“Silmo Istanbul, where we exhibited for the first time, was marvellous in its 10th year. It was amazing to meet our business partners, meet new customers and experience that atmosphere.”

Hello Mr Tuncay, could you tell us a little bit about yourself and how your path crossed with the optical sector?
Hello, I was born in 1982 in Muş. I started my working life in 1999 in an valuable company serving in every field of the sector. Two years later, when I was only 18 years old, I founded my own company and I had contract manufacturing done by the company I used to work for under the Solingen brand ,and started sales and marketing in Istanbul with my brothers. Later, we started had contract manufacturing done by other factories and expanded to Anatolia. In 2003, we started importing to obtain better and more competitive products. When I look back from today, I am happy that I have been in the optical sector for 25 years, starting from the core of this profession and I am still doing my job with great enthusiasm. In the past, I worked in some non-governmental organisations such as Müsiad and Tobb. Currently, I am the Vice President of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce No. 73 Opticians and Watchmaking Committee. There, together with my committee member colleagues, we are trying to solve many problems of our sector and contribute to the development of our sector.
Could you tell us about the basic values and sectoral vision of Sarpa Optik?
Sarpa Optik was established in September 2001 in Sirkeci, Istanbul, the centre of the eyewear trade. When the 11 September attacks took place and the world economy entered a depressed period, it emerged as a brave example of entrepreneurship and took its place in the optical sector. Since the day it was founded, it continues its activities by growing steadily with the principle of honest trade. Working with its business partners with the principle of Win-Win based on trust, Sarpa Optik has always cared about the opinions, demands and suggestions of its business partners and has taken steps in this direction. Sarpa Optik is fully registered in the ÜTS system implemented by the Ministry of Health and is a domestic and national company and with its own capital, it has the success of launching its new collection steadily every 2 months. Sarpa Optik will continue its successful work in line with its sales strategy and growth targets with determination and determination.

How many brands do you have within the company? Could you share with us the basic features of your brands, interaction groups and their position in the sector?
We are actively in the market with our 6 brands as United Colors Of Benetton, Hemme Paris, Geoffrey Beene, which we distribute,  and Grey Flannel, Flannel, Solingen, whose rights belong to Sarpa Optik. United Colors of Benetton is arguably one of the most iconic brands of our time. Its optical and sunglasses collection offers classic and fashionable eyewear for men, women and children, blended with a variety of colour tones that set it apart from its competitors. It offers designs that mix and match bright hues and pastel frames, carefully designed to ensure comfort, fit and attention to detail that is unrivalled by other brands in its category, but never overdone, and that stand out for their own personal identity. Hemme Paris houses optical and sunglasses products made entirely from design and quality materials. The most striking, even timeless designs in our portfolio are found in this brand. Geoffrey Beene offers a range of high end optical products made from quality materials for adult men and women. Grey Flannel consists of top quality optical models that appeal to all age groups and has the widest range of models in our product groups. We have both optical and sunglasses models in our Flannel brand. This brand is positioned below our Grey Flannel brand in terms of price and contains alternative models that appeal to all age groups except children. In addition, the brand stands out with the quality mineral lenses used in the sunglasses models of this brand and classic men’s models. Solingen, on the other hand, has the most economically priced upper group quality optical and sunglasses models in our product groups.
Are there any new brands you plan to add to your portfolio?
As Sarpa Optik, we started with our Solingen brand in 2001, in 2003 we added our Flannel brand, then our Grey Flannel brand to our portfolio. Then we took the distributorship of our Geoffrey Beene brand. Then we took the distributorship of our Hemme Paris brand. In 2023, we collaborated with the UK-based Mondottica company and took the distributorship of our United Colors Of Benetton brand. We will not hold back from adding new brands to our portfolio that we believe will contribute to the sales, marketing and growth strategy of both us and our business partners and at the same time have a story and arouse excitement.

