INTERVIEWS

What are some of your initial goals?

We are involved in a number of exciting ventures here at Titmus. One of them is substantial capital investment in our facility. We moved into a brand new facility less than two years ago, and we have begun to invest in new and innovative robotic assembly equipment. We currently have two fully computerized automated robotic plating lines. Also, in the quality area, we are placing major emphasis on upgrading and creating a whole new and higher threshold of quality to our products.

What else is in store for Titmus?

One of the things critical to our prescription safety frame market is new products. We introduced nine new products in 1998, including our exclusive Titanium collection. This year, we will introduce additional metal and plastic frames. We also plan to add new styles to our Street Designs collection of ophthalmic frames that are sold as "packaged programs" primarily for the managed care market.

Are there any aspects of the company you'd like to improve?

One of the things I want to do is expand our international sales. We currently sell in Europe and Canada, and we are expanding to other markets such as South America, Australia, and South Africa. Our future plans also include emphasis in Latin America.

Is the market for prescription safety eyewear expanding?

There are forces on both sides that drive it. OSHA mandates worker eye protection in industry. The demographics of an older work force have an influence on the need for prescription safety frames, which is a factor in market growth. "Stable-to-slightly-growing" would be my interpretation.

Titmus has always been considered a niche company. Will that continue?

Niche in the sense that the vast bulk of our sales are prescription safety frames, so in that sense, it's a niche, yes. Today we are the largest manufacturer of prescription safety frames. However, we continue to explore new products and new technologies to expand our business.

--Amy MacMillan EB