Firewire Surfboards Essay

570 Words3 Pages
Firewire Surfboards As the entrepreneurial team of Firewire Surfboards blazes the trail in the manufacturing of surfboards with new technology, one will have to consider if technology alone will be sufficient to meet the demands of long-time hardcore surfers. In analyzing the current market needs for eco-friendly board materials, it is evident timing has been on Firewire’s side. However, their position in the marketplace, inability to provide custom-made surfboards, in addition to cost could possibly send Firewire’s eager entrepreneurial team to revise their overall strategic plan. The most challenging opponent for Firewire Surfboards has been the past 40 plus years of polyurethane-foam based boards, in addition to custom-shaped to order manufactured boards. For that reason, the industry has been reluctant to revamp and conform to new high-tech materials such as bamboo and carbon. In addition to such, Firewire still does not manufacture custom-shaped to order boards as Channel Islands (a competitor of Firewire). As stated in the reading text assignment, Channel Islands boards are considered the industry’s “gold standard”. Nonetheless, when put to the test in competitive surfing, Firewire Surfboards proved its performance ability to a new generation of skate-style riders. (Longnecker, Petty, Palich, & Moore, 2010). As trailblazers of modern technology boards, Firewire Surfboards should have better anticipated the pushback they would receive from veteran surfers. Most consumers are resistant to change, specifically when it comes to brand new technology. In this case, the materials used for Firewire’s boards are unorthodox, whereas surfing enthusiasts have been using the same polyurethane materials since 1959. It would have been to their advantage if Firewire’s marketing manager, Chuy Reyna positioned the boards to a group of veteran surfer’s

More about Firewire Surfboards Essay

Open Document