Nick Carroll has written an article for the January 2008 issue of US Surfing Magazine, profiling Global Surf Industries as the brave new face of the modern surf industry.

The article looks at why Global Surf Industries is the biggest surfboard company in the world.
You can read it here.

GSI appointed a new Territory Manager for the Mid Atlantic Region.

Scott Litherland commenced his new role as Global Surf Industries Territory Manager for the Mid Atlantic region today. Scott has been a surfer for many years and has worked on the fringe of the surf industry for many years as well. Recently, Scott accepted the position with GSI which makes one of his lifelong goals become a reality. “ To work with a company that has the mantra “Life is better when you surf” is like a dream come true for me. I have seen Global Surf Industries grow over the past 5 years and have been super impressed with what they have done in a short space of time. When I was offered the position I was thrilled. ” said Scott.

Scott is married to Surf Expo’s Nikki Houston. “To be able to work in the same industry as my wife is great. The Surf Industry as a whole is developing pretty rapidly right now and I feel it is a great time for me to take the step. I can see Global Surf Industries exploding over the next few years so I think my timing is great.”

As well as looking after GSI’s accounts from Delaware to Georgia, Scott will be looking after all of the accounts in the Caribbean. “ I have spent a bit of time in the Caribbean and know there is some decent surf down there at different times of the year. I am looking forward to helping all of my accounts develop their surfboard business it is going to be a very exciting period of my life. Mark Kelly President of GSI USA said “ I think Scott is a fantastic guy to have on our team, his love of surfing, surfboards and the industry is fantastic. He will fit in with the rest of the team perfectly. I feel honoured to be able to have a great guy like Scott working with us as he will be a real asset not only to GSI but also to all of the accounts in his territory”.

GSI will be exhibiting at Surf Expo in January 2008. So if you haven’t met Scott you will be able to say hello to him in person then.

Life is Better when you surf - competition winner announced.

Global Surf Industries are pleased to announce that Mike McCarthy of Huntington Beach USA was the winner of the grand prize of his choice of a surfboard from the GSI range each year for the next ten years. Mike was absolutely stoked when he found out that he has won. He is off next week for an annual pilgrimage to Baja with a group of friends so the win could not have been more perfectly time. Mike has chose to receive a 6’3” 7S Super Fish as this year’s board.

We had close on 900 entries for the competition that was run worldwide. Entrants had to tell us in 500 words or less why they thought that their life was better when they surfed. The winner’s entry along with 25 runner’s up entries, who all receive the board of their choice from the GSI range, are now posted on www.surfindustries.com. They are a great read and we invite everyone to take the time to read through them.

“This competition was one of the most incredible things I have ever encountered”, say Mark Kelly from Global Surf Industries. “ Surfing for so many people around the world isn’t about the WCT, the WQS or competing on any level. It is more about the stoke, the serenity, the calmness and the camaraderie that being in the waves and the ocean bring to us all as surfers. I read through each and every entry as the first cull. People were so open and honest, many of the stories we so touching it was quite an emotional journey for me. To everyone who entered thank you for sharing your stories.”

Global Surf Industries signs deal with surfboard merchandising innovator – Hang Up Systems

Klaus Buchmann had a revelation a few years ago - tired of his boards falling over and getting wax on both sides of them, he decided enough was enough and went about developing a device that would hang his surfboards off the ground using the board’s removable fin system. From Klaus’s handy work was born the Hang Up System. It is without doubt the biggest revolution in the merchandising of surfboards ever.

The storage and presentation of surfboards at the retail level is a challenge to say the least. With the Hang Up System the boards hang tip down this design allows for the boards to take up the most minimal space available. The hangers work on any hanging rail system, so surfboards can be merchandised in any part of the store, not just the board room.

Currently Hang Ups have been developed for the FCS and Futures fin systems with a Longboard Box hanger in development right now.

