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Retailers speak, TransWorld Business listens and Mervin WINS

Seattle, WA (January 18, 2012) — Retailers nationwide choose Mervin as the action-sports brand of the year in polling by TransWorld Business. Retailers point to Mervin as the brand that created the best partnerships and products, while also doing the most to support shops. The award comes courtesy of Transworld Business who reached out to over 5,000 retailers across surf, skate, snow, wake, moto, and BMX posing open-ended questions about which companies have done the most this year to foster their stores’ growth, goals, and continued success.

“The entire Mervin team feels truly grateful to be recognized for doing what we love,” says Ryan Hollis, GM of Mervin Mfg. “We’ve been building boards since 1977 and have always had our retail partners first of mind. We feel lucky to be able to maintain a healthy business for them and us, especially in rough times.”

The men and women working at Mervin are true board builders with a mission to innovate and improve the sports they participate in and love. Mervin brings real innovation including Magne-traction and banana technology, making snowboarding, skiing, skating and soon surf, easier and more fun for everyone. The company has been building ecoMotional boards near Canada in the USA since 1977.

“Mervin was the clear winner for brand of the year – it was an open ended survey and they dominated with responses such as ‘anything Mervin,’” says Mike Lewis, Editor-in-Chief of TransWorld Business. “Mervin crushed it in 2011, helping keep specialty retail special.”

Specific to supporting specialty retail, Mervin uses Shopatron, which sends online orders directly to shops. The company also actively enforces minimum advertised pricing and Internet sales in an effort to protect specialty retail.

According to SIA RetailTRAK™ data produced by the Leisure Trends Group, Mervin brands have the highest sell-through of major snowboard brands with very strong margins and enjoyed the most volume growth of any other snowboard brands on the market last season. Both Lib Tech and Gnu moved into the top five snowboard brands sold at retail last season with early season sales indicating that they will both keep their top five positions for the current season. The study also states that Mervin dominates price-points between 0 and 9 at retail.

Retailers can preview Mervin Mfg products from Lib Tech, Gnu, Roxy, Bent Metal and Freedom Dolly during SIA at the following booths: Lib Tech 1307, GNU 1507 and Lib Tech NAS 4235.

Mervin Manufacturing

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Heyday Skateboarding

The Best of Week in Review 2011.
SURFER Magazine

Chris Corning has been riding for Never Summer since he was 8 years old. His dad, Brook Corning, called Never Summer and told us he wanted to give his son, 11 year old Never Summer Team Rider, a real world view. We were told he had a total of one day of experience interning at Community Skate and Snow in Arvada. 11 years old…one day of experience…and we don’t have to pay him…if he works half as hard as he snowboards he’ll be our best employee. He’s HIRED!

Big ups to Brook and Laura Corning for raising this kid to be humble, respectful, and appreciative of all the things he’s received in life! Here’s a look at what he did during his day of hard labor:

Answering your questions on the Never Summer Facebook account

Assembling a Never Summer Longboard

Attaching the metal edges to a Never Summer base with another Chris

Placing a Never Summer into the snowboard press

Drilling out the inserts in this Never Summer Proto CT

Manning the Never Summer factory forklift

Applying epoxy to a Never Summer topsheet

Grinding Never Summer Evo base

Milling Icelantic Ski cores

Lunch with Gino

Cutting out Never Summer Snowboard and Icelantic Ski bases

Providing awesome behind the scenes customer service doing flawless repairs with Jose

Hanging with Never Summer Industries owner TC

 

Laying up a Never Summer Summit Splitboard

Organizing an important spread sheet with Vince

On the bandsaw trimming the excess material off this Never Summer Proto CT snowboard

Shrink wrapping next years Icelantic Skis in the Never Summer Factory, Denver, CO

Helping to design one of next seasons Never Summer Signature Terrain Park Features

Waxing a Never Summer Infinity Snowboard

Shipping a Never Summer Soldier Longboard

Never Summer Industries – A World leader in Snowboarding, High quality Snowboards, Longboards, clothing and Accessories

YEAR ZERO is a modern take on high performance surfing set in a post-apocalyptic world, reminiscent of Mad Max or an HG Wells novel. It tells a story of a band of renegade surfers, including Dion Agius, Yadin Nicol, Nate Tyler, Taj Burrow, CJ Hobgood and Damien Hobgood, on a road trip through the apocalypse in search of waves, women, and good times. The film’s original soundtrack by BLACK MOUNTAIN, whom VICE MAGAZINE has called, “One of the best rock n’ roll bands of our time,” creates a sonic landscape that fully delivers the immersive experience that director Joe G envisioned for the film.

The film was shot on location around the world entirely in super 16mm film and offers a unique concept with stunning visuals that capture the essence of surfing in a novel setting. YEAR ZERO follows GLOBE’S previous award winning productions such as SECRET MACHINE and NEW EMISSIONS OF LIGHT AND SOUND and is undoubtedly GLOBE’S largest film project to date.

World Premiere coming August 3rd to Costa Mesa. More from 0000.

SURFING Magazine

Never Summer Industries was extremely psyched to be able to attend the welcome home ceremony for G Company 2-135th General Support Aviation Battalion. These soldiers just returned home from a year of saving lives in Iraq.  The 135th is a helicopter medical evacuation unit, or MEDEVAC unit.  The primary mission for the 135th G Company in Iraq was to provide life-saving support to US and Coalition Soldiers.  G Company flew more than 2200 hours and provided MEDEVAC evacuation for over 240 US and Coalition Force personnel.

