THE SAFILO GROUP


The Safilo Group, a world leader in the field of spectacles, sunglasses, fashion and sports eyewear, has the following structure:
[list=1][*]Safilo S.p.A., established in 1934. With headquarters in Padua, Italy, it is responsible for developing and co-ordinating market strategies and policies for all the companies in the Group.

Carrera-Optyl GmbH, taken over in July 1996.
The headquarters are in Traun, Austria

Smith Sport Optics Inc, taken over in March 1996
The headquarters are in Sun Valley, Idaho (USA)

The collections of optical eyewear, sunglasses and sports eyewear marketed by the Group are: Safilo, Smith, Carrera, Blue Bay, Oxydo, Gucci, Polo Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior, Diesel, Valentino, Oliver, Max Mara, Pierre Cardin, Burberry and Yves Saint Laurent. For the American market, Fossil, Nine West, Kate Spade and Saks Fifth Avenue.
[*]The production organization, based on a number of facilities, each specialized in particular products and processes, includes:
a. The Longarone facility in the province of Belluno (Italy), where metal frames are produced. This facility, one of the most innovative in the sector, also produces titanium frames.
b. The Calalzo di Cadore facility in the province of Belluno (Italy), where metal and acetate frames are finished.
c. The S. Maria di Sala facility, in the province of Venice, where acetate frames are manufactured by sheet processing.
d. The Precenicco facility in the province of Udine (Italy), for surface treatment, painting and colouring of Optyl and injection-moulded frames.
e. The Martignacco facility in the province of Udine (Italy) produces small metal and plastic parts and other high-precision components using highly innovative technologies.
f. The Traun facility in Austria, specialist manufacturer of high-quality, precision metal eyewear.
g. The Ormoz facility in Slovenia, producing eyewear and ski masks, both injection moulded and in Optyl, the extraordinary, internationally patented thermosetting resin with unique technical and chromatic characteristics.

h. The Research Division that:
- studies new manufacturing technologies as well as new materials for the production of eyewear;
- designs and produces plants and machinery for eyewear manufacturing;
- ensures the technological autonomy that enables the Group to keep ahead of the competition, constantly updating its know-how and keeping in touch with the most technologically advanced markets.
[*]The following companies form the foreign sales network:
a. The American market, as well as by the previously mentioned Smith Sport Optics Inc. specialized in the field of sports sunglasses and number 1 in the U.S. ski mask market, is also covered by:
- Safilo USA, which markets Safilo Group products in the United States;
- Safilo Latin America with headquarters in Miami, Florida, which looks after the Central and South American markets; and the latest newcomer Safilo do Brazil with headquarters in Sao Paulo (Brazil).
- Safilo Canada, with headquarters in Montreal.

b. The European market is covered by:
companies in Belgium, Holland, France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Scandinavia, the United Kingdom, Greece, Portugal and Switzerland.

c. The Far East, Australia and South Africa are covered by:
Safilo Far East, with headquarters in Hong Kong, which co-ordinates commercial activities in the main Asiatic markets; and Safilo Australia, Safilo South Africa, Safilo Japan, Safilo Hong Kong, Safilo India, Safilo Singapore and Safilo Maleysia from January 2002.[/list=1]
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THE SALES NETWORK


The Safilo Group is present in over 120 countries worldwide, marketing its products through its own subsidiaries as well as through sole distributors.

As far as sales are concerned, Safilo is implementing a development policy leading to the opening of subsidiaries in the most attractive markets from a quantitative and qualitative point of view.

This enables Safilo to have a more direct relationship with its clients and a more organized network better suited to the context in which the company operates.

In this way, Safilo exports not only its products, but also its business philosophy and its image.

Safilo manufactures and markets eyewear with a variety of features designed to appeal to different target consumers: from optical eyewear to sunglasses, high-tech products, designer frames, sports eyewear and ski masks, so that all demands and requirements are met.

The Group’s policy regarding the extension of its supply of products and the diversification of the distribution channel should be interpreted with this strategy in mind.

Its famous collections, Safilo, Smith, Carrera, Blue Bay, Oxydo, Gucci, Polo Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior, Diesel, Valentino, Oliver by Valentino, Max Mara, Pierre Cardin, Burberry, Yves Saint Laurent, Fossil, Nine West and Kate Spade, Saks Fifth Avenue are distributed through more than 130,000 outlets throughout the world, assuring the Safilo Group top world ranking in the eyewear field.

Thanks to the Smith Sport Optic Inc. and Carrera Optyl take-overs, Safilo has also increased its presence in the field of sports eyewear and accessories, earning itself a top position in this sector too.

