oo ABAPaL za - VisionMonday.com

13 Pages·2010·3.2 MB·English

COVER STORY 037
TOUGHING IT OUT
Top Labs Show Resilience
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BY ANDREW KARP The new data in the report pro- Although some of the 30 labs sur- collectively produced a total of
GROUP EDITOR, LENSES vides a statistical snapshot of the Top veyed prospered while others strug- 124,945 Rx jobs per day, or approxi-
AND TECHNOLOGY 25 Independent U.S. Wholesale Labs gled, overall the wholesalers again mately 31.3 million Rx jobs annually,
and the Top 5 U.S. Supplier-Owned proved their resilience and stability, representing a 1 percent increase
N
EW YORK—In today’s U.S. Wholesale Lab Networks. Pub- continuing to serve as a vital resource over 2008.
challenging economic cli- lished annually since 1991, the Top for eyecare professionals seeking
mate, flat is the new up, Labs Report ranks the 30 labs by Rx new lens technology. Combined net Top 5 Supplier-Owned Networks
according to conventional wisdom. sales (pairs of prescription lenses pro- sales for the Top Labs, including The Top 5 Supplier-Owned
By that measure, even the modest duced) and the number of Rx jobs both the supplier-owned lab net- Wholesale Lab Networks turned
gains made this year by the largest produced per day. The report also works and the independent labs rose in another solid performance in
U.S. wholesale optical laboratories measures the percent of uncut Rx to $2,021.4 million, up 2.2 percent 2009. Collectively, the Top 5 will
and reported in Vision Monday’s jobs produced by the Top Labs, the from 2008. Total Rx sales reached a generate $1,477 million in total net
newly released 2009 Top Labs number of employees at each lab and record $1,702.3 million, a 3.3 percent sales, up 4.6 percent over 2008.
Report, are noteworthy. other key performance criteria. increase over 2008. The Top Labs Continued on page 45
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038 COVER STORY
SURFACING FINISHING
VM’s Top Labs
WORKHORSE
Performance Analysis
POWER. PRECISION. CONTROL
VM’s Top 5 Supplier-Owned
U.S. Wholesale Lab Networks
2009 2008 %
($millions) ($millions) change
Total Net Sales $1,477.0 $1,409.0 +4.6
Total Rx Sales $1,293.9 $1,229.2 +5.0
Avg. Rx Sales as 91.5%* 93.5%* -2.2
Percentage of
Total Rx Jobs Per Day 93,400 91,800 +1.7
Avg. Percent of Uncuts 36.2% 36.4% -0.6
Total Number of Lab 175 172 +1.7
Locations
TOGETHER IN A HIGH Total Number of 9,170 8,910 +2.8
Employees
PERFORMANCE EDGER
VM’s Top 25 Independent
High Productivity
Wholesale Labs
Accurate Sizing and
Shape Reproduction
2009 2008 %
High First-time Fit Rate ($millions) ($millions) change
Superior Axis Position Control Total Net Sales $544.4 $567.4 -4.2
Low Maintenance Costs Total Rx Sales $408.8 $417.0 -2.0
Avg. Rx Sales as 94.5%** 92.6%*** +2.0
Percentage of
Total Rx Jobs Per Day 31,545 31,935 -1.2
The WECO EDGE 950 exhibits an equal balance
of power and control — suitable for cutting all lens
Avg. Percent of Uncuts 35.5% 32.0% +9.9
materials. It possesses the muscle and through-put
to handle your production needs, yet maintains Total Number of Lab 75 73 +2.7
Locations
the fi nesse to handle hydrophobic coated lenses
easily and economically. Users refer to it as the Total Number of 2,694 3,024 -12.2
workhorse they wouldn’t do without. Employees
*Does not include Nassau Vision Group Laboratories, which has Rx sales of 35 percent; remaining 65
percent of Nassau’s Total Net Sales are from lens business. **Does not include Walman Optical or Di-
versified Ophthalmics, both of which have Rx sales of 43 percent; remaining 53 percent of Walman’s
800.262.8761 and Diversified’s Total Net Sales are from various other products and services. ***Does include Wal-
A Gerber Scientific Company man Optical as per above. Source: Vision Monday
www.gerbercoburn.com
VISION MONDAY | OCTOBER 26, 2009 WWW.VISIONMONDAY.COM
040 COVER STORY
Vision Monday’s TOP LABS – 2009
(IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
BALESTER OPTICAL BROTHERS’ OPTICAL
Key Markets: U.S., Central and South
LABORATORY
Founded: 1934 America, Caribbean, South Pacific
HQ./Main Lab Location: Wilkes-Barre, Founded: 1973 2009 Est. Net Sales: $28.5 million
Pa.No. of Locations: 1 HQ./Main Lab Location: Orange, Calif. Rx Sales: $25.6 million
No. of Employees: 91 No. of Locations: 1 No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 1,650
No. of Employees: 59 Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 30%
Key Executives: Heather Balester, Dale Comments: Authorized manufacturer of Crizal/
Parmenteri, Fred P. Balester Key Executives: Carlo Ragazzo, Tony Crizal Alize AR coating, Teflon, PureCoat, Zeiss
Owners: Fred J. Balester, Dale Parmenteri, Esposito Carat. Authorized manufacturer of Shamir
Patrick Balester, Susan Balester Dennis, Owners: Joseph M. Ragazzo, John Autograph, Varilux 360 and Definity. Offers
James Balester, Valerie Balester, Dorothy Ragazzo complete range of stock lenses, including
Hodle, Jonathan Balester, Marc Balester, Trade Names: none polycarbonate hard coated, AR coated, hard resin
William Balester, Heather Balester, Fred P. Key Market: California, Arizona, Las uncoated, hard coated, AR coated; high-index
Balester, Jacqueline Pekar Vegas, Oregon, Hawaii 1.60 and 1.67 hard coated, AR coated under
Trade Names: Balester Optical 2009 Est. Net Sales: $11.5 million trademarks Conti-Lite, Conti-Guard, Millenia AR;
Key Markets: Eastern U.S. Rx Sales: $11.5 million semi-finished progressive lenses under brane
2009 Est. Net Sales: $13.5 million No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 550 name TotalView. Frame product line consists of
Rx Sales: $13.0 million Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 23% 250 upper-middle and high-fashion styles under
No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 858 Comments: Well-established, full-service lab CSC’s own trade names, plus a complete line of
Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 55% www.brothersoptical.com safety frames that meet ANSI Z87-1 standards.
