Bodyboards

	Model SANY1520 from Xinda Sports Equipment and Material Co. Ltd is a bodyboard made of EPS.

The selection of surf- and bodyboards from China is expanding and becoming more diverse as suppliers brace themselves for greater demand. Some companies expect exports to grow more than 50 percent, with the rising acceptance of molded designs in North America and Europe.

Makers are keen on boosting exports to improve working capital turnover amid rising production costs.

In the past two years, the different types of plastic used in surf- and bodyboards became 30 percent more expensive due to high oil prices. Wages and other labor-related costs also rose, compounding the difficulty of the industry since the majority of processes are done manually.

At most companies, efforts revolve around the creation of new designs and patterns because the materials employed are generally the same. Several suppliers are also offering more surface treatment options, often investing in facilities that will allow them to carry these out in-house.

Ningbo Osia Stationery & Sports Goods Industrial Co. Ltd, for example, adds about 50 new models to its selection of surf-, skim- and bodyboards each year. Its 20-member R&D team enables the company to provide customized designs within 12 days.

EPS or PU foam is used as the core of the boards. Models adopting the former typically have decks made of EVA or XPE, while the bottoms are in PE or PP. Those with PU blanks are reinforced with fiberglass.

Ningbo Osia sources the EPS from domestic suppliers. The PU is procured in Australia, while the fiberglass is from South Korea.

Ningbo Jiangbei Sun-Star Sports & Gifts Fty introduces 10 to 15 new designs annually. Five of its 100 workers are R&D specialists who can create samples based on customers' specifications within two days.

One of the company's latest releases is a surfboard featuring an EPS foam core covered with 4oz of fiberglass on top and 6oz at the bottom.

The model is designed primarily for the US and Japan. It comes in various colors and patterns, which are achieved through pigment lamination.

Ningbo Jiangbei Sun-Star also manufactures bodyboards with EPS, PE or PP foam cores, EVA, IXPE or XPE decks, and PP or HDPE bottoms. The different layers are put together using hot welding technology instead of gluing for better adhesion and durability.

Xinda Sports Equipment and Material Co. Ltd, which has 40 of its 2,000 workers focusing on R&D, adds 10 new models to its bodyboard selection each year. The creation of samples based on buyers' specifications takes 10 to 15 days.

The products feature EPS blanks. Silk-screened patterns or logos are offered as options.

At Fenghua Jinxing Wood-products Manufacture Co. Ltd, a 10-member R&D team creates five new surf- or bodyboards each year. The group can also developsamples from customers' specifications within 20 days.

Seventy percent of the company's models come in wood, with polished, painted or printed finishes. The rest feature blanks made of EPS or PE.

Headside Surf Gears (Jieyang) Ltd, which specializes in surfboards and related accessories, can develop prototypes of clients' requests within seven days. Models include short-, long- and funboards, and fishes.

Eighty percent of the products come with PU blanks, while the rest have EPS foam cores. The tops and bottoms are coated with one or two layers of fiberglass.

Pigment lamination and spray-painted patterns are offered.

Ningbo Yonglin Light Industry Co. Ltd has a 15-member R&D team that can provide samples of customized designs within 15 days. The company offers models with EVA, EPS or EPE blanks, EVA or XPE decks, and HDPE bottoms.

To boost the salability of their surf- and bodyboards in the global market, several suppliers are investing in advertisements promoting their brands, models and services. Attendance at domestic and international trade shows is also up in line with the trend.