Merger News – January 19, 2017 – Earlier this week, news broke of a merger between Luxottica and Essilor. This news surely does pose some interesting questions and stir-up emotions within the optical industry. When the two by-far largest players in a single industry join forces, it can leave many wondering what the future holds for the entire industry. As calls started to be received by Customer Service asking questions or making comments regarding this merger, it became clear we should probably have some form of statement to ensure our customers clearly understand Cherry Optical, Inc’s position in the matter. Cherry Optical, Inc remains a 100% Independent and family owned laboratory. We are not beholden to Essilor in any way outside of our obligations as a distributor of their products. We share this simple message as our recent news about being named the Varilux Distributor of the Year for the 2nd consecutive year may have caused some confusion; leading some to believe we may be owned by Essilor. So, to repeat, Cherry Optical, Inc is not owned by Essilor. Regarding opinions about the merger; we surely have some: As a company that has competed directly with Essilor Laboratories since Day 1, while also having Essilor Lenses as a major supplier and technology partner; we know the weird relationships and emotions this merger now unquestionably creates for Independent private-practice and optical owners. How does it make sense to support a company that is openly competing with you? We’ve asked ourselves this question thousands of times. What we have found is that along with the outstanding technology sharing resources Essilor has made available to us, the Varilux and Crizal brands, have delivered the performance and tools we’ve needed to achieve our business goals. With all of this in consideration, it doesn’t mean Cherry Optical, Inc behaves like a sheep to Essilor’s every command. Keep in mind, we are also distributors for every major lens brand available and have on-site production capabilities for nearly all freeform designs. Our loyalty lies with our employees and our customers first and foremost. So, what to do? We don’t feel it would be a wise decision for anyone to instantly stop selling Varilux, Crizal or Essilor lenses purchased from Cherry Optical, Inc due to the merger news. These products still work nearly flawlessly, and we are an Independent business like you. If you want to make some type of instantaneous change, perhaps consider what laboratories you support. There are many high-quality Independent (non-Essilor owned) Varilux, Crizal, and Essilor lens distributor laboratories that can process your VSP and Eye Med orders and Cherry Optical, Inc can take care of the rest of your needs. Is this self-serving? Very much so! In our capitalist society, the best way to facilitate change and make an impact is to vote with your dollars. In conclusion, Cherry Optical, Inc is still Independent, not owned or controlled by Essilor, and the decisions you make, given the merger news of Essilor and Luxottica, are yours to make. We’ll be here to support you in any way we can to help you make decisions that best align with your business goals and principles. These choices we all get to make are some of the best parts of being an Independent eye care professional; we control our own paths. And with this statement, we are done with the topic. It’s time to get back to Producing Vision to the Highest Definition. -Adam Cherry