Comments: In-house AR brands: Crizal, Crizal Alize, 40% of frame line manufactured in Europe under
Crizal Avance with Scotchgard, Zeiss Super ET Plus, special arrangement; 60% manufactured in Asia.
CSC LABORATORIES
Carat Advantage and Essilor’s House Ez. Lens brands: New designer frame lines for 2009 under Boutique
Varilux, Definity, Transitions, Kodak, Sunsensors, Founded: 1967 Design, Inc., a solely owned subsidiary of Optics
Hoya, Shamir, Zeiss, Seiko, Pentax, NuPolar, Xperio, HQ./Main Lab Location: Watsonville, East, Inc.: Martini Design, Gattinoni Collection and
Coppertone, iRx, EOS, Sun Rx, Phoenix, Trilogy, Calif. Garrison Perspectives Collection, Renato Balestra
Instashades, Life Rx, AO Compact Ultra. Frame Brands: No. of Locations: 2 and West. Service programs include Rx Express
Stetson, Sophia Loren, Randy Jackson, Via Spiga, No. of Employees: 165 Unlimited frame/lens program. Authorized VSP
Bulova, BUM, Just-Match-It, Bratz, Nickelodeon, Austin contract lab.
Reed, Manish Arora, Mayhem, Conran. Other Products: Key Executives: Dong K. Kim, group www.csclabs.com
Smart Mirror, Smart Look, Smart Centration, Wink Pad, president/CEO; Bu Kim, senior VP,
Y-Stick. Programs include Balester Dispenser Awards manufacturing; Paul Yoon, VP, operations;
CARL ZEISS VISION
(Transitions), Value, Kid’s & Drilled Rimless Packages, Butch Fralix, VP, business development;
LABORATORIES
2nd Pair Program, Balester Direct Rx Program, Balester Greg Kohmescher, CFO; Robert C. Kim,
Back to School Program, Superstar Frame, I-Sport legal counsel; Mike Kim, GM, Microcoating Founded: 2000
Rec Specs Lab, Board Management Program, $2,000 Laboratory; Jim Serruys, GM, Ocular HQ.: San Diego, Calif.
Minute ABO-Certified Education Series, CPR ABO Laboratories No. of Locations: 18
Training. On-line ordering-VisionWeb, Eyefinity, E-Dr. Owner: Dong Kook Kim No. of Employees: 1,090
com, remote tracing, 24-hour on-line order status. VSP, Trade Names: CSC Laboratories,
VBA, IDOC, Vision Source, Essilor Edge, Practice Plus (Watsonville, Calif.); Microcoating Key Executives: Fred Howard, Dave Delle
Program, Shamir and Zeiss Rewards. Laboratory (Watsonville, Calif.); Ocular Donne, David Jochims
www.balester.com Laboratories (San Jose, Calif.); Boutique Owner: Carl Zeiss Vision
Design, Inc. Trade Names: Carl Zeiss Vision—B&W,
VISION MONDAY | OCTOBER 26, 2009 WWW.VISIONMONDAY.COM
COVER STORY 041
Key Executives: Fred Howard, Dave Delle VM’s Top 25 VM’s Top 25
Donne, David Jochims
Owner: Carl Zeiss Vision Independent Wholesale Independent Wholesale
Trade Names: Carl Zeiss Vision—B&W,
Labs by ’09 Rx Sales Labs by ’09 Rx Jobs/Day
Carl Zeiss Vision—Cumberland, Carl Zeiss
Vision—Florida, Carl Zeiss Vision—Great
1 Walman Optical 96.0 1 Walman Optical 6,600
Lakes, Carl Zeiss Vision—Kansas City,
Carl Zeiss Vision— Siouxland, Carl Zeiss
2 Luzerne Optical 30.7 2 ICare Industries 2,150
Vision—Kentucky, Carl Zeiss Vision—
Southwest, Carl Zeiss Vision—Northeast, 3 CSC Laboratories 25.6 3 Luzerne Optical 1,900
Carl Zeiss Vision—North Central, Carl Zeiss
4 ICare Labs 20.5 4 Classic Optical 1,900
Vision—Northwest, Carl Zeiss Vision—
Southeastern, Carl Zeiss Vision—California, 5 Three Rivers Optical 20.2 5 Three Rivers Optical 1,850
Carl Zeiss Vision—Texas, Carl Zeiss Vision—
Virginia, Carl Zeiss Vision—Georgia, Carl 6 Rite-Style Optical 18.1 6 CSC Laboratories 1,650
Zeiss Vision—Iowa.
