ESSILOR AND SATIS ENTER INTO TECHNOLOGY AND BRANDING ALLIANCE
OPENS UP NEW ESSILOR-BRANDED IN-HOUSE AR TECHNOLOGY TO ALL LABS
VISION EXPO EAST, NEW YORK CITY - (March 21, 2003) – In order to provide all labs with high quality, branded in-house anti-reflective (AR) technology, Essilor Lenses has entered into an agreement with Satis Vacuum of America, Inc. Satis will provide the Satis SP-200 Sputter Coater AR machine – designed to be a low cost, small footprint, simple operation with easy maintenance. The Satis SP-200 equipment and coating process will be combined with Essilor’s anti-reflective and scratch coating expertise and leading brands to enable labs and retailers to produce quality branded AR lenses in less than 10 minutes.

Essilor will provide premium quality, semi-finished front-sided Reflection Free NP® lenses. Essilor and Satis will provide proven Reflection Free NP® coating processes the lab applies to the backside of the lens. The agreement calls for Essilor to now provide a comprehensive offering: the currently available line of Reflection Free NP® finished single vision stock lenses; and a full line of polycarbonate and CR-39® semi-finished front-sided Reflection Free NP® lenses including the number one selling progressive lens Varilux Comfort®.

In addition, Essilor will license the Reflection Free NP® brand and technology to laboratories that currently have a Satis box coater machine as well those labs that will purchase one in the future.

For those labs that choose to take advantage of this new brand support program, Satis will install the Reflection Free NP® process into their machines and monitor quality to ensure specifications are consistently met. The Reflection Free NP® branded process and technology rolls out in the second quarter of 2003.

Both the Essilor Lenses wholesale sales team and the Satis sales team will promote both Reflection Free NP® agreements to all labs with the exception of the Varilux semi-finished AR lens, which is solely available to Authorixed Varilux® and Crizal® Distributors. Essilor will promote the Reflection Free NP® brand to eye care professionals nationwide.

Plans are to offer the Crizal® brand to Authorized Varilux® and Crizal® Distributors using the sputtering technology upon certification of the technology for Crizal®. A Crizal® solution is already available via Essilor’s Crizal® EXT technology that utilizes Satis box coaters and Essilor back-side coating technology

“Essilor is pleased to be able to offer our Reflection Free NP® AR technology to all labs, so they can effectively leverage the high consumer demand for AR products. Working with a world leading coating technology manufacturer like Satis is a win for both companies as well as labs and eye care professionals,” said Mike Daley, president of Essilor Lenses. “Satis is committed to offering labs and chains AR technology with the sharpness, clarity and value that the Reflection Free NP® brand provides. After a comprehensive review of Satis technology, we feel there is strong technological compatibility that will produce exceptional Reflection Free NP® lenses.”

“Our goal is to help our customers grow their AR business using Satis and Essilor joint technologies and Essilor’s brand-building power,” said Larry Clarke, president of Satis Vacuum of America. “Essilor has continually demonstrated a commitment to building strong brands in our market and the Essilor name carries a lot of credibility.

The labs that decide to take advantage of these new opportunities should be able to leverage the strength of Essilor marketing programs to help build their own AR penetration.”

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Varilux®, Airwear® and Crizal® and Essilor Natural® are registered trademarks of Essilor International, S.A.
Reflection Free NP® is a registered trademark and Ovation® is a trademark of Essilor of America, Inc.
CR-39® is a registered trademark of PPG Industries, Inc.