“By exhibiting in Silmo Istanbul, we increased our chances of following the developments in the sector and gaining a competitive advantage.”

Hello Mr. Mertcan, could you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you personally crossed paths with the optical sector?
Hello, I was born Mertcan Özel in Istanbul in 1997. Our Özeller Saat optical store, founded by my father İsmail Özel in 1991, was our first intersection with the optical sector. I have been working in stores since I was little, both finishing my schooling and supporting my father in stores. I graduated from Istanbul University Mechanical Engineering in 2019 with a good degree. Our paths crossed with Hui Huang because we are an old and strong company in the optical industry. Hui Huang is a company that has been producing for different brands since 2015, and we started to produce our own brands with us. With this, we started to get a share in the domestic and foreign markets with our own brands. We produce style products that can keep up with different fashion outside the standard.
Although you are a young company, you are successful with your vision. How and when did you decide to establish Hui Huang?
Hui Huang was established in 2017, taking into account the developments in domestic production and the need for plastic frames in the optical industry. It has set itself the goal of being the face of Turkey opening to the world by realizing many firsts in the sector. The reason why we are different from the market is that we can also make different styles of model molds that will appeal to customers in our own mold shop. This is our most distinctive feature that distinguishes us from our competitors. If we decide to make a model, we have the ability to turn it into a product within 10 days. At this speed and with this quality, we do not know any competitors in Turkey. Since the competitor companies have their molds made in China, the best deadline to receive the sample, receive the mold and start production can be 3-4 months. Our aim is to maximize localization in the optical sector and to make products of top group brand quality.
Could you tell us about your production activities in your factory in Istanbul and the functioning of your facility?
We produce plastic optical frames and sunglasses for our own brands and our customers’ brands from TR-90 raw materials. We have varnished and unvarnished production methods. We produce standard TR-90 products without varnish. We also produce varnished products by using different painting techniques in upper group products. Apart from our own brands, we also have the ability to prepare collections for the brands of our domestic and foreign customers. We produce for many brands in Turkey and abroad with their own models and colors.

What is your strategy for expanding your distribution and sales network?
In addition to our existing market, we are planning to expand into new markets, so that we can reach more customers with our products. We conduct market research to discover new markets. We work with distributors to distribute our products in different regions. We use online sales channels to reach a wider audience with our products. These channels include e-commerce sites, social media platforms and online marketplaces. Finally, we use advertising to increase the visibility of our business.
As a company investing in the sector, what are your thoughts and expectations about the development of the sector?
The eyewear industry has shown rapid growth in recent years. According to a study by Grand View Research, the global eyewear market was valued at $169.9 billion in 2022 and is forecast to continue growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.5% between 2023 and 2030. Factors behind this growth include changes in lifestyle, growing interest in luxury accessories, and eyewear manufacturers’ focus on developing attractive and affordable eyewear. Therefore, as an eyewear manufacturing company, we see a very bright future for the industry. In this context, we plan to increase our share in the sector by opening our company to new markets both through fairs and customer visits.
Do you follow international fairs and what are your thoughts on this subject?
Yes, we follow them very closely and we attach great importance to them. International fairs are important platforms for companies to promote their products and services on a global scale, find new customers, follow developments in the sector and establish business contacts. These fairs bring together industry professionals, offer cooperation opportunities and provide participants with up-to-date information on market trends. In addition, international fairs can help companies increase their competitive advantage and establish a presence in the global market.

November 2023