THE HISTORY OF SAFILO


The Safilo trademark first appeared in 1934 when Cav. Guglielmo Tabacchi took over the first Italian plant, manufacturing lenses and frames, founded in 1878 in Calalzo di Cadore. Exploiting the legacy of the pilot-company of the Cadore area eyewear sector, he took Safilo to the heights of the Italian and European markets.

In 1964, in order to assure an adequate growth rate, the Santa Maria di Sala facility, in the province of Venice, was opened and the entire production of cellulose acetate frames was transferred there.

Later, the new facility was to grow to twice its original size to accommodate the administrative offices. In the meantime, during the 1970s, the Calalzo facility extended its production area and increased its personnel.

In 1973, the Service Centre of Padua was taken over and was made ready to house the product distribution department which moved there in 1975.

In 1977, it also became home to the offices, and the administrative and commercial headquarters.

In the same year, in Belgium, the first foreign company marketing the Safilo products was founded. Holland, Denmark, Spain, Germany and France were soon to follow suit.
In 1980, in Martignacco-Udine, Friulplastica was established, supplying the Group’s facilities with metal components.

In 1984, foreseeing the success of the fashion lines in the eyewear sector too, the Safilo Group made its début in new market segments belonging to the "designer” world.
This marked the birth of Optifashion. At the time of its take-over by the Safilo Group, the company marketed a number of famous labels. In 1990, the concern was incorporated into the parent company and over time, the brands was joined by Gucci and Polo Ralph Lauren (as of 1990), Pierre Cardin (1991), Burberry (1994), Diesel (1995), Christian Dior (1996), Max Mara (1997), Valentino and Oliver (1998), Nine West (1999), Fossil and Kate Spade (2000), Yves Saint Laurent (2002).

In 1986, the Safilo Group, which already owned 50% of the American Starline Optical Corp., purchased the remaining 50%, securing full control of one of the most important American trading companies in the eyewear sector.

1987 was also the year in which Safilo took over Oxsol, a company from Friuli (Italy) mainly involved in the sunglasses sector.

During 1988, a considerable area totalling 25,000 sq. m was purchased in Padua, with its building, where the Group's new headquarters was built. In 1990, all the management activities, offices and design centres were brought together in the new headquarters.

At the beginning of 1989, the Group also took over Optique Du Monde, an American trading company and licensee of the Polo Ralph Lauren trademark.

In 1989, the construction of a large new manufacturing facility for metal frames was set under way in Longarone.
Up and running at the beginning of 1991, the Longarone facility is, without doubt, one of the most technologically advanced manufacturing plants in the eyewear sector, producing metal, aluminium and TITANIUM frames.

1990 also witnessed the take-over of the companies that had been marketing Safilo products in Sweden and Canada.
At the end of 1994, the Safilo Far East branch was opened with the task of developing the Group’s penetration in the Far East markets.

The Safilo Group strengthened its presence in Europe and in the rest of the world with the incorporation of Safilo U.K. in the United Kingdom in August 1995, Safilo Hellas in January 1996, Safilo Nederland and Safilo Austria in July 1996, Safilo Australia and Safilo South Africa in 1997, Safilo Japan in 1998, Safilo do Brasil in 1999, Safilo Portugal in 2000, Safilo Switzerland, Safilo Hong Kong, Safilo India, Safilo Singapore in 2001 and Safilo Malaysia in 2002.

In March 1996, the Safilo Group took over the American sports eyewear company Smith Sport Optics Inc., a leading name in the United States with a 50% share of the ski eyewear market. In July 1996, the Group also took over the Austrian company Carrera Optyl, with a manufacturing facility in Austria and another in Slovenia.

These take-overs are part of the development of the corporate strategy geared towards the extension of its supply of products.

On November 28 1996, the Guglielmo Tabacchi Gallery was opened in the Group’s Padua headquarters. It is the world’s largest and most comprehensive private collection of eyewear and related objects. The gallery takes the visitor through important periods of history and custom from the birth of spectacles in Venice back in 1285 to the rebirth of the Italian eyewear industry in Cadore, spanning seven centuries of history.

In December 1996, Safilo S.p.A. achieved the much sought-after ISO 9002 quality certification.

In 1997, the launch of the new Max Mara collection of sunglasses and optical eyewear was announced and the agreement signed with the Valentino Group for the manufacture and distribution of the Valentino and Oliver collections starting from January 1998.

The Summer of 2000 saw the opening of the new distribution centre in Padua, which uses the most advanced goods handling techniques.

In 2001 Safilo strengthens its company commitment towards quality through a partnership with Safilens, the firm specialized in producing contact lenses, and launching the new Carrera Contact lenses on the Italian market.

In January of 2002 the launch of the new Yves Saint Laurent collection of sunglasses and optical eyewear was announced.