To allow the Hang Up System to be fully developed Klaus has entered into an arrangement with Global Surf Industries to manufacture and sell the product worldwide. “ I am super stoked to see my little invention being offered around the world. The feedback from everyone I have spoken to since I have developed the product has been fantastic. The deal with GSI is the icing on the cake for me, they have the infrastructure to make it happen quicker than I ever dreamed possible”, Klaus Buchmann.

GSI’s President and Managing Director, Mark Kelly said about the deal “ The merchandising of surfboards has been a real problem up until now. Many of the racking systems are expensive and cumbersome and they take up huge amounts of expensive retailing floor space. The Hang Up System finally allows retailers to have some flexibility. The retailers who are already using it love it and can’t imagine going back to the old rack type arrangement”.

To find out more about the Hang Up System go to www.surfindustries.com/hangups

Media Release
Sydney Australia August 18th 2007

Global Surf Industries appoints – John Jacka – to position of Chief Financial officer.

John comes to GSI with a long background in financial roles both in Australia and overseas. John’s most recent role was that of Financial Controller of the publically listed Australian Company – Staging Connections. John also comes to GSI with a strong passion for surfing and prior to starting with GSI recently took trips to three of his favourite surfing destinations: Byron Bay, Bali and Blacks in South Australia. John will take the reins of all financial functions for the group

Life is better when you surf!

At Global Surf Industries this is our company mantra. We know what it means to us and we want to know what it means to you - why is your life better when you surf? To encourage you to share your story with us we have decided to hold a competition with the grand prize of your choice of any surfboard from the Global Surf Industries range every year for the next ten years!! There are also 25 runner up prizes, with these winners able to choose any board from our range.

Entries have to be 500 words or less and the competition closes August 17th so get writing!

Go to www.surfindustries.com for entry details.

Swami’s Surf Association and Global Surf Industries (GSI) announced today that that they have come to an agreement for GSI to become the presenting sponsor of the 16th Annual Coalition Event at Cardiff Reef 2007 featuring the Cardiff Classic that will be held October 6TH & 7th.

“We have been searching for a So Cal event for a while now and haven’t been able to find anything that fits our need until now. The Swami’s event really works in with our company mantra – Life is better when you surf – as the whole deal is a real celebration of being a surfer and the joy of surfing”, said Mark Kelly President of Global Surf Industries.

“ We have been really selective about the events we tie ourselves to, we aren’t really into the whole super hero deal. What we are into is really joining together with the local surfing communities to help them embrace surfing as part of their local social and recreational activities. Surfing brings such a great positive energy to life we should celebrate it as often as possible”.

Competition Director - Otis Sistrunk said “The board of the Swami’s Surfing Association is super stoked to have Global Surf Industries on board. I was in Noosa, Australia earlier this year and saw what a great job they did at the Surf Festival down there. If we can get some of that going the event will be magical. GSI’s whole – Life is better when you surf – mantra fits really well with the SSA. For us in the 16th year of having this event it is really more than just a contest. For us it is about being proud to be a surfer and showing the rest of the community how much fun we can have both in and out of the water”.

There are 12 surf clubs that compete in this event which is sensational. This year there will be events for All men & women age groups, Jr. ages groups, Stand up Paddle , Tandem, Paddle Race plus Singing, Karaoke, Dancing, The whole shebang and more.

For more information on the Swami’s Surf Association go to: www.swamissurfingassociation.org or contact Otis Sistrunk– email = otisthedude@hotmail.com phone = 760 753 1935

For more information on Global Surf Industries go to: www.surfindustries.com or contact Mark Kelly – email: kel@surfindustries.com phone: 866 274 8449

Media Release
Monday 4th June 2007

Cleanwater Classic: Westport, Washington USA

McTavish signs worldwide distribution deal with Global Surf Industries
McTavish Surfboards today announced it has signed a worldwide license agreement with the world’s largest surfboard distributor; Global Surf Industries (GSI).

The deal will see McTavish Surfboards sold in more than 29 countries via GSI’s International distribution network.

