Clark Foam has Quit Business

C.P.Odom · Post by **C.P.Odom** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:34 pm

This is a major disaster for the U.S builder especially the smaller one off shapers.

This will likely affect the availability of blanks worldwide, get your orders in quickly.

ScottMac · Post by **ScottMac** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:41 pm

WillP · Post by **WillP** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:49 pm

Does anyone know if they're selling off the exisitng molds? Maybe it'd be worth it to buy the tooling.

DrStrange · Post by **DrStrange** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:50 pm

EPS/epoxy

ScottMac · Post by **ScottMac** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:58 pm

Smokin Rock · Post by **Smokin Rock** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:01 pm

i just called a couple of the dealers for Clark here in Hawaii.
apparently the EPA has shut down Clark foam. perhaps its temporary. there should be a anouncement later today or tomorrow.
bummer

albert · Post by **albert** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:10 pm

Having done a bit of dealing with the EPA I would love to know the actual particulars of this.

I dont know how many of you have visited clark foam, but when I did, I didnt see anything to get super worried about, there was plenty of ventilation and filtration of outgoing air. I suppose there could have been issues with the chemical mixing to produce the foam itself, but I never saw that process in action.

Of course, this could also be part of a tactic the EPA uses often, shut down operations until you start to meet regulations, which could mean anything from a couple of days (if its merely a health and safety issue or even if they need new filters for their air purification systems) all the way to a full ceasing of operations if it is no longer economically feasible for them to keep going once the safeguards are in place and the EPA fines paid.

I think Darcy would probably know more about this than I would.

albert · Post by **albert** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:37 pm

martinmurph wrote: I'm sure that many of you who've worked in industry know that the EPA is not concerned so much about what you're breathing in a confined space, but is REALLY interested in HOW you discharge the contents out into the air we all breath.

I always thought it was OHSA the agency in charge of the confined space breathing thing..

martinmurph wrote: The concern is whether Clark foam has the DESIRE to meet the reg.s especially if they've setup shop in California where the clean air regs are very tough..

Well, I looked for any EPA documents on Clark Foam on the internet (because, lets face it, I am unemployed, there is no surf at the moment, and I have nothing else to do...) and I found their submittal for their Risk management plan (RMP) which outlines what they do to meet current regs. Not your most thrilling literary masterpiece but there was plenty of information regarding what they do and how they do it, also there was plenty between the lines of what can go wrong enough to have the EPA shut them down. So they have done something to meet regs in the past, but martin brings up a good point...

martinmurph wrote:If the capital investment required to meet the regs is deemed too high by management, it'll truly be a sad day for the surfing industry.

... and this is very much subject to any recent changes in regulations, namely anything that has happened in the last 6 months.

However, another scenario is that they could have been inspected and failed to do what they have set out to do in the documentation submitted to the EPA, which means fines $$$....

I suppose we will have to wait and see...

ScottMac · Post by **ScottMac** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:41 pm

Beeline2.0 · Post by **Beeline2.0** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:58 pm

kneecaps · Post by **kneecaps** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 4:13 pm

My guess is Clark had a few EPA violations, hasn't remediated the requirements of those violations timely, so the EPA shut them down.
Perhaps they are working on a solution to the requirements.
Perhaps compliance, a variance, who knows (just my guess).

China to the rescue once again!
With the vast availability of slave labor, and no adherence to any environmental standards whatsoever... hey, lets buy it from them!
And lets sell them treasury bonds to finance it too.

DrStrange · Post by **DrStrange** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 5:05 pm

EPS foam:
Bay Foam, 20273 Mack Street, Hayward, CA 94545, (800) 743-3626 or (510) 786-9663

2 pound I think. 96" X 12" X 4" $15.00 glue two side by side around stringer material and you have a flat 4 inch thik blank 24" wide. glue a short piece on top of nose if you want room to shape in more rocker. Total cost is $30

This is what Stretch and other Santa Cruz shapers are using. It is smaller bead than the usual 2 pound so even better for shaping/glassing and water resistance.

Glass W/ Resin Research epoxy and E-glass and you're there

Bud · Post by **Bud** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 5:08 pm

I've done some research on this and called the local warehouse.
As expected nobody answered.
I had a friend call the guy who runs it on his cell number.

Yes it is true, they have shut down their manufacturing facility in South Laguna California.

The alternative sources Walker Foam ( http://www.walkerfoam.com/ ) and imported brands are surely going to raise their prices.
Count on that being at least double!

All surfboard prices will of course reflect this.

Locally here in Hawaii their warehouse and current inventory is being sold to Fiberglass Hawaii. (These guys sell resin and everything else to build boards and boats.)
They will sell the remaining stock of blanks (at higher prices no doubt) and import new inventory.

The reasons for the shut down apparently are EPA related.

If this is correct then there was something in the manufacture of foam products that couldn't be handled to meet the requirements in California.
Clark Foam was an industry leader in complying with and inventing ways to meet and exceed the EPA requirements.

Gordon "Grubby" Clark is an extremely shrewd businessman.
I wouldn't doubt he'll move his opperation out of state, to Mexico or over seas.
I can easily imagine him resurfacing in the future, with a vengence and severely undercutting the market.

As bad as some might think, it'll sort itself out pretty quickly and things will get back to normal.

I'm not sweating it.
You shouldn't either.

mike schmaeling · Post by **mike schmaeling** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 5:46 pm

I'm not sure if this is related. but Cal EPA just pushed through some "Emergency Regulations" governing greenhouse gas emissions. I'm not up on the chemistry envolved in blank manufacturing, but if it envolves CO2 emissions???

Mike