Hey OptiBoard-ers,
I am looking for a good lab; one that has a wide selection of lenses, offers a quick turnaround time, does almost all jobs correctly and is reasonable on their shipping fees.
I would prefer a locally owned lab and would love to support a family-owned one if possible.
Thanks in advance,
LTD
US Optical is a family owned lab. We offer 24 hr uncut service on our Zeiss AR coated freeform designs from Zeiss, Seiko, Shamir and US Optical. Shipping is $1.75/rx AND YOU WILL GET YOUR LENSES before lunch. We have reps in your hood. Email me optikdave@aol.com and I'll send them your way.
Money carefully refunded
When you find a good lab, let me know!
US Optical does good work!Originally Posted by Dave Metzger
As does Luzerne Optical. www.luzerneoptical.com. Independent and family-owned since 1973. In-house processing for Hoya, Zeiss, Shamir, Seiko and Varilux. 2 in-house AR treatmemt facilities. Glass in-house. GP contact lens lab in-house. NC rep is Lee Hagwood, another OptiBoarder.
Labs like that went out with the '60's. Now you have to settle for quick, if it's in stock.
No, Chip, they didn't.
Pech Optical is my best and most loyal business partner. It makes no difference who is family owned today; as soon as they have a chance to sell it happens. The folks running the place make the difference and as long as they stay it is my family business.
I was a lab rep prior to owning my stores and nothing is more important for an OD than to get a lab they trust. It is not about price, but consistency and lack of aggregation that will keep you and the staff happy.
Do you have an optician or are you it to start?
Craig
Not true. Support your local independents!
Sorry for ignorance here, but can someone give me a general idea on main differences between an Indeprndent lab selling say Essilor products, along with others, and an Essilor lab selling the same products?
Besides the ownership?
Options.
Rite Style Optical (www.ritestyle.com) has been great for us! It is independently owned. You can get a wide variety of lenses from them (Zeiss, Shamir, Seiko, Essilor) as well as a wide variety of coating brands, etc. Their customer service is great!
Elaborate pleaseOptions.
You know me somewhat. I tried pulling the trigger on a switch and everything was great from you guys!
But ole man is calling the shots and getting ole man to switch or change anything for that matter is a tough sell.
If they offer Varilux, they will be bought by E at some point. It is part of the contract that they get first right of refusal and if not, you lose the Varilux account for the new owner. They already own you and don't have to write the check until the charade of independent is over!
There is no real independent is the optical industry and never will be again!
THIS IS HOW E BUYS EVERY LAB THAT SELLS VARILUX WHEN THEY ARE READY TO RETIRE!
It is no different for any lab that pretends to be independent today and cashes the check from E later. US Optical already cashed out once and will do it again! Good for them and Pech did the same thing after realizing it was the only option going forward.
If a lab has an E coating; the equipment is owned by E or the loan is secured from E. Same as Varilux, you are owned by E and not owned at the same time.
Because we're independent (REALLY independent, Craig) we offer the widest variety of lens vendors currently available, including Hoya in-house. If our hands were tied as Craig infers, E would not allow us those in-house options. Other labs may be able to outsource these other vendors, but to offer them as an in-house product is real independence. What's the "ole man" looking for? Is it price, is it variety, or is he just resisitant to change in general? We should have the new MD/DC rep in place within a couple of weeks, but I can come up there and we can all talk face to face if that would help.
Never assume. You're smart, but not "all knowing."
If you read the contract; you can do anything as long as you put the E products first! YOU CANNOT SAY A LENS COMPARES TO AN E PRODUCT OR COATING; THERE IS NOT TO BE ANY COMPARISIONS DONE! A lab cannot advertise the Zeiss Individual next to an E product or put it on a flyer to send out!
But when you go to sell it changes the story and E has all the rights. When E bought Pech, Zeiss came in and decided to not do business with Pech, it was not an E choice. They could care less as long as you are making money for them and that is the bottom line. All independents buy some products from E, Z, VE, or who else is left in the business.
E is going to continue to grow and they cannot be stopped, nor do I care who owns my lab.
I still speak with Bob Pech on Saturday mornings and look forward to seeing them a few times per year.
I am all for the independent, if they pay me for helping grow the lab to the point that it is time to sell it. This is my 4th lab that got bought by E and I gave up the fight and looked out for my business only!
Would it be fair to say that E now "owns" your business, body and soul? This is what I'm hearing..."I find a good lab, give them all my business, the lab becomes so successful selling you E products that E buys your good lab and you move on to the next one" X 4.
BTW, we've been independent and family-owned since 1973, a full 16 years before Pech was founded. Just sayin'
Last edited by Judy Canty; 03-21-2012 at 06:26 PM.
I've been using I-care Labs out of St. Pete Fla for more than 10 years, and I have been more than pleased. If a new lab calls me, I ALWAYS hear what they have to say, and end the conversation with, "If I ever find a reason to switch, you'll be on the list." (I say this sincerely, and I mean it.)
I have referred many colleagues to them, and they have not been disappointed. Any problem we've ever had have been quickly resolved before it became an issue. The pricing is competitive, and their turnaround time sounds like it's right there with US Optical.
Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry
Optogenics in Syracuse, NY does very good work at a great price and do it quickly. Used to be owned by the same people running US optical and since they sold it to essilor (of course), nothing has changed except where the profits go. Wide assortment of products and coatings.
You know, this is about the most inane conversation I've been involved in for a long time. A perfectly innocent ECP asked for a recommendation on an independent, family-owned lab, and that simple request has taken the usual snarky turn that prolonged indoor play engenders.
I am sorry for participating. However, in my defense, I never react well to being yelled at (writing in all caps, if you're new to this) and it usually results in a time-out at my house.
There are still a few independent, family-owned labs left in the country and those of us who work for them are proud of the work we do. We do not choose to simply bow to the inevitability of selling-out to any large multi-national any more than ECPs are willing to bow to that same force when dealing with online retailers.
Unfortunately another thread that could have provided useful information has devolved into a "hot mess". As a rule, VisionMonday has a list of the top independent labs on their website, though you may have to dig through their "special reports" section to find it.
Peace out!
http://www.visionmonday.com/ViewCont...1/Default.aspx
Last edited by Judy Canty; 03-22-2012 at 07:32 AM.
Thank you for the link!
My main lab is Walman.
I may have to give Luzerne another try.
I don't hear much about Three Rivers anymore? Since they stopped advertising in Eye Care Professional Magazine, they have seemed to fallen off the face of the Earth!
I stumbled across US Optical video the other day, saying they can turn around a job in pretty darn quick time, seems like it was by lunch next day. (It was an impressive video, all labs should do this to sell themselves) Is that possible? Seems like A/R would take more time to dry than that?
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