Essilor's dominating position is based on three assets:

  *Innovative, high-quality products,
  *Optimal worldwide structure that is highly reactive,
  *Teams designed to create synergies within their numerous specialties.

The first branch of the societe des Lunetiers opened in London at the late nineteenth century.
Essilor has always envisioned its expansion on an international scale.

Production takes place at several plants divided among three continents.

In North America, the world's leading corrective lens market, Essilor is number one in both organic and progressive lenses.

Independent opticians, groups, prescription laboratories, chain stores: however many clients there may be with different requirements, Essilor is determined to respond to their needs.

Essilor is the world's leading CORRECTIVE LENS manufacturer. It owes this stature to two major inventions: progressive lenses (Varilux), which revolutionized correction for presbyopia, and organic lenses (Olrma), which combine light weight and impact resistance.

In order to meet the specific requirements of each lens wearer in as short a time as possible, Essilor developed prescription lenses early on, which enabled them to provide custom-designed lens finishing's at a rapid rate.

The CONTACT LENS sector is showing extremely swift technological evolution, soft hydraulic lenses, and progressive contact lenses for presbyopic wearers. As an accompaniment to these lenses, Essilor also proposes a complete range of contact lens care products.

The INSTRUMENTS sector is targeted towards these professionals

Products include equipment used by opticians to measure and grind lenses with greater accuracy, speed and ease of use; as well as instruments designed to detect visual defects.

Essilor was created in 1972 as a result of the merger between the two leading French corrective lens manufacturers:

Essel (la Societe des Lunetiers), which, since its founding in 1849, has always combined capital and hard work, was characterized by extreme professionalism and an enduring tradition of participation and co-operation.

Silor, a newer company that bore the imprint of its founder Georges Lissac, allied inventiveness and commercial dynamism.

More than two-thirds of Essilor's employees work outside of France spread out among 35 countries over four continents. The staff of foreign subsidiaries are almost all recruited locally, contributing to growing mobility within the group and constant exchanges.