The latest news, analysis and data on corporate strategic initiatives, the latest mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, insolvencies and cooperations in the eyewear industry.
Antitrust suit threatens Meta’s revenues, perhaps R&D
After more than four years, the US FTC has gotten Meta into court.
Kering Eyewear builds up in-house supply chain in Belluno
The eyewear division of Kering is acquiring Visard, a specialist in injected plastic frames, and taking a minority share (for now) in Mistral, an acetate eyewear manufacturer.
Menrad Germany files for insolvency
Menrad Group has announced that Ferdinand Menrad GmbH, its German entity, has entered insolvency proceedings due to an expected future liquidity bottleneck. The insolvency proceedings only concern the German legal entity of the group.
Topcon seeks to move from a hardware-based to a solutions-based business after ownership change
US-based private equity firm KKR will be acquiring a majority stake in Topcon Corporation as part of a planned management buyout (MBO), both companies have announced. The tender buyout offer, which is scheduled for the end of July this year, values the Japanese equipment maker at 348 billion yen (€2.2bn).
Visottica forges close-knit relations with customers and expands into new industries
Rinaldo Montalban, Chairman, discusses the consolidation of the group’s production activities in Italy, its plans for a new factory in Thailand, its sustainability initiatives and the increasing personalization of eyewear components, among other topics.
Electronics blue light specialist steps into eyewear, aims to establish new standards
Partnering with global consumer electronics brands such as Dell, HP or Samsung, Eyesafe has focused until now on devices for its blue light products. The company is now entering the eyewear market in the US with a wholesale and direct-to-consumer approach.
Flō Optics ready to “disrupt the ophthalmic industry” after $35m cash injection
The Series A funding was led by “leading global entities from the ophthalmic industry,” the company said.
Laclarée could have commercial autofocals next year, thanks to seed round
The French start-up adds a Chinese shareholder.
Seaport-ODLM banks on portfolio diversification to boost export business
On the heels of a new European distribution partnership with Bollé Brands, French-based Seaport-ODLM is adding several brands to its portfolio in 2025 to address new market segments and grow outside its domestic market.
ZEISS looks for innovation in product, processes and business models to support commitment to global eye health
In December last year, ZEISS Group reported that sales of its consumer markets division, of which vision care is the main component, rose by 3 percent year-on-year to approximately €1.7 billion. The company stressed that, despite “a noticeable reluctance on the part of customers to spend,” vision care sales generated ...