On December 6 (the day after Black Monday), I visited Fiberglass Hawaii, supplier of much of the other raw materials used to manufacture surfboards. The mood in the store was understandably reserved. I waited to talk to owner Ted Wilson, as he addressed phone calls and walk-in visitors. When my turn came I was stoked that he recognized me from my online surf column. Ted was super-cordial, but understandably overwhelmed by the barrage of phone calls and email and visitors he had been receiving since the previous afternoon. He showed me the 30+ memos that he had yet to get through, many of them from heavy-hitters in the industry. I got the gentle hint, apologized and told him I might be back later. Had to rush, especially since Craig Sugihara, owner of T&C Surf, was waiting outside the office for me to leave. Everyone was scrambling big time. Postscript: I later found out that Clark Foam gave Wilson and Fiberglass Hawaii the dubious task of distributing the remaining foam to the board builders of the state. Take care, Ted. |
On December 23, the Clark Foam warehouse opened to sell off its remaining stock
Addendum to "Black Monday: Life After Clark Foam"
Busy month for surfing in Hawaii. Here's a quick rundown of Hawaii pro surfing news:
