Hey Al,

I met you once when I was working at Onboard Industries—you were chewing big red gum and I made comment that I loved it. My question for you is this:

With around 70% of the blank now complete via computer preshapes, how long do you think it will be before the shaper becomes the problem rather than the solution and that surfer branded boards become the norm rather than the shaper/big four branded boards we currently have.

IE: you can see the evolution with k-boards etc. the S-core was a step in the right direction with more of a pop out/mould type production and utilising carbon and messing with flex properties etc. it seems to me that shapers will decline in importance over time and your acquisition by burton seems a step in the right direction.

When will the shaper become irrelevant?

And don’t give me any of that baloney about surfing being organic and requiring human interaction. Machines can and will do it better, and cheaper!

Best wishes,
Leon Bateman

Al says, “not yet, but we’ll see what the future holds.”