“Making boards in Australia and shipping them overseas means that we’ve only been able to sell relatively small amount of boards to a few countries” founder Bob McTavish said today.

Bob, who founded McTavish in 1962, said that he had been trying to build an export market for his boards for 40 years.

“I was one of the first shapers in the world to find an international market for my boards. I took some boards with me to Hawaii in 1967 and surfed with them in the Duke Kahanamoku Contest at Sunset Beach.

“It’s only taken us another 40 years to get moving on this but there were a lot of good swells in between! Working with GSI just makes a lot of sense. There is an amazing growing demand for our boards, including from some pretty weird places, and now we’ll be able to service it.”

Global Surf Industries managing director, Mark Kelly, said his company was really stoked about the agreement. ”McTavish is a legendary name in surfing. McTavish boards will give us a halo product range to add to our existing line-up. They will provide our retailers with more choice, and will showcase the ever increasing level of quality and workmanship of GSI products. We are very happy to have Bob and the whole McTavish team involved in the development of the program.” Mark said.

nineteen models, including Australia’s best selling Longboard - the McTavish Fireball.

Bob said that the other McTavish models, and custom order boards, will still be manufactured and distributed from the McTavish headquarters in the world’s surfing capital, Byron Bay.

“There will always be a demand for our custom shapes. Now we can focus on making custom boards at Byron Bay, without the headaches associated with larger scale production” Bob said.

For more information call:
McTavish Surfboards Ben Harper 0414 871 485
Global Surf Industries Mark Kelly 0403 045 159
www.mctavish.com.au
www.surfindustries.com

About Global Surf Industries.
Global Surf Industries (GSI) operates from its world headquarters in Manly on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia. Wholly-owned distribution operations in Australia and the USA are supported by the network of global distributor network that spans the globe.

GSI has a portfolio of 11 brands. They are very deliberate and strategic in their brand selection. Each caters for a particular type of surfer with a specific level of surfing ability. Whether you are a first-day novice, a beginner, an intermediate, an advanced or elite-level surfer, GSI has the brand and model that is right for you.

Company Mantra - Life is better when you surf. At GSI we understand how surfing changes lives and the positive day-to-day benefits of being part of the surf culture.

Global Surf Industries is very please to announce that the search for Managers of their newly created Mid Atlantic and Pacific North West Territories has ended. Over 500 applications were received for these positions, which is an indication of the level of excitement and impact Global Surf Industries is having on the retail level in the Surfboard segment.

The successful candidates were:

Mike Crews – Mid Atlantic Territory. Mike has owned and operated Hot Wax Surf Shop in Emerald Isle NC for the past twenty years. He brings a huge amount of passion and understanding of what surf retailers need to be successful in the current retail climate. Mike has been a customer of Global Surf Industries for a number of years and was so excited about the potential the role has to offer, he has put his beloved Surf Shop up for sale.

Jason Miller – Pacific North West Territory. Jason has lived in the heart and soul of this territory his whole life - Santa Cruz CA. Jason comes to Global Surf Industries from another surfboard supplier. Unaware of the job that was on offer Jason was informed by a number of his customers that the role was open and that they thought he would be a great fit. Jason came through the interviewing process on top due to his passion for surfing, surfboards and the desire to see his customers be successful.

Mike and Jason started their new jobs last Saturday when they boarded planes bound for Thailand where they, accompanied by other Global Surf Industries Territory Managers, went on a 2 day tour of the state of the art production facility. Understanding how all of our boards are made, the quality checks and controls, the materials and construction processes that go into them is an integral part of the training process at Global Surf Industries.

The overriding factor in having Jason and Mike sign on was their understanding of the Global Surf Industries mantra – Life is better when you surf. Like everyone else at Global Surf Industries these guys are living this mantra everyday.

For more information on Global Surf Industries go to www.surfindustries.com (http://www.surfindustries.com)

16 February 2007
Applications for the positions below have now closed.