7 Expert Optical 17.1 7 MJ Optical 1,590
Key Markets: Nationwide
2009 Est. Net Sales: $150 million 8 Robertson Optical 15.3 8 FEA Industries 1,430
Rx Sales: $142.5 million
9 MJ Optical 14.2 9 Robertson Optical 1,400
No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 10,500
Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 25% 10 Diversified Ophthalmics 13.2 10 Precision Optical Group 1,300
Comments: Network of full-service laboratories.
11 Balester Optical 13.0 11 Rite-Style Optical 1,126
Proprietary products include Teflon Clear Coat lenses,
Zeiss, SOLA, AO. VSP contract lab.
12 Classic Optical 12.4 12 Diversified Ophthalmics 1,005
www.vision.zeiss.com
13 Hirsch Optical 12.1 13 Expert Optical 930
CHERRY OPTICAL 14 Precision Optical Group 11.6 14 Balester Optical 858
Founded: 1999
15 Brothers’ Optical 11.5 15 Hirsch Optical 800
HQ./Main Lab Location: Green Bay, Wis. Laboratory
No. of Locations: 1 16 Winchester Optical 735
16 FEA Industries 10.9
No. of Employees: 28
17 US Optical 710
17 Perfect Optics 10.5
Key Executives: Adam Cherry, Lynn 18 Reliable Optics 650
Cherry, Joe Cherry 18 Winchester Optical 10.0
19 Brothers’ Optical 550
Owners: Adam Cherry, Lynn Cherry, Joe
19 US Optical 9.8 Laboratory
Cherry
Trade Names: Safety Optix 20 Toledo Optical 8.7 20 Toledo Optical 530
Key Markets: Upper Midwest
2009 Est. Net Sales: $6.0 million 21 Harbor Optical 6.3 21 Perfect Optics 450
Rx Sales: $5.9 million
22 Cherry Optical 5.9 22 Katz & Klein 401
No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 325
Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 20% 23 Katz & Klein 5.7 23 Harbor Optical 390
Comments: Specializes in free-form
24 Optical Prescription Lab 4.9 24 Cherry Optical 325
progressive and digital optics. Proprietary
products include Varilux, Crizal, Hoya 25 Reliable Optics 4.6 25 Optical Prescription Lab 315
Phoenix, Hoya progressives, Hoya Super
Rx sales estimates for calendar year 2009 are based on information from a number of sources, which may include interviews
High Vision. Offers “What’s New University” with company management, financial disclosure documents and information from knowledgeable secondary sources. Compa-
nies with the same estimated Rx sales are ranked by Rx jobs per day. This ranking supercedes all previously released rankings.
Continued on page 42
Source: Vision Monday
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042 COVER STORY READ MORE @ VM.COM
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Continued from page 41 Key Executives: Ronald Cooke,
and other educational programs; safety Rx president/CEO; Ronald Cooke, Jr., COO
programs. Owner: Closely held corporation Bartley Optical, Beitler-Mckee Optical,
Trade names: DLAB, DO Kentuckiana, DO Bell Optical, Bristow Optical, Collard Rose
Southeast, DO Washington, OptiSource, Optical, Crown Optical, Custom Eyes,
CLASSIC OPTICAL
PureSite, Salt Lake Optical, Summit Dash Lab, DBL Labs, Deschutes Optical,
Founded: 1970 Optical, TriOptics Dependable Optics, Duffens Optical,
HQ./Main Lab Location: Youngstown, Key Markets: Ga. Idaho, Ind., Ky., La., Dunlaw Optical, East Coast Ophthalmic,
Ohio Mich., Mont., N.C., Pa., Ohio, S.C., Tenn., Elite Optical, ELOA New Jersey, Empire
No. of Locations: 1 Texas, Utah, Wash., Wis., W.Va. Optical, Eyecare Express, Focus Optical,
No. of Employees: 70 2009 Est. Net sales: $30.6 million Future Optical, GK Optical, Heard Optical,
Rx Sales: $13.2 million Homer Optical, Jorgenson Optical,
Key Executives: Monte Friedkin, No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 1,005 Interstate Optical, Kosh Ophthalmic,
president; Dawn Friedkin, GM; Bob Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 20% Meridian Optical, MGM Optical, Midland
Sherman, dir. of sales; Rodney Remsey, Comments: Full service labs with ophthalmic Optical, Milroy Optical, New City
dir. of lab operations lens and RGP manufacturing capabilities. 2005 Optical, Omega Optical, Omni Optical
Owner: Friedkin family Transitions “Lab of the Year.” Transitions Platinum Lab, Opal-Lite, Optical One, Optical
Trade Names: None Elite Laboratory. Authorized Varilux distributor. VSP Suppliers Inc., Optical Supply, Opti-
Key Markets: National contract lab. Signet Armorlite partner lab. Operates Craft, Optogenics of Syracuse, Ozarks
2009 Est. Net Sales: $12.5 million on-site AR coating facility. Proprietary products include Optical, Pech Optical, Perferx Optical,
Rx Sales: $12.4 million PureSite Lenses, PureSite Preference AR and Practice Peninsula Optical, Personal Eyes Optical.
