CARL ZEISS OPTICAL, INC. INTRODUCES THE ICS7 ALL-IN-ONE COATING SYSTEM

The first Zeiss “Drop-In” Integrated Coating System available now
CHESTER, Va., November 21, 2002 – Carl Zeiss Optical, Inc. today announces the introduction of the ICS7, the newest member of the company’s coating equipment family. The ICS7, a totally self-contained system, consists of a W3 Washer, H2 Hard Coating Unit (optional), Flow-Booth/Work Bench, Degas Oven, Curing Oven (optional), A7 AR Coating System and C7 Clean Coat System. The system’s footprint measures 13 feet by 13 feet and includes an enclosure for a clean room environment.

“We are excited to introduce the ICS7, our latest invention in lens coating technology,” said Ed Greene, president and CEO, Carl Zeiss Optical, Inc. “The size of the ICS7 and the extent of its capabilities makes it easier for more labs to apply premium Zeiss AR and hard coatings in-house.”

The ICS7 is capable of producing double-sided coatings on up to fourteen lenses (7 pair) in less than 1 hour’s time. The system can produce Zeiss Super ET®, Gold ET, Cool Blue and Clean Coat. When equipped with the hard coating option, the ICS7 can also produce Foundation® and Carat® coatings.

The ICS7 is operated by touch screens and facilitated for updates from a modem. Process overviews are available by pull-down menus. Process status can be saved and continued in the event of a breakdown. Utility requirements for the ICS7 are minimal, making installation easy.

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Headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany, the global player Carl Zeiss is a leading international group of companies operating in the optical and opto-electronic industry.

Carl Zeiss offers technologically advanced solutions for the areas Semiconductor Technology and Industrial Optics, the life Sciences and Health Care, Eye Care, Industrial Solutions and sophisticated products in the field of Consumer and Sports Optics. The company is directly represented in more than 30 countries and runs production centers in Europe, North and Central America, and Asia. In the 1999/2000 fiscal year, a global workforce of roughly 13,800 people achieved a sales figure of approx. Euro 2bn. Further information on spectacle lenses and production systems by Carl Zeiss is available under www.zeisslenses.com.