As Sarpa Optik, what kind of management strategy do you prefer in order to accelerate your growth?
First of all, I would like to say that our company has been growing steadily every year since its establishment. In fact, we ranked 169th in the list of tax record holders in 2019 in Istanbul Avcılar Tax Office, where we are affiliated. We have been on the list of tax record holders in other years. This is an indicator of Sarpa Optik’s success and contribution to the country’s economy. For this success, together with all my teammates, we always strive for the development and growth of the company. It is important for the success of the company that all employees in the company work comfortably and happily and their motivation is high. And we provide all kinds of support and contribution necessary for this. Sarpa Optik will continue on its way as a transparently managed family company with a solid infrastructure and strong capital structure.

How does your sales and distribution network function? What do you do to improve these networks?
As Sarpa Optik, we see our customers as our business partners and our only sales channel is our business partners. We care that our products are sold to the final consumer only through eyewear stores and we take every precaution in this regard. We apply the traditional marketing method with our marketing network spread all over Turkey. We have six marketing teams actively working in the field. Each team continues to work in its own region. Our teams go on regular tours every 2 months. When we prepare our collections beforehand, we make the planning accordingly. In each tour, we present to our business partners the new models of both the brands we distribute and our own brands, which we carefully design and contract manufacture in quality factories with the best material selection. We have a commercial relationship based on trust with our business partners and we provide the necessary support in terms of payment, service and spare parts after sales.
How would you evaluate the Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, which was held for the 10th time with its new and larger service area, from the beginning to today as an exhibitor company?
Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair has become the meeting point of the Turkish optical sector by raising the bar of success since the year it was organised and has managed to be among the top 5 optical fairs in the world. This is really a great success. I sincerely congratulate the entire Silmo Istanbul family who contributed to this success. In 2023, we, as Sarpa Optik, took our place as an exhibitor company in Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair for the first time when it was held for the 10th time in new and larger halls. The fair was great for us. It was amazing to meet our business partners, meet new customers and experience that atmosphere. I wish the success of Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair will continue to increase and I would like to express that we will be happy to be a part of it.

Thank you very much for this great interview. Finally, could we learn your views on the evolution of our magazine 4 your eyes to digital publishing?
Obviously, as in every sector, it is very important to have a magazine or even multiple magazines in our sector in order to learn information from the real source. Before, we used to follow every edition of the magazine and learn a lot of information from there, but now the world is digitalising and many magazines have been digitalised both in the world and in our country. Therefore, we now enjoy every time 4 your eyes is published and we get a lot of information. I congratulate you for this beautiful work you have done and I believe that you will continue to do it in the best way. On behalf of myself and my company, I would like to thank you very much for including me and my company in this interview.

April 2024

“First of all, Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair fulfills a very important task for the optical sector, where I think that sharing and unity are lacking.”

Hello Mr. Volkan. First of all, could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your story of entering the sector?
Hello. After completing my university education and gaining countless important experiences, I visited the optical fair of the period during the search for sponsors for the WTA Istanbul Tennis Cup tournament organized by the construction company where I was the training and sales coordinator in 2005. After the contacts and fieldwork I made here, we agreed with Optimist Optik, the Turkish distributor of Tag Heuer, one of the most important brands of the period, to sponsor the organization. Before and during the organization, I had the chance to work with both Optimist Optik and Gökhan Şahinler and Banu Baran, who carried out the agency works of the company. After the organization, I entered the sector as the Training and Marketing coordinator at Optimist Optik. I would like to thank them very much for guiding me to enter the optical sector, which I have been in with pleasure for a long time and had the chance to work in very important companies and at the end of this long road, I established my own company.

You are the distributor of important brands such as Woodys and Randolph in Turkey. What could you tell our readers about these brands?
Randolph is actually a brand with very special sunglasses that have been in the spotlight for many years, which we often see on movie and TV screens, but are less known because they are not even in the European market. In its 51st year, the company has been the sole supplier of the American army for the last 41 years. This is due to the extra features of the sunglass lenses and the special metal coatings that comply with military strength standards. An important part of the Randolph sunglasses collection consists of products with mineral lenses. In addition to the advantages of mineral lenses in terms of abbe value and contrast, all lenses have blue light blocking. The lenses are extra impact resistant and each has a special coating that prevents side and back reflections. All sunglasses are specially coated with metals such as gold, silver and chrome and are made in America. They are also the daily choice of many Hollywood stars. Woodys is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and continues to develop its collection and philosophy by adding to it every year. The glasses, which are blended with unique colors with special lamination technologies, blended with unique colors, with a unique structure by baking acetates obtained from natural components for 2 weeks, help end users to reflect their own style in terms of optical comfort and wearing comfort. The frames, which have an above-standard structure in terms of optical requirements, aim to provide the customers of optical establishments with comfort, quality, style and a sense of being different with a wide range of models. Sunglasses with the same features as optical frames reveal their difference in harmony with the slogan ‘Designed for special people’ inside the stem.

