YD Logo

ABOUT YD

Born From Passion, Driven By Innovation

YD water sports equipment in an outdoor setting
YD team member carrying water sports equipment

Who are we?

Over a decade ago, our founder, Ken Liu, took a paddleboard out onto the open water and realized a major gap in the market: existing gear simply wasn't built for real outdoor adventures. Driven by his passion for water sports and a desire for better equipment, Ken established YD Yeah Sport with a clear mission—to engineer world-class SUP and kayak paddles that seamlessly combine advanced tech with practical design, sharing the spirit of adventure with enthusiasts worldwide.

Operating as a close-knit family business, true teamwork is at the heart of everything we do. Every member of our team is dedicated to a shared goal: crafting strong, highly durable products that help our clients build outstanding brand reputations globally. When you partner with us, you gain more than a contract manufacturer—you team up with experts who live the sport and stand behind every paddle we make.

Every Stroke Counted

YD paddle representing the beginning of the company
2012

The Spark of YD

Driven by a lifelong passion for the water, Ken Liu founded YD with a vision born on the open waves. The name represents “Yue Dong” (悦动)—translated as Joy in Motion—a philosophy that lies at the heart of everything we build. Ken believed that bad equipment should never compromise a great session. He set out to craft high-performance paddles that give water sports enthusiasts the freedom to push their limits, connect with nature, and confidently embark on every new adventure.

YD hydrofoil development representing a new era of performance
2016

Taking Flight

The emergence of hydrofoils changed the game, giving paddlers the magic of lifting clear off the water. Catching this wave early, YD formed a dedicated team to craft our own original hydrofoil gear. Through countlessly tweaking designs, testing on the water, and dialing in every detail, we made flying above the waves smoother, safer, and more fun. This breakthrough opened up an exciting new dimension for our global partners and water lovers everywhere.

YD accessories representing agile product expansion
2024

Agile Growth

Listening closely to our partners' needs, YD expanded into new accessories by developing our high-performance spray decks. By quickly reconfiguring our machinery and production lines, our team delivered perfected prototypes in record time, earning high praise from our clients. This agility not only broadened our product matrix, but also reinforced YD’s commitment to providing a seamless, one-stop sourcing experience for global brands.

YD brand presentation representing its visual evolution
2026

A Visual Leap

At YD, we have always let our manufacturing quality speak for itself—but we knew our visual presentation needed to match our engineering excellence. We wanted our partners to truly feel the premium value of our gear before they even hit the water. This year, we poured our energy into a complete overhaul of our website and product catalogs. Drawing inspiration from world-class international brands, we crafted a sleek, modern visual identity of our own. It's more than just a new look; it's a reflection of the craftsmanship and forward-thinking spirit behind everything we make.

Meet YD Operation Team

Ken Liu

Ken Liu

Founder & CEO

As a former surfing rider, Ken has always been driven to create high-quality equipment that truly performs on the water. He began his career as a mold designer, developing strong expertise in product engineering and precision manufacturing. With this foundation, he founded YD to challenge the limits of surfing equipment.

Ken brings extensive industry experience and a sharp talent for product design and performance optimization. His deep understanding of hydrodynamics, materials, and user needs allows him to create innovative shapes and structures that enhance power, control, and efficiency. Every design reflects his commitment to continuous improvement and real-world functionality. Today, Ken leads YD with both technical expertise and a rider’s perspective, shaping products that set a higher standard in the surfing industry.

Kelly Zheng

Kelly Zheng

CFO - Accounting & Controlling

As the Chief Financial Officer of YD, Kelly oversees all financial planning, budgeting, and internal accounting processes. With a strong foundation in corporate finance and extensive experience in operational management, she ensures that every financial decision supports the company’s long-term stability and sustainable growth.

Kelly manages key workflows such as accounting, procurement, and shipment coordination, maintaining accuracy and efficiency across departments. Her rigorous financial oversight helps streamline operations, optimize resource allocation, and keep the company running smoothly. With her detail-oriented approach and deep financial expertise, Kelly plays an essential role in YD’s daily operations and overall business performance, ensuring the company remains on a solid and healthy path as it continues to expand.

Bruce Liu

Bruce Liu

Head Of Sales

Bruce graduated from one of China’s top universities with a degree in e-commerce and marketing, providing him with a solid foundation in digital business and market strategy. With a natural talent for communication, Bruce excels at understanding client needs and presenting solutions that align with their goals. He fosters open, friendly, and efficient conversations, making partners feel supported throughout every stage of cooperation. As a key driver of the company’s business development, Bruce blends professional knowledge with genuine enthusiasm for cross-cultural collaboration. His strategic mindset and customer-first approach continue to help YD reach new markets and create lasting partnerships worldwide.

With deep expertise and commitment, this team member contributes to YD’s innovation, operations, and global partnerships.

15+

Years of Industry Mastery

Deeply rooted in water sports manufacturing, bringing over a decade and a half of technical expertise to every product we engineer.

50+

Global Brands Trusted

Empowering premier water sports brands across Europe, North America, and Australia with reliable manufacturing and supply chain excellence.

99.8%

Quality Pass Rate

Backed by strict multi-stage quality control protocols before shipment, ensuring every piece meets uncompromising standards.

30+

Proprietary Blade Molds

Offering a diverse selection of over 30 engineered blade shapes to perfectly match your specific performance, market, and user needs.

YD BY THE NUMBERS

PROVEN CAPABILITY.
BUILT FOR GLOBAL BRANDS.

From engineering depth and proprietary tooling to rigorous quality control and long-term global partnerships, our capabilities are built to help ambitious water sports brands move faster, scale confidently, and deliver products that perform.

END-TO-END MANUFACTURING JOURNEY

BUILDING YOUR MARKET LEADERSHIP

Turn high-potential concepts into dominant market offerings through a unified, end-to-end manufacturing ecosystem. Our integrated production framework seamlessly fuses agile R&D co-creation with stringent, zero-defect precision control—taking your ideas from early engineering blueprints to mass production without execution friction. We don't just manufacture sports equipment; we engineer custom, high-performance product lines designed to eliminate supply chain bottlenecks, accelerate your time-to-market, and sharply elevate your brand’s competitive authority in global markets.

1
Product consultation and project planning

Consultation

Share your product goals, target market, performance requirements, budget, and timeline. Our team will clarify your needs and define a practical development roadmap.

2
Collaborative product design and engineering

Co-Creation

Collaborate directly with our in-house R&D team to refine concepts, materials, specifications, and product details into a clear, production-ready solution.

3
Functional prototype development and testing

Prototyping

Turn the approved concept into functional samples through rapid prototyping, performance testing, and iterative improvements before production.

4
Stable volume production in the YD factory

SCALE-UP

Finalize materials, tooling, manufacturing processes, and quality standards, then transition smoothly from approved samples to stable volume production.

5
International packaging and product delivery

Delivery

Complete final inspections, packaging, export documentation, and international logistics to ensure reliable, on-time delivery to your destination.

Rapid Prototyping

Fast-track sample development and functional testing to accelerate your product launch and speed up time-to-market.

Collaborative Design

Partner with our in-house R&D team to co-create bespoke concepts, refine specs, and turn unique ideas into market-ready gear.

Strict Quality Assurance

Multi-stage precision inspection and rigorous testing protocols to ensure exceptional durability and consistent high performance.

Reliable Global Delivery

Dependable supply chain management and seamless international logistics to support scalable, on-time worldwide fulfillment.