Clark Foam Closes!

After producing over 90% of all the surfboard blanks in the United States for over 40 years Clark Foam closed it's doors on Monday December 6, 2005.

Clark's closure, apparently without even notifying the leading surfboard manufacturers in the US, immediately threw the industry in utter chaos. Clark Foam produced upwards of 1,000 blanks per day. With the loss of available blanks shapers were left scrambling to try to locate different sources, both in the US and worldwide.

Several manufacturers and surf shops in California immediately raised their prices on all available boards $100-150. The immediate effect seems to be most devastating to the smaller local shapers and companies. The loss of the availability of small amounts of blanks could put the small shapers out of business.

The seemingly biggest winners seem to be Surftech, Boardworks, and the glass boards produced in China and Indonesia who do not depend on blanks from Clark.