Does Optic 844 plan to add new brands to its brands or create its own brands?
Since we are a newly established company, our priority is to position the two brands we represent in the right way and make them products that the industry can benefit from to the maximum. Apart from this, we closely follow new brands and technologies in the sector. Our company is actually part of a dual structure and Optic 844 is a marketing company. Therefore, it is within our future vision to launch the brands that we think will be successful in our country with different formations.

What differences and innovations do you aim to offer to the optical sector?
I believe in the great potential of our sector and I think there is a long way to go. Therefore, I want to work in accordance with this idea. First of all, I aim to contribute to the development of the sector with our Prooptic training area, which can be used by our dealers and all sector stakeholders who request it. I have prepared a training program consisting of 5 main modules that are suitable not only for the features of our own brands but also for the needs of the sector. Here, we aim to share new information that the sector needs in every field and to clean the information pollution that prevents the healthy growth of our business. A person who does not know himself cannot improve himself. The seller who does not recognize the products he sells cannot improve himself. For this reason, we attach great importance to product information and ensuring that this information is transferred to end users and this will always be our priority. Our priority is to be a company that not only sells products but also supports selling them, a company that produces information, not gossip. In addition, we aim to introduce different brands to the Turkish market in accordance with the needs of the sector, specially for companies that are regionally or structurally adapted to the needs of the sector.

What is your strategy for expanding your distribution and sales network?
As we are a newly established company, I have to manage this process alone until the end of the year in order to maintain uninterrupted training and information flow along with the product. Afterwards, we will expand the team with colleagues who are established in their regions and have the same vision. I believe in the importance of effective visits and the frequency of these visits. After the stage of creating our dealer network, we will try to create a structure where our new teammates will make frequent and effective visits and I will spend more time on trainings and information sharing.

In the light of your experience in the sector, how would you evaluate the current state, development and near future of the Turkish optical sector?
As someone who has witnessed the growth of the sector for the last 19 years and has frequently listened to our esteemed elders before that, I think that the growth will continue unabated. In fact, I have the idea that the potential is not used well enough and that we will reach much better points with projects and economic formations that will realize the growth rate and the use of idle potential together. I think it is necessary to raise awareness of consumers about using glasses, to learn that they can get extra benefits by having better glasses and lenses, to analyze their needs correctly and to work on the fact that using more than one pair of glasses will change their lives positively. We are working on this issue on our behalf. There are important examples of the contribution of properly informed consumers to the sectoral volume. I believe that the proliferation of these examples will bring the sector to a new threshold.

Do you follow international fairs and what are your thoughts on this subject?
I have been following international fairs for many years. I follow the innovations and developments even in the fairs I cannot attend. I think these fairs are an important source about how our sector can develop in our country. In addition, it is an indispensable situation for determining the areas where we are lacking and following the trends and habits of using glasses abroad. It also sheds light on how to see the product diversity of the sector and not to get stuck in a small pool of brands.

How would you evaluate the Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, which is being held for the 10th time with its new and larger service area, from the beginning to today as an exhibitor company?
I met the sector with a visit to an optical fair. I had the chance to participate in every subsequent fair. This year, I enjoyed Silmo Istanbul with my own company and stand. First of all, Silmo Istanbul fulfills a very important task for the optical sector, where I think that sharing and unity are lacking. It is a unifying organization that eliminates the disadvantages of competing in an environment where the potential is not fully utilized. My priority regarding the fair has always been based on developing relationships, information and ideas. With this approach, I believe that every moment spent at Silmo Istanbul contains developments that will reflect positively on business development afterwards. Annual results may vary according to the economic conjuncture, but the pleasure of the sector being together does not change. I hope that the fair, which no longer fits in its old spaces, will continue to grow in the coming years as an element that brings the sector together. The award ceremony held this year was also an indicator of the point reached.

