The Carpinteria-based company, which has been owned by Burton Snowboards since 2006, is in the process of being resold to a collective of investors headed by Britt Merrick, the son of founders Al and Terry Merrick.
The CI Surfboards LLC also includes senior members of the brand’s management team, employees and various team riders. While the company had received a boon in brand-building from Burton’s acquisition, the family felt the time was right to regain ownership.
“For me, acquiring back the business is a lifestyle choice to continue that same family ethos of furthering the joy and community of surfing, Britt Merrick said. People in our area know that you can have life-changing moments in the waves beautiful, transformative moments that make you want to always live in a certain healthy, vibrant way. And the cool thing is, these moments all happen on surfboards.”