PLAINVILLE, Mass.--Since 1956, tens
of thousands of eye care professionals have relied on Hilco for
“smart solutions” to common dispensing
problems.
Marking its 50th anniversary this
year, the company’s extensive product range--more than 20,000
items strong--and its focus on innovation, service, and value are
continuing to strengthen its market position.
|
Hilco’s topmanagement team, from left: Bob Rymeski,
vice-president, sales;Bob Nahmias,president and CEO, and Paul
Janell, CFO. |
Notes Bob Nahmias, president and
CEO, “Today, Hilsinger, through its Hilco and Wilson
businesses, is the leading supplier of eye wear and eye care
accessories, supplies, and equipment in North America and the
United Kingdom, and has established distribution networks in
continental Europe, South America, and Australia.”
The company also has strong market
positions in sports and safety eyewear and has recently re-entered
the fashion eyewear business with the addition of its FrameWorks
line.
“Hilsinger has demonstrated an
uncommon ability,” according to Nahmias, “to innovate
new products across many different, yet contiguous categories, to
manage the supply of those products efficiently, and to deliver
them with unparalleled speed and accuracy.”
Hilsinger was founded in Attleboro,
MA by Arthur Hilsinger Sr., Arthur Hilsinger, Jr., and Herbert P.
Nelson.
In its initial phase, the
company’s business was the design and manufacture of
decorative aluminum and plastic parts for eyewear frames.
Soon after, the company began to manufacture molded plastic nose
pads for metal frames and developed a series of optical accessories
products, repair parts, and tools for eye care
professionals.
In 1961 the company acquired
the Evans Case Company, a manufacturer of gift products and
accessories, and operations were relocated to the company’s
current headquarters facility in Plainville MA. In 1975 it began
manufacturing proprietary eyeglass frames under the Evans
brand. During the 1980’s the company transitioned away
from the decorative eyewear components, gift products, and frames
product lines and became focused exclusively on consumer and
professional optical accessories, categories that remain the
foundations of the modern Hilco business.
In 1994 the company’s
ownership changed and a transition to a new management team
began.
Nahmias points out, “The
business has tripled in size over the past decade through a
combination of internal growth and several key business
acquisitions.” These include: Intercompany Contacts
(1994)--eye wear accessories; Wilson Ophthalmic (1998)--ophthalmic
supplies and equipment; Shield Lens Care (1999) and MSI (2005)--
lens care products; Aden Ophthalmic (1999)--industrial safety
frames; and Leader Sports (2004)--Rx and Plano sports eyewear and
sunwear.
“With each acquisition,”
Nahmias said, “Hilsinger has increased its value to existing
customers, capitalizing on numerous product synergies and operating
efficiencies.”
Hilsinger’s extensive product
range is sold to a similarly large and diverse group of customers
including: the 3-O’s, optical chains, mass merchants,
hospitals and surgery centers, HMO’s, military installations,
sporting goods chains and independent sporting goods outlets.
The company trades under three primary brands: Hilco--professional
and consumer eyewear accessories; Wilson Ophthalmic--eye care
supplies/accessories; and Leader Sports--Rx and plano protective
sports eyewear and swim products. Hilsinger customers are
serviced through company-operated facilities in the US, Canada, the
UK, and France.
The company has been granted a
number of patents for various accessory and eyewear products and
has won numerous industry awards for innovation. “Hilco has
also earned an excellent reputation with our customers for
systemization - bringing order to complex programs such as
replacement eyewear parts and multiple consumer accessories
lines.”
Nahmias points out that Hilsinger
routinely designs comprehensive programs around specific customer
needs utilizing a variety of skills. The new Rimless SunClips
program is one such example, where a proprietary premium clip-on
technology was organized around an innovative
dispensing/merchandising system. A specially designed hand
tool and parts kit were added to optimize in-office adjustments and
ongoing maintenance.