Thank you very much for this valuable interview. Finally, can we learn your views on the evolution of our magazine 4 your eyes into digital publishing?
Publishing has been digitalized in many areas. I congratulate 4 your eyes magazine for carrying the principle of impartial publishing to the digital environment in order to share the shares related to the sector with more people and wish them continued success.

March 2024

Silmo Istanbul, which was held for the tenth time this year, has grown very professionally, innovatively and in step with the times. We are very happy to be a part of it.

Hello Ms. Gülçin & Ms. Ayşenur… Could you introduce yourself to our readers and tell us about how you decided to enter the optical sector?
Hello. I am Gülçin Ündemir, I graduated from Istanbul University, Faculty of Economics and my first introduction to the sector was when I applied to ic! berlin’s job advertisement during my higher education in Germany. I got a part-time job at the company during my studies and when I decided to return to Turkey, the company offered me a job. In 2014, after 6 months of preparation, we opened the Turkish office of the German company and until 2020, we established our sales network in Turkey as a limited liability company with foreign capital and introduced the ic! berlin brand to Turkish Opticians and end consumers. Despite the difficult economic and political atmosphere of the country, we have achieved success with a gradually increasing sales curve and the support of our dear customers who trust us and our product.
With which aims and objectives did you decide to establish your company?
Together with my sister Ayşenur Ündemir, we established our own company Ündemir Optik in 2021 and continued our activities as the distributor of the brand from where we left off. There was no major change for us because we were already a very independent office as the German company’s representatives in Turkey. All the responsibility was on us and the management belonged to us. So there were no changes during the transition period except for some official arrangements and applications. We quickly decided to establish the company upon the suggestion of Germany because our relationship with the brand for 12 years and our increasing sales graph was enough to motivate us. We spent a lot of effort to introduce the brand in our country and achieve success, and we achieved our goal. Moreover, since we were now distributors, we had the freedom to incorporate new brands. However, thanks to our belief in the brand, we decided that it would be better to spend maximum effort on a single brand during the transition period. After three years, we have signed agreements with new brands and we are ready to expand our product portfolio with new, high-end European brands that fit our vision and working principles.

As we all know, you have been the distributor of ic! berlin brand in Turkey for a long time. Could you give us detailed information about the brand?
Founded in Germany in 1996, ic! berlin is the inventor of the screwless temple system, as readers may know. The glasses are handmade in Berlin from flexible, screwless, impact-resistant, stainless German steel and other materials such as durable natural rubber and carbon. It is a lifestyle brand and even a pioneer among lifestyle brands. The eponymous city of Berlin is in its Dna. It’s not just a brand name. As someone who lived in Berlin for 3 years and spends certain times of the year there, I am a witness to how the brand parallels the design language of the city of Berlin. Berlin is a constantly evolving, transforming, multi-layered European metropolis and we can see all these qualities that make the city attractive in the ic! berlin brand. It has always been very enjoyable for me to watch the development and transformation of the brand. Because it has always grown for the better and forward-looking. From my point of view, the fact that Germans do not compromise on robustness and technology, which is also part of their culture, their design approach that always prioritizes function and quality, and the fact that they do not give up their own line while following the trends is a strategy worthy of appreciation.
You introduced ic! berlin’s 2024 collection at Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair. How was the feedback?
The feedback was extremely positive. The collection is always getting better and this is reflected in our sales. New alternative models have been added to some of our best-selling models. One of the advantages of my close relationship with the brand and the company and having worked under their roof for a long time is that I am in dialog from the Production Manager to the designers. In this way, my feedback on the needs of my market is taken into account. Some new models that were found successful only in our market were added to the collection and the results of this were the good reactions we received at the fair.

