Walman and Soderberg fusion.....................

[Chris Ryser]

ST. PAUL, Minn--In a move that brings together two of the U.S.’s largest independent wholesale laboratory groups, the boards of directors for Soderberg Optical, Inc. and The Walman Optical Company announced late yesterday that the two companies have entered into a letter of intent that would result in a combination of the two businesses. The parties expect to close the transaction at the end of April.

[Jacqui]

This is gonna make a biggie.

[ken@foothills]

Walman's is employee owned, I would think they would have to do something tricky with the stock. Essilor wanted to buy Walmans a couple of years ago but ran into problems with the stock owned by the employees.

[impact500]

I think Soderberg is an ESOP - Employee Stock Ownership Plan firm also, so perhaps eases the problem.

[Chris Ryser]

I think Soderberg is an ESOP - Employee Stock Ownership Plan firm also, so perhaps eases the problem.

The problem will be a merged company will close branches and let poeple go by as many as they can. You can see that in any merger world wide.

Streamlining the operation and not have 2 operations in the same place. Office staff can handle the two operations with the staff of one.

Obviously both companies are suffering inder the present tough economic tough situation as well as the mounting competition by the multinational takeovers in this field.

[Aarlan]

Only a matter of time before Luxottica buys Soderberg/Walman...then nationwide domination will be almost complete. I gotta get a job there.

If you can't beat 'em, buy 'em.