No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 1,900 Maximus. Specializes in premium lenses. Offers Precision Optical Company, Precision
Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 10% eyeglass and contact lens packages, Perfect View Optics, Premier Optics, S&G Optical,
Comments: Family-owned and operated state-of-the- frame-and-lens value packages, certified continuing Select Optical, Southern Optical, Select
art facility with digital/free-form surfacing equipment education seminars and staff training. On-line and Optical.Southern Optical, Southwest
and two robotic precision lens edging lines (MEI); electronic ordering, remote frame tracing. Services/ Lens, Spectrum Optical, Sunstar Optical,
Authorized distributor of all major lens brands, programs include Frames Travel Programs, Transitions Sutherlin Optical, Top Network, Tri-
featuring Shamir and Zeiss Premium Products; Full Day at the Races, Seminars, RIP, Perfect View, DBAN, Supreme, Twin City Optical, Vision Craft
line of Essilor and Varilux products; Many brands Eye to the Sky. Member of the OLA and AR Council. Inc., WOS Optical
of AR. Large frame inventory for custom programs 2006, 2007 and 2008 OLA Top Ten Web Site of the Key Markets: Local and National
(name brands include Essence, Dockers, Hilary Year. 2009 Est. Net Sales: $968 million
Duff and Shrek); offers frame and lens packages www.divopt.com Rx Sales: $880.1 million
(Affordable Vision, Value Vision, Premium Value); No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 64,500
Online orders accepted via proprietary online Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 40%
ESSILOR
ordering system, VisionWeb and Eyefinity; contract Comments: Nationwide network of full-service labs.
lab for VSP (Lab #126), VBA (Lab #267) and a Founded: 1996 Proprietary products include TD2, LiteStyle/Ultra
number of other regional and national managed HQ./Main Lab Location: Dallas, Texas LiteStyle Lenses, Crizal Avance with Scotchgard.
care programs. No. of Locations: 122 Services and programs include Education Series and
www.classicoptical.com No. of Employees: 6,050 Need Based Solutions.
www.eloa.com
Key Executives: Real Goulet-president;
DIVERSIFIED
Mike Nathe-senior VP ELOA; Rick Long-
OPHTHALMICS EXPERT OPTICS
senior VP Partner Labs; Jim Carne
LABORATORY GROUP
senior VP West division; Brad Staley-VP Founded: 1979
Founded: 1977 operations and technologies; Keith Norris- HQ./Main Lab Location: Shorewood, Ill.
H.Q./Main Lab Location: Cincinnati, Ohio VP sales and strategic accounts. No. of Locations: 2
No. of Locations: 13 Owner: Essilor International No. of Employees: 92
No. of Employees: 115 Trade Names: 21st Century Optical,
AccuRX Inc., ACO, Aspen Optical, Avisia, Continued on page 44
VISION MONDAY | OCTOBER 26, 2009 WWW.VISIONMONDAY.COM
044 COVER STORY
Continued from page 42 No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 1,430 2009 Est. Net Sales: $13 million
Key Executives: Greg Ruden; president; Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 90% Rx Sales: $12.1 million
Don Ruden, CEO; Bob Pommier, director Comments: Full-service lab offering in-house AR, No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 800
of lab operations; Sid Moore, director glass lens processing. Web site includes ordering, Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 35%
of sales; Bob Hughbanks, director of tracking reports, invoices. Offers Kodak CleAR, Comments: Extensive offerings of lens and
education. special stock lens program. Carries all major brands frame package programs. Offers proprietary AR
Owner: Don Ruden, Greg Ruden except Varilux. Participates in third-party programs; coatings applied in-house: CHAD (Clear, Hard, Anti-
Trade names: none VBA only. Reflective, Durable) and premium coating Super
Key Markets: Ill., Ind., Mich., Wis., Mo., www.feaind.com CHAD. Same-day turnaround on most orders. EZ
Minn. Rx, Eyefinity and VisionWeb on-line ordering and
2009 Est. Net sales: $19 million remote tracing. Accredited educational seminars.
HARBOR OPTICAL
Rx Sales: $17.1 million Award-winning Varilux distributor, Essilor Gold
No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 930 Founded: 1997 Advantage Plan lab, Transitions Platinum Elite
Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 20% HQ./Main Lab Location: Traverse City, Lab, Zeiss Partner Lab, Shamir ReCreating Perfect
Comments: Additional production facility to Mich. Vision Partnering Lab, Signet Armorlite Lab
manufacture free-form progressives including No. of Locations: 1 Partner, Hoya lens distributor. Authorized VSP and
Shamir Autograph, AO Easy HD, Compact Ultra No. of Employees: 43 VBA contract lab. Vendor for Block Buying Group
HD, SOLA HDV, SOLAOne HD, Zeiss Individual and Alfred J. Villavecchia Buying Group. Offers
and other designs from leading lens companies. Key Executives: Bob Westlake, Mike Earl all Crizal, Hoya, Zeiss, glass and mirror coatings.
