All Article articles – Page 114
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Some new figures from the German-speaking countries
At its annual press conference, the German opticians' association, ZVA, reported that about 11.3 million pairs of complete glasses were sold in Germany in 2012, 2 percent more than in 2011, and a further six million existing frames were fitted with new lenses. The figures are better than the preliminary data that ...
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Lots of marketing by Oakley in Europe
Oakley has unveiled a Europe-wide integrated campaign featuring three motorsport icons: Fernando Alonso, the Spanish Formula 1 world champion, Valentino Rossi, one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all times, and Sébastien Loeb, the French rally legend. They will be featured in the company's new “Change Perspective” campaign, which ...
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Fielmann is looking for steady progress
Fielmann says it has sold more than 120 million pairs of glasses since it opened its first store 40 years ago. The company reckons that 23 million people are wearing Fielmann glasses now and that 90 percent of them intended to buy their next pair from one of its stores. ...
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Vuarnet sunglasses are set for strong growth
Vuarnet Sunglasses, which has remained the property of Neo Capital after the London-based investment fund sold its 47 percent stake in Alain Mikli International to Luxottica at the beginning of this year, is targeting sales of about €20 million five years from now, as compared the €5 million level reached ...
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Optrafair teams up with Optician for London
The British Optrafair show in Birmingham reported a total of 6,600 registered visitors, down slightly from 6,647, but many of the 200-plus exhibitors praise the high quality of the attendees. An industry stalwart, Frank Norville, said his company experienced the best Saturday in the 42 years that it has been ...
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After 100 years, Eschenbach is looking for new acquisitions
Eschenbach is looking for new acquisitions like those of Brendel and Tura in the U.S. and of International Eyewear in the U.K., which have allowed the German company to boost its presence in these markets. It has already become the largest supplier of prescription frames in the domestic German market, ...
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Marchon grows by more than 12%
Marchon Eyewear closed 2012 with turnover of €600 million, which contributed to global sales of $4.5 billion dollars for VSP Global, the largest not-for-profit vision benefits and services company in the USA. Eyewear sales grew by 12.7 percent, or by 21 percent for ongoing operations, i.e. excluding newly acquired ...
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The Vision Council wants to raise $20 to 25 million for U.S. campaign
The Vision Council announced details of its plans for a major national public awareness campaign in the U.S., intended to stimulate vision correction, at the International Vision Expo East show in New York. Officials of the Vision Council indicated that they were willing to discuss ways in which a similar ...
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De Rigo grows by 6%
De Rigo raised its sales by 6 percent to €340 million in 2012. Wholesale revenues grew by 1.4 percent to €217 million. Results are not yet available for the group's two retail chains, but they were down for General Optica in Spain and up for the Boots Vision joint venture ...
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CooperVision makes an interesting acquisition
In an unusual development, CooperVision has acquired Websystem3, a web-based software company in California. The takeover will allow CVI to offer eye doctors a tool to communicate with their patients automatically over the internet to schedule appointments and for other purposes. CVI expects to improve its gross margins this year ...
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Adlens will launch a premium line
After establishing itself in the new category of variable-focus spectacles through more affordable products, Adlens is planning to come out in the next few months with a new series of premium branded eyeglasses based on the same technology, but with tiny dials that will make it almost invisible. They will ...
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Optrafair will become an annual event
Optrafair, the traditional British eyewear show, has been held for over 40 years in Birmingham every other year in the spring, and its next session will take place as scheduled on April 13-15. The Federation of Manufacturing Opticians (FMO), which sponsors the trade show, has insisted on the location, arguing ...
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Antonio Bortuzzo is now running Viva
After playing important roles in the Italian and French eyewear industry, Antonio Bortuzzo will officially join Viva International at its head office in New Jersey as chief executive on May 6. The 53-year-old Italian industry veteran is happy to move this time to the U.S. as he has been married ...
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Safilo prepares for the repayment of a high-yield bond
Safilo's board has authorized the management to arrange a €100 million financing package in view of the reimbursement of its high-yield bond maturing in May 2013 and the funding of business developments. The group has set up a new revolving facility of €60 million with a group of banks. The ...
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Brazilian retailers change ownership
After growing at an annual compound rate of about 15 percent over the past few years, the Brazilian optical retail market continues to change its contours, as documented in previous issues of Eyewear Intelligence. After the acquisition of Tecnol by Luxottica at the end of 2011, it's now the turn ...
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Coastal raises equity
Coastal Contacts, the Canadian-based online retailer of contact lenses and prescription frames, has closed a public offering of three million shares, as well as the partial exercise of an over-allotment option, allowing the company to raise gross proceeds of $20,682,600. It had initially targeted a minimum of $18 million.The company ...
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Google and Sony compete on smart eyeglasses
Google has confirmed that there will be a prescription solution for its soon-to-be-released Google Glass, the new product whose “enhanced reality” features are being revealed bit by bit, generating massive publicity around it. According to Google, the modular design of Google Glass will allow wearers to add frames and lenses ...
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Safilens cures dry eye syndrome
After three years of research, Safilens has found the technical solution to eliminate problems such as dry eye syndrome for users of monthly contact lenses. The company showcased Open 30 at the last two eyewear shows in Munich and Milan. The product consists of a lens made of silicon ...
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Essilor launches the Vision Impact Institute
Essilor has announced the establishment of the Vision Impact Institute, an organization dedicated to studying the socioeconomic aspects related to vision issues. The institute will work to raise awareness among opinion leaders, public organizations and eyesight professionals about the socioeconomic consequences of impaired vision and the solutions that could be deployed. It ...
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The European market is stable
The European optical retail market was largely stable last year, according to GfK. The market research company estimates that it declined by only 0.2 percent to around €12 billion in 2012. Sales of spectacle lenses grew by 0.5 percent in terms of value, and contact lenses and related products went ...
