Japanese frame manufacturers?

[glasses_aus]

Hi all,

I work for a small dispenser in Australia. I've been chatting a lot recently to a close friend who's an optometrist along with friend who is a designer. Together we're keen to try and get some of our own custom made frames made, and wondering if anyone has any good contacts in Japan that use high-quality acetates with manufacturing quality we can trust from the beginning?

Might be a stretch but thought it was worth asking the question.

Thanks!
Pete

[sharpstick777]

I don't Pete,
and the people who do are probably unwilling to share thier contacts easily. Its highly proprietary information.

One option would be to attend the IOFT Optical Show in Japan or the Hong Kong Optical Fair.

The Japanese manufactures will want you to have more than ideas, you will probably have to have a legitimate business set up and solid financing. They like working long term. You should have some drawings ready too.

There are many European companies though that have facilities and contacts in Japan, so Mido or Silmo may be an option. They are more willing to do piece work in general. From what I have heard, the European shows tend to have strong manufacturer presence.

You may be able to contact Mazzucchelli in Italy and get a referal too. http://www.mazzucchelli1849.it/eng/
They just make the Zyl, but they know who makes the frames. They have the market cornered on quality acetates.

Corado Brustio is the Marketing Director, he may be a place to start.
cbrustio@mazzucchelli1849.it

[glasses_aus]

Hi sharpstick777, thanks for the advice!

Firstly I should I explain that I probably understated our position a little. We have significant access to funding, and the range is already drawn and designed. We can potentially get test units built quite quickly, but our links to manufacturers is limited. We had already planned a trip to MIDO so look forward to meeting some manufacturers there.

Thanks again for your advice.
Pete

[Fezz]

Beware of who you do business with! I wish that I had some contacts, but I do not.

I have heard accounts of people in your position approaching manufacturers and the process not going anywhere until you see that the manufacturer has stolen all of your designs and ideas and is distributing them via the avenues that you laid out!

GOOD LUCK!!!!

[sharpstick777]

Hi sharpstick777, thanks for the advice!

Firstly I should I explain that I probably understated our position a little. We have significant access to funding, and the range is already drawn and designed. We can potentially get test units built quite quickly, but our links to manufacturers is limited. We had already planned a trip to MIDO so look forward to meeting some manufacturers there.

Thanks again for your advice.
Pete

You did understate things a little didn't you... Good luck, and let us know when you launch! As always, Fezz's advice is rock solid too, you should make sure you have a NDA with everyone you talk to.

[harry a saake]

You did understate things a little didn't you... Good luck, and let us know when you launch! As always, Fezz's advice is rock solid too, you should make sure you have a NDA with everyone you talk to.

try and get a hold of our resident optiboarder here named jerry huang, jerry has more contacts in the east then you can even imagine, he will know who to go to

[Jacqui]

The Japanese are a bit more honest and easier to do business with then the Chinese. Koreans are good too.

[chip anderson]

Don't bother with Charmant, they are a fine company but they won't even concider making more of thier discontinued models that sold like hot cakes. Won't allow you to have them duplicated elsewhere without imposing patient restrictions.

Chip

[Chris Ryser]

Don't bother with Charmant, they are a fine company but they won't even concider making more of thier discontinued models that sold like hot cakes. Won't allow you to have them duplicated elsewhere without imposing patient restrictions.

Chip

You can duplicate anything these days as long as you don't use any brand names and call it something else. There have never been patent restrictions on frames other than name brands or some special features.

[sharpstick777]

You can duplicate anything these days as long as you don't use any brand names and call it something else. There have never been patent restrictions on frames other than name brands or some special features.

You are correct, but its a contract issue involving intellectual property with Charmant not a patent one. Whether their contract is enforcable is another issue altogether, but few people are willing to put their business on the line to test it out. New styles are cheaper than a lawsuit. Charmant is not the only one who puts this in their contracts, but it is something to keep an eye out for. If you bring the style you should keep the style, but you will have to make sure that its in the contract. It may default in some countries and if the manufacturer converts art to detailed designs, you could transfer those rights unintentionally in some countries.

[Chris Ryser]

Be aware that there are no more frame manufaturers left in Europe, as well as Japan, which has a very high standard of living, with maybe a few exceptions of expensive hand made specialities, and it is about the same case for the Japanese production that was always on the more expensive side. Machinery has been moved to China in most cases, in order to be able to compete.

A few manufactures still do some final assembly in some countries to have the right to say made in .............whatever.

You will have to commit to very large orders wich will be to a large part payable out front if you want to keep a continous exclusivity.