Clark Foam, the largest producer of polyurethane cure surfboard 'blanks' in the U.S. suddenly closed its doors. Following a 7-page letter sent to members of the surf industry detailing perceived attacks on his company by various government agencies, Dave “Grubby” Clark shut down the operation, leaving distributors and shapers faced with questions about the future of their individual businesses and the industry as a whole.
Speculation has raised question ranging from re-opening the business in Mexico to shifting all blank production to oversea factories in Australia and China. However, in his letter, Clark sounded final in his decision to shut down for good, fearing “very large fines, civil lawsuits, and even time in prison.”
Most likely, some of the production will be transferred to producers overseas, but there will be an extreme shortage of boards in the coming year, leading to severe price increases.
