Is Essilor Requiring labs to process lenses in Mexico (Fresh Rumour?)??

[bigeyejim]

Alright, sorry in advance for bringing this up!!

I heard from a very reliable source today that E is requiring all it's labs, whether they be ELOA, Partner or whatever classification to send 20% of their jobs to Mexico for processing. I heard this from a former lab employee.

Hate to open that can or worms, but this is very disturbing if it is indeed true. We tried a lens from another company, but after learning that the surfacing was done in China before being mailed to me, I immediately said, "no thanks."

Cuss and discuss:

Cheers

[Speed]

It's way past time to be concerned about what the big E does.

[bigeyejim]

I'm not as concerned with what E does...We don't use their products. I just have a 10 relationship with a lab that happens to be a partner lab. Slowly weaning...

[sharpstick777]

I am not a partner lab, but the way I understand it is that partner labs still order everything from Essilor Dallas (depending on the product, and thier individual capabilities) just like before, but its Essilor in Dallas that is distributing some of their production out of the Essilor Lab in Mexico City, which is then shipped to Dallas or in some cases direct to the partner labs.

I wouldn't worry about it too much though, Essilor has a long history of moving production around based on currency exchange rates and excess capacity, its a smart move really. Just a few years ago Essilor Dallas was shipping product all over the world when the dollar was low.

[Speed]

I'm not as concerned with what E does...We don't use their products. I just have a 10 relationship with a lab that happens to be a partner lab. Slowly weaning...

That's toooo funny! LOL!

[bigeyejim]

That's toooo funny! LOL!

Wow, now that I actually read that post, it is rather funny. No, I'm not concerned about E as a whole, just how it affects me and my relationship with my "partner" lab.

I guess that's what the "preview" button is for.


Cheers

[thep]

What's "funny" about it is that is sadly true; which may actually be why the industry is where it is.

[Audiyoda]

Well the ELOA lab in this city would do well to order from China - they recently instituted a third shift simply to keep up with all the breakage from the earlier shifts. But the few people that I know that still work there tell me nothing they order comes from China. Heard the same from a friend who is the President of a partner lab.

[DanLiv]

I use an Essilor partner lab and like them very much. They did disclose that Essilor, as a significant part owner in their company, is encouraging outsourcing to Mexico. However, the lab said is would affect only about 3% of our business. We are almost exclusively Varilux, so they may have been couching percentages in terms of our business rather than Essilor business as a whole.

You know, I like the idea "buy American" as much as the next American, but if consumers are not willing to pay for American product (they are not, hence the success of Walmart, et al), how can we retailers and wholesale suppliers afford to take a high road and keep production "American"? Saddest of all is that I can't even call the stuff coming out of Asia crap. I've sourced plenty of Asian frames (haven't we all) that are as good or better than "Made in..." France, Japan, Germany, Italy, or anywhere else exotically high fashion/tech. Asia (and apparently Mexico) is kicking our butts, and all we can do is capitulate or innovate. And we are not innovating...

EDIT: wow, that was a cynical post! I leave it as I posted it, but I'm really not that dour.

[Foureyedmo]

The big E will only get bigger. And we have learned to move on. Turn around time was horrible and now we get Crizal back in 4 bus days! Do yourself a favor move on.

[Speed]

We are almost exclusively Varilux,

Depending what stage you are in, you can look back now, or you will look back in the future and find this and think, that's what happen to us. It's already done. Make the best.

[Cliff Capriola]

I have heard this as fact from Mother Ship employees in North Carolina...they also plan to have all freeform & digital lenses processed offshore by 2012...

[Judy Canty]

...and so goes the economy...=(

[Chris Ryser]

According to their Mexican website they have 12 Labs:

http://www.essilorpro.com.mx/laboratorios.html