Distributor of Kodak, Shamir, Varilux and Zeiss Owner: Geff Heidbrink Ophthalmic frame lines include Apple Bottoms
progressives. Signet Armorlite Partner lab, Carl Trade Names: Armorcoat, Esceed, Exceed By Nelly, Bill Blass, Cadillac Eyewear, Dockers,
Zeiss Vision Premier lab, Global Optics member. XTC Donald J. Trump, Elizabeth Arden, Elizabeth Arden
Produces Teflon Clear Coat and Kodak CleAR Key Markets: Michigan Petites, Essence Eyewear, Hershey’s Eyewear, Jill
coatings in-house; also produces Zeiss Foundation 2009 Est. Net Sales: $6.7 million Stuart Eyewear, Levi’s, Liberty Rec Specs, Marco
XT, Carat and Carat Advantage lens treatments. Rx Sales: $6.3 million Polarized Sunwear, Mount Eyewear (stainless
Hosts annual Optical Preview Day. Experienced No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 390 steel, titanium, polarized sport), New Balance,
ABO-certified sales force offers in-office education Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 12% New Balance Kids, Perry Ellis, Stylewise, Scooby-
seminars. Offers Jumpstart training program and Comments: Special programs include Partner Perks, Doo! And Stuff By Hilary Duff. Distributes Fantom
Web-based lens inventory management system. Jumpstart Training, Individual Eyes. Global Optics custom clip-ons, Podreaders and Titmus safety
Distributor sales department inventories over 50 member. frames. Web site features special retail customer
frame lines with a multitude of frame and lens www.harboroptical.com referral program.
package programs. www.hirschoptical.com
www.expertoptics.net
HIRSCH OPTICAL
HOYA VISION CARE
Founded: 1978
FEA INDUSTRIES
HQ./Main Lab Location: Farmingdale, Founded: 2000
Founded: 1984 N.Y. HQ./Main Lab Location: Lewisville,
HQ./Main Lab Location: Morton, Pa. No. of Locations: 1 Texas
No. of Locations: 1 No. of Employees: 54 Locations: 19
No. of Employees: 51 Employees: 1,200
Key Executives: Harold Rothstein,
Key Executives: William H. Heffner, president/CEO; Kenneth Mittel, senior VP; Key Executives: Barney Dougher,
III; Chrystal Colflesh, general manager; Michael Rothstein, VP; Richard Salberg, president/CEO; Yoshiyuki Ono, VP lens
William H. Heffner, IV director of sales; Vicki Masliah, director of technology; Rich Montag, VP sales;
Owner: Willliam H. Heffner, III professional education Rick Tinson, VP corporate governance;
Trade Names: none Owners: Hal Rothstein, Ken Mittel, Kraig Black, VP information services;
Key Markets: national Michael Rothstein Jason White, senior executive controller:
2009 Est. Net Sales: $10.9 million Trade Names: CHAD and Super CHAD Ray Knoll, Northwest regional VP;
Rx Sales: $10.9 million Key Markets: N.Y., N.J., Pa., Conn. Mike Dougher, Midwest and Northeast
VISION MONDAY | OCTOBER 26, 2009 WWW.VISIONMONDAY.COM
COVER STORY 045
regional VP; Terry Farrell, Southwest Nulux ep. Proprietary lens materials: 1.70, Eyry, Key Markets: East Coast, Southwest
regional VP; Iggy Fernandez, central 1.67 Eynoa, 1.60 Eyas, 1.53 Phoenix,1.50 Hilux 2009 Est. Net Sales: $21.5 million
regional VP; Don Dakin, Southwest and Nulux. Proprietary lens coatings: Super HiVision Rx Sales: $20.5 million
regional VP; Michael Ness, director, new AR, HiVision AR, ViewProtect top coating, Suntech No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 2,150
product development. photochromics and Clarity Shield 2 scratch coating. Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 50%
Owner: Hoya Corporation Special Services/Programs include HHP (Hoya Comments: Full-service, family owned and operated.
Trade Names: Hoya Atlanta, Hoya Boise, Honors Program). Offers all major lens brands such as Varilux, Kodak,
Hoya Chicago, Hoya Cleveland, Hoya www.hoyavision.com Zeiss and Hoya. Offers customized services and
Dallas, Hoya Dayton, Hoya Eugene, Hoya pricing on lenses and frames. Operates in-house
Hartford, Hoya Knoxville, Hoya Largo, Crizal AR coating center. Manufactures specialized
ICARE LABS
Hoya Lewiston, Hoya Los Angeles, Hoya sport prescription lens products including dive
Modesto, Hoya New Orleans, Hoya Founded: 1968 masks.
Portland, Hoya St. Louis, Hoya San HQ./Main Lab Location: St. Petersburg, www.icare.com
Antonio, Hoya San Diego, Hoya Seattle Fla.
Key Markets: National No. of Locations: 1
KATZ & KLEIN
2009 Est. Net Sales: $205.0 million No. of Employees: 115
Rx Sales: $174.2 million Founded: 1937
No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 10,400 Key Executives: Scott Payne, chairman; HQ./Main Lab Location: Sacramento,
Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 20% Skip Payne, president; James Payne, Calif.
Comments: Nationwide network of full-service Bradley Husted, Greg Gehrig No. of Locations: 1
labs. Proprietary lens designs: Hoyalux iD, Hoyalux Owners: The Payne family No. of Employees: 40
iD LifeStyle, Hoyalux Summit ecp, Hoyalux Summit Trade Names: Icare Labs, Sea Vision
cd, Hoyalux GP Wide, Hoyalux GP, Hoyalux TACT, USA Continued on page 46
Top Labs Show Resilience Despite Tough Market
Continued from page 37 about 23.3 million Rx jobs, up from The Top 25 Independents for the Top 25 amounted to $408.8
Total Rx sales, which is based 22.9 million last year. The average Individually, many of the Top 25 million, down 2.1 percent from
on the labs’ core business of sur- proportion of uncut lens jobs Independent Labs experienced 2008 and the lowest level since
facing and finishing prescription among the Top 5 was 36.2 percent, gains in 2009. Twelve of the Top 2005. Rx sales accounted for 94.5
lenses and is the basis of the pri- the same as ’08. 25 increased their Rx sales; 10 pro- percent of net sales for the Top 25,
mary ranking of the Top Labs, The Top 5 added three individ- duced more Rx jobs per day in up from 92.6 percent in 2008. This
amounted to $1,293.9 million, or ual lab locations in the past 12 2009 than in 2008. increase, and the corresponding
91.5 percent of total net sales on months, bringing the total number However, in 2009, as in the decline in non-Rx sales, is in con-
average. Although Rx sales for the to 175. The Top 5 work force con- previous year, the Top 25 experi- trast to the decreasing percentage
Top 5 grew 5 percent from 2008, it sists of 9,170 employees in 2009, enced a collective downturn in of Rx sales among the Top 5 Sup-
amounts to a smaller proportion of up 2.8 percent over 2008. sales and productivity. The plier-Owned Labs.
