CORAL SPRINGS, Fla.—ABB Optical Group is celebrating its 35th anniversary, according to an announcement from the company. The company was founded in 1989 to “empower eyecare professionals (ECPs) with the tools and knowledge necessary to be more competitive, grow their practices and maintain the highest-quality patient care,” the company said. The vision for ABB came in the 1980s from founder and co-chairman of the board Angel Alvarez. Alvarez said, “For 35 years, our commitment has been to help eyecare professionals attract and keep patients, improve efficiencies and increase profitability. We win when they win. When they lose a patient, we lose a patient. This has always been central.”

Daniel Liberman, chief executive officer of ABB Optical Group, said, “Right from the start, Angel made sure everyone focused on our customers and the care of their patients. Today, ABB is the only independent service provider with the breadth and depth of capabilities to support ECPs across all major optical categories. As we look forward, we will continue to focus on leveraging our capabilities so our ECP customers can focus on what matters most to them—patient care. Thank you to all of our loyal customers, supplier partners and team members who have grown with us along the way.”

Over the past 35 years, ABB has evolved from a small contact lens distributor to the largest distributor of contact lenses in the United States, as well as an industry leader of technology-driven business solutions and the largest and fastest growing independent eyeglass lab network, according to the company. In just the last five years, ABB opened its 103,000-square-foot National Logistics Center; launched Abby, an online contact lens reordering platform that keeps ECPs at the center of eyecare; and added a state-of-the-art 42,000-square-foot eyeglass laboratory in Erlanger, Ky., according to the announcement.

In a release, the company said, “Because ABB operates independently, ABB succeeds only when its customers succeed. As the eyecare industry has changed, ABB has adapted quickly and invested heavily in technology, infrastructure and people to make sure its customers remain at the forefront of eyecare.”

ABB invites the optical industry to join in the celebration by visiting info.abboptical.com/celebrating35years. There, visitors can hear from Daniel Liberman, learn more about ABB’s rich history, read an interview with Angel Alvarez and ABB’s president James Gilchrist about ABB’s journey, submit their own stories about how ABB has helped their practice and send shout-outs to the employees who have made a difference.