I am looking for input on starting a surfacing lab. I am currently doing about 15 in-house jobs/day. We have been able to find SV uncut 1.60 lenses with AR for less than $8/pair. It seems that surfacing would only be a cost benefit for PALs and other premium lenses. Can anyone give me some guidance on what to expect my cost to be to produce premium PALs? What budget should one have for a surfacing lab?
Go to machinery suppliers..........................
The best answer you would get from the machinery suppliers that should have the right answer at their fingertips.Originally Posted by macularry
It is barely worth glazing 15 jobs a day, never mind surfacing.
With 15 jobs per day, I doubt that you will be able to justify the costs for surfacing and the headaches. You mentioned you can find single vision with AR for $8, now you will be surfacing non-finished lenses and if you want AR you have to send them out and wait the same amount of time that you have to wait to send the whole job out.
In any business if you have to ask for answers to basic questions about a business, maybe you do not have enough knowledge to go into that business.
Chris Ryser, suggested contacting the equipment manufacturers which will give more information, however I doubt any of them will discourage you from surfacing, since they sell equipment. You need to have someone who is not bias come in and evaluate this for you.
Based on the information provided you would be better off putting your capital to work in other areas. Look for what areas make you the most profit and expand on those. For example if single vision uncut is very profitable, then advertise this with an price incentive to get new customers. I assume you have never worked in a surfacing lab. Opening a small surfacing lab is not as easy as it sounds.
I would agree with the others.
There will be no improvement in turnaround time unless you spend massively on stock and the savings you make over finished lenses wil depend on breakage levels which at first will be high.
Please do not post wholesale costs on this site...
I don't think it's possible for an OD practice to come out on a surface shop There are too many things that can go wrong and spoil any savings, be it time or money.
There are a lot of other ways to drive yourself crazy, that are a lot less expensive. You will only end up both costing time, money, misery to yourself.
Wow! You have received such great advice from all the posts and I agree with each. I speak from experience as I opened a lab (in your market) a year ago. The great thing for me is that I have moved on to a bigger venture where the same headaches will be dulled by the volume. If you have specific questions send me a private message and I will give you my local contact info. We can discuss my experience and the local market.:)
You will make more Profit if you sell a premium coated product, and wait a day or so for the job to come in. If you educate your patients, that actually waiting is worth it, and the product quality better overall, you will also have a hight return rate for sight tests and dispensings
Your proposed route is a recipe for selling many cheap uncoated lenses, and you will need the volumes to justify the costs of the machinery. Better to invest the money in a shop re-fit and some advertizing
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