the Top 5’s total net sales than in A significant portion of the Top decline is partly due to continu- Unit sales among the Top 25
2008. Conversely, the proportion 5’s growth resulted from acquisi- ing industry consolidation, which fell slightly to 31,545 Rx jobs per
of sales of non-Rx products such tions. Notably, Essilor acquired 12 has resulted in several large inde- day, down 1.2 percent from 2008.
as stock lenses, frames and contact independent labs in 2009, includ- pendent wholesalers such as Pech This amounts to approximately
lenses, increased among the Top 5 ing two that ranked among VM’s Optical joining a Supplier-Owned 7.9 million Rx jobs per year, flat
this year. Top 25 Independent Wholesale Lab Network. with year ago levels. Uncut lenses,
The number of Rx jobs per day Labs in 2008—Pech Optical, based The total aggregate net sales for on average, accounted for 35.5
for the Top 5 totaled 93,400, up 1.7 in Sioux City, Iowa (Number 2) the Top 25 Independents was percent of Rx jobs produced by
percent over 2008. On an annual- and Southwest Lens, based in Dal- $544.4 million, a 4.2 percent the Top 25, up 9.9 percent over
ized basis, this amounts to a total of las, Texas (Number 24). decrease from 2008. Total Rx sales 2008. nn
WWW.VISIONMONDAY.COM OCTOBER 26, 2009 | VISION MONDAY
046 COVER STORY
Continued from page 45 SightStar, Polar365, PhotoFashion, Varilux, Zeiss, No. of Locations: 8
Key Executives: Mike Francesconi, Definity, Shamir, Kodak, Hoya, Polycore, Kaenon, No. of Employees: 209
Corrine Hood Seiko, Vision-Ease, DriveWear premium lenses
Owners: Mike Francesconi, Corrine Hood and difficult Rxs. Offers frames, sunglasses, Key Executives: François Bès de Berc;
Trade Names: Your Eyes, Supreme safety eyewear, soft contacts, low vision, and president, Irwin Kaufman, VP – CFO;
Partnership In Eyecare (SPIE), Katz pharmaceuticals. Operates in-house AR facilities Brian Ziegler, director of lab operations;
Prudent Plan producing EVC—enhanced visual clarity, Crizal, Crizal David George, director of sales
Key Markets: Northern Calif., Nev. Alizé, Crizal Alizé with Clear Guard, Avance with Owner: Essilor of America
2009 Est. Net Sales: $6.0 million Scotchgard Protector, TD2, Teflon, Zeiss Super and Trade Names: Nova Optical, Nassau Lens
Rx Sales: $5.7 million Gold ET, Advantage, Carat and Foundation XT and Florida, Nassau Lens Southwest, Nassau
No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 401 mirror coatings and Kodak CleAR. In-house gas perm Lens Midwest, Nassau Lens Mid-Atlantic,
Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 18% contact lens facility produces custom DuraCurve Nassau Lens Southeast, Nassau Lens
Comments: Produces in-house AR, including aspheric GPs. Provides advanced remote ordering West
Kodak CleAR and Crizal. Proprietary programs with RxWizard, VisionWeb, Paradeyes and Eyefinity Key Markets: National
include Jumpstart, Lenstock, SPIE, Katz Lens software via the Web. VSP- & VBA-approved lab. 2009 Est. Net Sales: $82 million
Packages, Katz Frame Packages. Global Optics www.luzerneoptical.com Rx Sales: $28.7 million
member. No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 3,000
www.katzandklein.com Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 81%
MJ OPTICAL
Comments: Leading stock lens distributor,
Founded: 1988 operates full-service labs. Offers surfacing,
LUZERNE OPTICAL
HQ./Main Lab Location: Omaha, Neb. finishing, drill mounting, coatings and lens
LABORATORIES
No. of Locations: 1 tinting. Varilux-authorized. Offers in-house
Founded: 1973 No. of Employees: 82 Crizal coatings, including Crizal Avancé with
HQ./Main Lab Location: Wilkes-Barre, Scotchgard Protector. Proprietary products
Penn. Key Executives: Martin Hagge, Morrie include in-house, value tested Synergy and
No. of Locations: 1 Hagge, Matt Hagge, Michael Hagge Triumph AR Coatings. Can get virtually any
No. of Employees: 200 Owner: Mary Hagge product or equivalent on the market. Offers wide
Trade Names: None variety of lens brands, including Shore, Essilor,
Key Executives: Jack Dougherty, Key Markets: National Varilux, Carl Zeiss Vision (Zeiss, AO, Sola),
president; Lorraine Dougherty, VP; Neil 2009 Est. Net Sales: $15.8 million Seiko, KBco, Signet Armorlite, Optima, Vision-
Dougherty, GM; John Dougherty, VP Rx Sales: $14.2 million Ease, Shamir and Specialty Lens.
