Surf supplies in Asia

Industry Talk
1

Hi everybody, 

I know that surfboard making in Asia, specially in China is not really the most welcomed subject on the forum, so my appologies for that. I will not start again the debate about chinese board etc.

 

However, I am writing here as an occasional shaper looking for supplies to shape boards from time to time! 

So my question is, does anybody know where I can find supplies in China to make boards, as a “home shaper”? specially blanks as it is really expensive to import them from australia or anywhere. I use to shape a bit, a tiny bit, in France, and there it was really easy to find supplies, but now that I am in Hong Kong, 40 min away from tons of surfboard factories, I cannot even find supplies, because if I want less than 100 blanks nobody will sell anything to me.

And here I will join most of the guys complaining about china manufacturing surfboards, I got the “I hope to be wrong” impression that it is just an industry that really does not care about the spirit of the sport, of the art of shaping, and is really not interesting in helping one guy who make 10 boards a year. 

Please prove me I am wrong!

So I have been looking for a couple of months now, without any positive answer, or most often without any answer at all from the manufacturers. Come on guys, 5 blanks, some resin and fiber cloth, please! :slight_smile:

 

If anybody as any advice on the question, own himself a factory and want to help me, I would be really thankfull for the help!

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

 

 

2

…you are not 40mins from tons of factories; in fact, in continental China there are only a few but super big that hold the production for everyone.

 

regarding the blanks; it s very simple, you live in an Island

The cost to send few blanks by plane is too high for the shop and for you.

The problems and logistic to send them by ship to earn 80 Dollars or so total, is a no no to the shops or factories.

 

so you can buy poly styrene instead of PU locally and try with that.

3

Ye, maybe not tons, but not only one either. Anyway I totally agree with you and what I forgot to mention is that I do not specially need to have the blanks sent to HK, I can just go to the factory, pick up a few blanks pay cash and leave. But I guess to do that I can just go to the factory and do it, I just wanted to avoid to rent a van and spend the day go there for nothing, but seems to be the price to pay!

Polystyrene is a solution I thought about as well, but PU would be great!

Thanks for your reply anyway!