On-line Opportunities for Your Lab

Ecommerce is, depending on how you look at it, either a growing opportunity for the optical industry or just another hurdle in the future. Many would argue that patients are best prescribed and fitted by ECP’s, but consumers are increasingly more comfortable making purchases on-line. On-line retailers have made significant gains in selling Rx eyewear over the web; shipped directly to the customer. Some traditional retailers have seized upon this opportunity and added web sales as a means of augmenting their traditional sales and providing an information resource for customers.

In its recently published 2009 Vision Council Internet Influence Report, The Vision Council found that use of the Internet for Rx eyeglasses shopping increased from 7.8 percent in 2007 to 14.2 percent in 2009. Of the respondents to the survey, 22 percent who purchased Rx eyewear and used the Internet in the process made the actual purchase on-line. On-line eyewear purchases will continue to grow and become a significant means by which the population fills their eyewear needs.

Lab owners, as well as domestic suppliers, may want to consider getting involved with their ECP customers to assist them in developing an on-line presence. Many of those who make a purchase on-line may not return to the traditional channel for future eyewear purchases. Labs can provide advanced service to their customers by hosting sites for ECPs where patients can schedule appointments and get information about the latest in eye care and product availability. Labs can be the back office and provide fulfillment services for on-line ordering and the virtual storefront where an ECPs patients can shop and purchase on-line. What domestic production lacks in cost savings may be made up with quality, timely delivery and extended service. This may further strengthen the relationship between the ECP and their patients, and ultimately strengthen the relationship between the ECP and your business.—Jason A. Meyer, Managing Director, HPC Puckett & Company.

Based in San Diego, Calif., HPC Puckett & Company specializes in mergers and acquisitions of wholesale optical laboratories. You can send comments or questions about this article or any other Dollars & Sense articles to Jason A. Meyer at jam@hpcpuckett.com.

Labapalooza Celebrates VM's Top Labs, LabTalk's Website of the Year Awards

Labapalooza, Jobson’s annual celebration of optical labs, returned to Las Vegas during Vision Expo West featuring live music, cocktails, and a preview of Vision Monday’s 2010 Top Labs report, including the Top Labs ranking. LabTalk magazine also presented its Optical Laboratory Web Site of the Year Award and Trash to Treasure contest, in which lab personnel were invited to create artwork made from finishing pads. The awards were presented to a packed room of optical laboratory personnel, vendors and sponsors of Labapalooza.

Schneider Optical Machines was the Title sponsor for the event. Shamir Insight, X-Cel Optical, Transitions Optical, Gerber Coburn, Essilor, Santinelli International and Augen were Ultra sponsors.

The Precision Optical Group was the winner of the 11th annual Optical Laboratories Web Site of the Year Award. Katz & Klein, the second place website, received the most popular votes.

For the complete list of LabTalk’s Web Site of the Year honorees, visit LabTalk Online.

Look for a complete list of the Top Lab honorees in the Oct. 25 print feature Vision Monday’s 2010 Top Labs report, and on VisionMonday.com.

Midland Optical Hosts Open House, Receives Honors

Midland Optical, hosted an open house September 23, 2010, at its newly-expanded facility in St. Louis, Mo. Over 175 people, representing 55 independent eye care offices in the Missouri and Illinois area, attended the open house. The open house celebrated Midland Optical’s installation of the new $1.5 million digital optical lens processing equipment. A surprise visitor to the Midland Optical open house was city alderman Joe Vaccaro, (above left) who presented company president Matt Iovaldi, (above right) with a proclamation from Mayor Francis Slay and the city of St. Louis, officially declaring September 24, 2010, Midland Optical day in St. Louis.

Plastic Plus Opens Seiko-Approved Coating Lab

With the completion of a massive two-year rebuilding program, which included everything from equipment lines to the facility structure, Plastic Plus in Toronto, Ontario, has transformed into one of the most technically sophisticated and fully automated prescription labs in North America. The most recent phase of the Plastic Plus’ expansion was completed in July when the company opened its own state-of-the-art, AR coating facility. The independent, Canadian-owned company, which already holds the exclusive Canadian license for all Seiko Optical lens products, is the first, and currently the only “Seiko Optical-Approved” coating facility in North America.

Robertson Optical Provides Services at S.C. Health Fair

Representatives of Robertson Optical Laboratories of Columbia and Greenville, S.C. volunteered their services at the eyeglass fitting area of SC Mission 2010, a health fair held in early August which consisted of a host of organizations providing healthcare, dental and vision screenings to uninsured persons. More than 1200 people registered and over 800 patient charts were scanned. This was the first year that vision screenings and eyeglass fittings were provided, which were coordinated by the SC Optometric Physicians Association and Robertson Optical.

Pictured here, front left is Christie Truett of Greenville, S.C. trying on a pair of glasses as Larry Patton, sales manager of Robertson Optical of Columbia, advises. At back, on the right, sales rep Kimberly Griffin of Robertson Optical of Columbia, consults another participant. Plans are now underway for the same event to be held next year.

Going Digital: Cherry Optical

After immersing himself in digital lens processing the past several years, Adam Cherry, vice president of Cherry Optical, an independent wholesale lab in Green Bay, Wisc., has learned to admire both the precision and the power of the technology.

“Running this type of equipment in a digital lab is like owning an Italian sportscar,” he said, referring to the Schneider Optical Machines’ CB Bond blocker, HSC Smart A generator and CCP Swift polisher Cherry Optical purchased when it went digital two years ago. He emphasized that achieving high performance levels is only possible by rigorously maintaining and calibrating the equipment. “You better know what you’re getting into as far as taking care of it properly to keep it running well. That’s been a big lesson.”

Cherry Optical’s introduction to digital surfacing was actually its first experience with any type of surfacing. Consequently, the lab did not have any established manufacturing procedures in place.

Pictured here, at Cherry Optical in Green Bay, Wisconsin are, left to right, Kurt Atchison of Schneider Optical Machinery, Joe Cherry, Lynn Cherry and Adam Cherry. At right is the lab’s new Schneider HSC Smart A generator.

Click here here to read more about Cherry Optical and other labs that are “going digital” in Vision Monday’s Special Report: Digital Immersion.

LabTalk Spotlight   October 2010

Will You Sink or Swim with Automation and Robotics?
By Judith Lee

Not too far downstream, automation and robotics will comprise a technological life raft that will make all the difference between “sink or swim” for optical labs.

Already, labs that have invested in automation have seen a pay off in improved output and quality, streamlined workflow, and a more skilled workforce. Most importantly, these labs believe they have a significant edge on their less-automated competitors. The consensus is that automated and robotic equipment will become a “business essential” such as a telephone, computer and lab management system.

To find out more on how your peers feel about automation and robotics, log onto www.labtalkonline.com and go to the Features section where you will find this complete article.