SURFING and business aficionados have teamed up to export a revolutionary surfing product to the US prior to launching on the domestic market later in the year.

Firewire is pioneering the evolution of the surfboard design and manufacturing industry with its advanced poly composites and parabolic surfboard rails for lightning response and increased drive through turns when surfing.

The company is set to export more than 20,000 boards this year, retailing at around $1400 each to the US, where the Firewire has set up a manufacturing and distribution plant in San Diego.

Last month, Firewire was one of the top performing companies on ASSOB with more than $2.1 million raised during December alone.

Firewire chief executive officer David Cross says the company now employs 89 staff in offices at its Burleigh headquarters and in the US. He says channelling Firewire surfboards via the US market is vital to its long-term success.

"It's not just about the export of surfboards, but the export of 'know how'," says Mr Cross, the former chief executive of BASE surfing products.

"We have not opened the Australian market at all until we improve the acceptability in the US.

"We recognised that to make an impact globally in the surf hardware industry, we had to have a strong presence in the US. Once we get volume levels to an acceptable level, we will open an outlet in Burleigh later in the year and have a look at exporting to Japan."

Mr Cross concedes that the real challenge is meeting demand, which has skyrocketed since the Firewire concept was hatched a couple years ago using technology created by Western Australian innovator Bert Burger.

The boards have been designed by Burger, Nev Hyman and Dan Mann and are being shaped by former professional surfer Michael 'Munga' Barry.

The company's board members and shareholders include former Billabong chief executive Matthew Perrin, ex- Billabong general manager Dougall Walker, golfers Adam Scott and Ian Baker- Finch and Mr Hyman.

Queensland Premier and Minister for Trade Peter Beattie visited the Burleigh-based factory recently, praising the company's innovation as a 'feather in the cap for Queensland.'

"Firewire's smart manufacturing processes have helped it almost quadruple its manufacturing capacity in less than six months," says Mr Beattie.

The company won an environmental technology award in Europe last year for its commitment to greener manufacturing practices and was a recent finalist for design at the Surf Industry Manufacturing Association (SIMA) in the US.

The surfboards will be seen under the feet of professional surfer Taj Burrow as he chases the world title on the WCT surfing calendar this year.