purchasing No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 1,590 www.Nassau247.com
Owner: Dougherty family Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 43%
Trade Names: Polar365, SightStar, Comments: Distributes wide range of premium
OPTICAL PRESCRIPTION
PhotoFashion, DuraCurve, Crizal, Crizal lens and frame brands. Added free-form digital
LAB
Alizé, Crizal Alizé with Clear Guard, TD2, surfacing in September 2009. Proprietary
Teflon, Advantage, Carat and Foundation products include Nyteyez premium AR and Founded: 1977
XT, Kodak CleAR Miraje AR, both produced in-house. Offers MJFP HQ./Main Lab Location: Pelham, Ala.
Key Markets: National frame package; TFP titanium frame and lens No. of Locations: 1
2009 Est. Net Sales: $31.7 million package, industrial safety programs. Distributes No. of Employees: 25
Rx Sales: $30.7 million contact lenses. Offers on-line ordering and job
No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 1,900 tracking. Key Executives: Danny Pugh, president;
Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 56% www.mjoptical.com Sherry Pugh, vice president
Comments: Offers wide range of exclusive Owners: Danny Pugh, Sherry Pugh
promotions, customer incentive and educational Trade Names: none
NASSAU VISION GROUP/
programs. Field consultant force offers practice Key Markets: Ala., Tenn., Miss., Ga., Fla.
NOVA OPTICAL LAB
development, business reviews and private 2009 Est. Net Sales: $5.3 million
consultations. Specializes in processing all major Founded: 1939 Rx Sales: $4.9 million
brands of free-form progressive lenses. Manufactures HQ./Main Lab Location: Northvale, N.J. No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 315
VISION MONDAY | OCTOBER 26, 2009 WWW.VISIONMONDAY.COM
COVER STORY 047
Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 30% www.perfectopticslab.com
RELIABLE OPTICS
Comments: Operates in-house Crizal processing
center. Distributes Varilux, Hoya and Shamir lenses. Founded: 2007
PRECISION OPTICAL
Special services and programs Crizal Performance HQ./Main Lab Location: Brooklyn, N.Y.
GROUP
Package. No. of Locations: 1
www.opticalprescriptionlab.com Founded: 1992 No. of Employees: 50
HQ./Main Lab Location: Creston, Iowa
No. of Locations: 3 Key Executives: Howard S. Fried, OD;
PERFECT OPTICS
No. of Employees: 90 Edward Purman
Founded: 2006 Owner: Howard S. Fried, OD; Edward
HQ./Main Lab Location: San Diego, Key Executives: Deb Larson, Holly Purman, Lenny Berenzon, Michael Shur
Calif. Ferber, Jan Ekeler, Judy Hodge, Lance Trade Names: none
No. of Locations: 1 Christensen, Nicki McDowell, Shannon Key Markets: N.Y., N.J., Conn.
No. of Employees: 58 Waigand, Mike Kellman 2009 Est. Net Sales: $4.8 million
Owner: Mike Tamerius, Matt Somers Rx Sales: $4.6 million
Key Executives: Matt Schmidt-Wetekam, Trade Names: JMR Wholesale, K-Optical No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 650
Thomas Brophy, Sabine Rentschar, Adam Key Markets: National, Canada Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 60%
Winkelman, VSP, 2009 Est. Net Sales: $14.5 million Comments: Proprietary products include Crystal
Carl Zeiss Vision Rx Sales: $11.6 million Allure and Crystal AR coating, both produced in-
Owners: Warren Meyer, Matt Schmidt- No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 1,300 house. Special services include high-end edging and
Wetekam, Thomas Brophy, Sabine Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 60% drill mounting.
Rentschar, Adam Winkelman, director Comments: Full-service, no frills lab, offering www.reliableoptics.com
of sales and marketing; Tom Brophy, low pricing and same day service. Distributes
director of operations semi-finished blanks and lab supplies to other
RITE-STYLE OPTICAL
Trade Names: Perfection FF Lens, Perfect wholesalers throughout the U.S. and Canada. Offers
Ion AR Coating Crizal, Crizal Alize, Teflon and in- house clear AR Founded: 1948
Key Markets: Calif., free-form nationwide coatings. Offers low cost, house brand progressives. HQ./Main Lab Location: Omaha, Neb.
2009 Est. Net Sales: $10.5 million VSP, VBA and VCP authorized. Extensive frame and No. of Locations: 1
Rx Sales: $10.5 million lens package programs. Custom safety programs No. of Employees: 105
No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 450 offered through ECPs. Online orders accepted via
Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 30% VisionWeb, Eyefinity and Precision Direct, plus Key Executives: George Lee, CEO; Larry
Comments: Specializes in free-form, digital traditional phone/fax service. Lee, president
surfacing. Proprietary products include Perfection www.precisionopticalgroup.com Owner: Lee family
FF lens, Perfect Ion AR coating. Offers Perfect Trade Names: RSO Advante AR, Rite
Academy educational event. Continued on page 48
The Independent Lab Advantage
In today’s highly competitive marketplace, forging a closer relationship
F e e l i n g
with your independent wholesale laboratory and your suppliers is key
to making your business successful. Optical Synergies forms an alliance
A L O N E ?
with its 75 member laboratories, offering a forum for the exchange of
information, ideas and cost savings from its suppliers. In turn, the ben-
efitsof this alliance are passed on to the customers of your laboratory.