Never Summer Industries is extremely proud to have been able to supply these custom snowboards as a welcome home gift to these heroes.  In fact, we were so proud to participate that we plan on making custom military boards for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard for the 2011/12 season.  Details will be posted on our website in September.

Welcome Home Ceremony Program

Waiting for the heroes.

Heroes come marching in.

135th in formation.

SSG Edwin Wiley organizing snowboards for the troops.

Gags knows he can't tell these guys what to do.

SSG Mike Robinson and SSG Natasha Blaydes.

SSG Joshua Moyer, Flight Medic.

SGT Mathew Bradford.

The 135th suprised us with a flag that had flown actual combat missions in Iraq.

Certificate that accompanied US combat flag.

Gags extremely flattered.

Gags and SSG Edwin Wiley.

The two gentlemen responsible for putting this special welcome home gift together.

The custom board and combat flag.

An incredible day. We could not be more proud of our troops or more flattered to be a part of this wonderful homecoming.

Never Summer Industries

The SBG Editors just finished off SIA 2011 and are looking forward to seeing everything that was on display actually out on store shelves. All of the lines that we saw were impressive. Color waves are catchy, quality and technology in hardgoods is noteworthy, underlayers are softer and warmer than ever, and eye-wear should keep the future in clear focus. We will be bringing you more information about companies, lines and products, but for now, we have several pictures to initially show off what we just finished looking at.

On a different note, over the past several months SBG has been in transition. We have exciting news just around the corner about the future of the site. In the meantime, don’t forget that we want your reviews. Please let your fellow shredders know what you think about your equipment. After all, it is just snowboarding, and we all want the most out of it, so if you have an opinion on something, please share!

Snowboarder Guide

Words and photos by Steve Sherman

Andy Irons // France

This is my last portrait I ever took of Andy Irons. It’s in France and all he could talk about the whole time we shot was about the arrival of his son, Axel. One of the things I loved about Andy was he always made time for me, especially when I wanted to have a shoot with him. He’d say, “Let’s do this!” and we would be off and running. RIP my friend…

Dusty Payne // California

A serious hack from Dusty Payne last January in Santa Barbara, California.

Mick Fanning // France

Mick “Eugene” Fanning gives me a big cheers the night after he won the Hossegor event. He is one of my all time favorite people on tour. A true gentleman (when he’s not drunk!) who always has his friends’ backs.

Gudauskas Brothers // San Clemente, California

The all-time frothing G-Unit! Dane, Pat and Tanner are “The Ministers of Positive Energy” for the ASP tour. This was shot during the making of a short film I did on them called “G-Unit.”

Dane Reynolds // J-Bay, South Africa

Dane Reynolds in a contemplative lunchtime moment in J-bay.

Kelly Slater // J-Bay, South Africa

Kelly on his way to pack his boards and get the hell out of J-Bay. After it took us 34 hours of travel, losing to a back-ailing Sean Holmes in Round 3, it was time to go home. “It just wasn’t in the cards,” he later said.

Jordy Smith // J-Bay, South Africa

Jordy Smith’s newest mantle piece addition. Jordy, so stoked after his first ASP World Tour win.

Kelly Slater // Puerto Rico

Kelly blowing up in his quarterfinal heat in Puerto Rico. In the foreground is the Hawaiian flag, flying in memory of AI.

Kelly Slater // Puerto Rico

This is Kelly’s version of a 10! Shot the day after his 10th World title win. Thanks for bringing me along K!

Dane Reynolds // Gold Coast Australia

What I love about this image of Dane Reynolds at Snapper Rocks is that it was taken right before his groundbreaking Round 3 performance. It was one of the best-surfed heats I’ve ever witnessed.

SURFING Magazine

The celebrating continues for freestyle phenom John Jackson who over the weekend at the Transworld Snowboarding Riders’ Poll Awards took home top honors, receiving awards for both Rider of the Year and Video Part of the Year for his closer in Forum’s FOREVER. Also nominated for Rider of the Year and deserving of a shout-out was Forum’s Pat Moore who had an equally insane season – yeah, Pat! With votes coming from the best of the best in snowboarding, John J is definitely feeling the love right now. Plus, you know you’ve done well when Pam Anderson hands you your award along with a kiss. “This is a major accomplishment for me, it feels insane!” says Jackson. “Thanks to all the voters and to everyone who put their love and support into Forum’s FOREVER. The team, the filmers, the photogs and the big dogs behind the desks all worked really hard to make this project what it was, and give us the opportunity to do what we love. I’d like to thank Forum, Special Blend, Von Zipper, LRG, Bryan Knox, Jason Issacs, Nathan Yant, Jeremy Pettit, Kurt Heine, Ian Ruhter, Tim Peare, Kevin Keller, GT, the Hatchet brothers, Bob Marley, all the riders, my family who’s always been there for me no matter what, and God for making it all possible. This was a joint effort and I can’t express my gratitude enough! Thank you, bless up, and let’s get ready for another amazing year! Much luv.”

What a night it was for John and the entire Forum crew – congrats, man!

Snowboarder Guide

Check the Etnies Blog for a sweet montage and photo post looking back on the past year.
Skateboarder Magazine