Orange County skate and surf apparel makers are getting ready to show their garb at the San Diego Convention Center this weekend for the Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo.
The Laguna Beach-based show, part of VNU Expositions Inc. of Virginia, starts on Friday and runs through Sunday.
Thousands of buyers from all over the world will pack the aisles on the hunt for the best new stuff from OC brands, including Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver Inc., Irvine-based Billabong USA, O’Neill Clothing in Irvine and Costa Mesa-based Paul Frank Industries Inc.
There also are a slew of events scheduled during and after the show, including a fashion runway, a skateboarding competition and various meetings.
One hot topic at the show,how OC surfboard shapers and retailers plan to get surfboard blanks now that Mission Viejo-based Clark Foam is out of the picture.
The company closed in December and left surfboard shapers with a shortage of materials to build boards.
San Clemente-based Surf Industry Manufacturers Association is hosting a meeting on Friday at 2 p.m. in Meeting Room 8 to talk about options.
“Last month there was a major shake-up in the surfboard industry,” said Kevin Flanagan, ASR show director in a statement. “ASR is a great opportunity for the industry to meet and figure out the next steps.”
In other news, ASR’s parent, global media company VNU, has received a buyout offer from a group of private equity firms for about $8.8 billion.
The group includes AlpInvest Partners, the Blackstone Group, the Carlyle Group, Hellman & Freidman, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., Permira and Thomas H. Lee Partners.