Become one of
the partner labs of Optical Synergies
Optical Synergies Helping Independent Labs Remain Independent.
For additional information, please call Optical Synergies
700 Twelve Oaks Center Drive, Suite 726 Wayzata, MN 55391
WWW.VISIONMONDAY.COM TOLL FREE: [phone] FAX: [phone] • wwOCwT.OoBpEtiRc a2l6sy, n2e0r0g9ie |s V.cISomION MONDAY
048 COVER STORY
Continued from page 47 Zeiss, and Kodak AR. Distributes Zeiss, Signet Green
Protect Armorlite, Shamir, Vision Ease, Younger, Hoya, Owners: Kadowaki, Tashima and Green
Key Markets: Midwest, Texas Seiko, Essilor and other major lens brands. On- families
2009 Est. Net Sales: $19.1 million site free-form technology and digital grinding. Trade Names: Toledo Optical, Toledo
Rx Sales: $18.1 million Offers most freeform lenses. Approved VSP, Optical Lab
No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 1,126 VBA, VCP contract labs. Offers frame and lens Key Markets: Midwest
Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 31% packages, specializing in three-piece mounts 2009 Est. Net Sales: $9.3 million
Comments: Independent industry leader and Chemistrie Custom Clips. Vera Bradley Rx Sales: $8.7 million
in freeform technology, featuring in-house and Sydney Love frame distributors. Member No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 530
production of all Shamir Autograph II products. VCA and OLA. Offers online ordering and job Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 10%
Proprietary AR, Zeiss and KodakCleAR coatings tracking. Comments: Dedicated sales force. Offers
produced in-house. Online ordering, lens tracing www.robertsonoptical.com extensive training and education programs
and job status tracking offered. Affiliations such as Jumpstart. Exclusive practice building
include Eyefinity/VSP, Vision Source, VisionWeb initiatives such as Strata multimedia training
THREE RIVERS OPTICAL
and Red Tray Optical. RSO Safety Rx Division series. Offers exclusive in-house Acclaro anti-
covers corporate accounts nationally as well as Founded: 1969 reflective lens process, Armor XT premium scratch
safety programs for independent ECPs. RSO’s H.Q./Main Lab Location: Pittsburgh coating, One Step Rx, individualized customer
Jumpstart training CDs offer ABO-certified No. of Locations: 1 performance reports. Distributes Varilux, Shamir
modules for in-office education and training. No. of Employees: 68 and Zeiss lenses. Williams Group certified sales
Global Optics member. consultants, Transitions Lab of the Year 2003 and
www.ritestyle.com Key Executives: Mary Ann Zappas, Joe 2006, Top Three Finalist for Transitions Lab of
Seibert, Steve Seibert the Year 2002, 2004, 2005, VSP’s People First
Owner: Seibert Family Lab Award Winner 2005, Transitions Heritage
ROBERTSON OPTICAL
Trade names: none Ambassador Club Member 2008. Global Optics
LABORATORIES
Key Markets: Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, member.
Founded: 1958 Midwest, Northeast www.toldeoooptical.com
H.Q./Main Lab Location: Loganville, 2009 Est. Net Sales: $21.2 million
Ga. Rx Sales: $20.2 million
US OPTICAL
No. of Locations: 3 No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 1,850
No. of Employees: 110 Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 55% Founded: 2008
Comments: Operates in-house AR coating facility; HQ./Main Lab Location: East Syracuse,
Key Executives: Owners and Glenn offers major lens brands including Varilux, Zeiss, N.Y.
Hollingsworth, director of lab operations Crizal, Kodak, Transitions. Manufactures Shamir No. of Locations: 1
Owners: Calvin W. Robertson, Jr., Richard Freeform progressive lenses. Produces proprietary No. of Employees: 35
L. Robertson, Gordon “Scotty” Q. Scott, Jr., TR O Seg bifocal polycarbonate in Transitions and TR
Calvin “Chip” W. Robertson, III O Blended Seg. Offers private label Discovery brand Key Executives: Robert Cotran,
Trade Names: Robertson Optical progressive lens. Primary frame brands include president; Ronald Cotran, VP; Ralph
Laboratories, Robertson Optical Zyloware and McGee Group. Cotran, VP
Laboratories of Columbia, Robertson www.3riversoptical.com Owners: Robert Cotran, Ronald Cotran,
Optical Laboratories of Greenville. Ralph Cotran
Key Markets: Southeastern U.S. Trade Names: none
TOLEDO OPTICAL
2009 Est. Net Sales: $16.1 million Key Markets: National
Rx Sales: $15.3 million Founded: 1947 2009 Est. Net Sales: $9.8 million
No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 1,400 HQ./Main Lab Location: Toledo, Ohio Rx Sales: $9.8 million
Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 26% No. of Locations: 1 No. of Rx Jobs/Day: 710
Comments: Full service labs servicing No. of Employees: 55 Percentage of Uncut Jobs: 60%
southeast for over 50 years with new lens Comments: All surfacing is 100% digital. Proprietary
products and new technologies. Two on-site AR Key Executives: Irland Tashima, Jeffrey products include free-form Seiko, Shamir and Indo
coating facilities providing AR1, Duralux, Teflon, Szymanski, Robert Lommerse, Brian lenses, and customized free-form Zeiss lenses and
VISION MONDAY | OCTOBER 26, 2009 WWW.VISIONMONDAY.COM