Layoffs Hit Quiksilver, RVCA, Roxy Distribution Center Workers

Boardriders – the former parent to RVCA, Roxy and other brands – is set to lay off 139 warehouse workers as the business continues to trim staff amid its transition to new parent Authentic Brands Group. 

Boardriders informed the state this month of the layoffs at its Mira Loma, Calif. distribution center. The cuts are effective Feb. 4. 

Boardriders also previously owned Quiksilver, Billabong, DC Shoes, Element, VonZipper and Honolua before the group’s September sale to Authentic Brands.

The move to a new parent has been rocky, marked by layoffs, public criticisms from athletes and industry executives of the deal and sponsorship cuts.  

The Mira Loma layoffs reflect the largest headcount reduction reported for a single Boardriders location since the Authentic acquisition.  

Boardriders previously notified the California Employment Development Department of 11 layoffs in its Huntington Beach headquarters office in December. That’s on top of 72 positions cut in Huntington Beach, 10 in the Costa Mesa office of RVCA, one layoff in Mira Loma and one at a store in Universal City, all of which were effective in September and October. 

It’s unclear if the distribution facility represents the last of the layoffs for the former Boardriders group. 

Big Churn

Boardriders-sponsored athletes are seeing churn within their own ranks under the transition. 

Lisa Andersen, a four-time World Champion surfer, made it clear the cord had been severed between herself and Roxy on Friday. The pro surfer, who helped establish the Roxy brand’s legitimacy in its budding days, shared a video with followers that showed a Roxy sticker being torn off a surfboard. 

The move ends a 30-year partnership between the brand and athlete.

That comes just a few weeks after former Roxy-backed surfer Kelia Moniz criticized Authentic for ending her contract early only to then offer a 90 percent pay cut to walk away from the brand. 

RVCA, another former Boardriders brand, lost surfer Billy Kemper last year. Kemper walked away from a new contract due to founder and former President Pat Tenore no longer serving at the helm of the business. Tenore was part of the round of layoffs that occurred in September.