ask the labs
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Karlen McLean, ABOC, NCLC
In our July issue, we asked wholesale labs what lenses were selling and slowing in their regions. Here are more highlights of what's hot and what's not in lens production.
NORTHEAST
Digital. We launched two 100 percent backside designs—Presio iDigital and Nikon Move—in March and market acceptance has been stunning. We're following up with two dual side designs shortly.
After surviving the worst winter we've ever seen in the Northeast (Encore was closed for 2.5 days due to weather) things are good.
—Paul Zito, president, Encore Optics, LLC, South Windsor, Conn.
WEST
Free-form is growing. We produce Shamir Autograph in-house and are also doing well with out-sourced KODAK Unique and Physio Enhanced. Poly is holding but there's a steady increase in Trivex and 1.67. CR39 is holding market share, we feel, due to the economy. Drill mounts are holding but not growing.”
—Mike Francesconi, vice president, Katz & Klein, Inc., Sacramento, Calif.
MIDWEST
“Chemistrie Sunlenses polarized magnetic clip-ons and sports performance Rx sunwear, specifically adidas and Rudy Project, are hot.”
—Greg Rudin, Expert Optics, Inc., Shorewood, Ill.
“Durability and superior performance are the driving themes in lenses these days as word spreads about ultra-durable AR's new scratch-resistant properties.
There's also increasing awareness of and interest in high-definition lenses and customized lens products.
Brand names within the [standard, as opposed to digital] category of PALs seem to be less significant in purchasing decisions.
Poly and 1.67 are growing, with standard plastic continuing to die, while the mid-index category has lost momentum.
Drilled rimless continues to be popular with unique shapes adding to the demand.”
—Jeff Szymanski, vice president, Toledo Optical, Toledo, Ohio
| SOUTH |
|---|
| “Digital free-form lenses are by far the hottest products. Being much more advanced than standard progressive lenses, they're optically superior to anything we've ever offered. Special pricing packages such as budget-line frames and lenses, drill-mount frame and lens packages, and AR lens packages are hot. Requests for [polarized] sunlenses are on the rise. Not so hot are the obvious flat-top bifocals, as customers are embracing newer lens technologies like never before.”
—Scotty Scott, vice president, Columbia, S.C.; |
If you have a question you'd like to have answered in Ask the Labs, send it to Karlen McLean. Email: Karlen.McLean@WoltersKluwer.com. An archive of past Ask the Labs columns can be found on the Eyecare Business website at www.eyecarebusiness.com.
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