Could you share with us the main features of your brands, their interaction groups and their position in the sector?
We define ic! berlin as a technological design brand. It is a light, functional, durable, user-friendly product. The collection is extremely wide and has a very good distribution within itself. Thus, it appeals to a consumer group in the premium segment that can have different styles. There is a product group called Core Collection, which has timeless and classic designs; a product group with more innovative and extraordinary designs, a product group that is more on the pulse of fashion; a product group that includes our collaborations with Mercedes Benz and AMG, which includes our partnerships with famous designers and brands; a product group with engineering marvel designs that include different materials and innovations, such as our newly launched patented carboflex collection made of carbon. All these different product groups are united by one common point: superior quality and being from Berlin. Our brand primarily appeals to the end consumer who knows the answer to the question “What is good design?”, who is eager and open to learn even if they do not know the answer, and naturally to the optical stores that are curious, love their business and are open to development. We are eager to improve ourselves and contribute to expanding the vision of the sector. I think we have an idealistic attitude in this regard and we are glad that this is the case.
What is your strategy for expanding your distribution and sales network?
We participate in national and international fairs. These participations are effective in establishing the first contact with our new potential customers. We make store visits in most regions of Turkey. We take our customers who have been loving our brand for a certain period of time on a factory tour and let them get to know the story of the product more closely, and this is usually very effective and reflects positively on sales. Since this is a lifestyle product, the person selling the product needs to know it very well and, moreover, love it. For this reason, we do not have an overly expansionist sales policy. We have not suffered any damage from this policy so far. Telling the story of the brand and educating the staff is our favorite and the thing we emphasize the most. We are open and moderate to serve and support opticians all over Turkey who are open to this, who agree with us to adopt a common strategy, and who look at working with us as a cooperation.
Do you follow international fairs and what are your thoughts on this subject?
Of course we do, we participate in all fairs in Europe. We find it necessary and enjoyable to keep the pulse of the sector. Because I think these world-renowned fairs are very important for following global trends and creating business opportunities.
As an exhibitor, how would you evaluate the Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, which was held for the 10th time with its new and larger service area?
Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, organized for the tenth time this year, has shown a very professional, innovative and contemporary growth. Silmo Istanbul, continuing its journey on its own with its Parisian partners, has managed to prove its strength to the professionals of the sector. We are watching this growth and development story with love and pride.
Thank you very much for this valuable interview. Finally, could we learn your views on the evolution of our magazine 4 your eyes into digital publishing?
It is pleasing to see your magazine keeping up with the times and this inspires us. The news and interviews in the magazine are always up-to-date and prepared with great effort. We thank you very much for the devoted effort you provide to the sector.

February 2024

Silmo Istanbul has become the locomotive of the Turkish optical sector in this ten-year development process and we are very happy and proud of this development as a company in the sector.

Hello Mr. Tankut, could you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you personally crossed paths with the optical industry?
Hello, I was born in Antakya in 1970. After completing my primary, secondary and high school education at Private Işık High School, I started my higher education at Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Chemical Engineering. Since I was raised knowing that university education is necessary but not sufficient for business life, I started business life in the first year of my university education in order to gain experience in business life. After completing my chemical engineering career, I completed my second university by completing my Economics education, which I believe contributed a lot to my business life. Our paths crossed with my partner at a time when I felt it was time to bring a different perspective to the sector. My partner is also a graduate of Marmara University Fine Arts and has worked in senior management positions on design in various brands for years. We set out with a shared vision and the belief that we were ready to take on a mission.

Although you are one of the young companies, you are drawing a successful graphic with your vision. How and when did you decide to establish Prm Mağazacılık?
We established Prm Mağazacılık Hizmetleri Ticaret A.Ş. in 2010 with the aim of bringing different brands to the Turkish market. While establishing our company, our primary goal was to position the brands in the right place and with the right strategies while ensuring that the brands we brought from abroad could fill certain gaps in the domestic market. In this way, we have met many new brands and products and as a result of the efforts we have made with our experienced team and focus groups consisting of consumers to bring them to the Turkish market, Meller was the eyewear brand that introduced us to the optical sector as well as many clothing and accessories brands that we have brought to the Turkish market.

Let’s talk a little bit about your brands. Could you share with us the main features of your brands, their interaction groups and their position in the sector?
Meller is a very young and dynamic brand established in Barcelona, Spain in 2010. Our Meller brand started to find its place in the Turkish market as of 2018 and as of today, we can say that it is a well-known and sought-after brand. It is one of the fashion brands that use social media most effectively. It is a fast dynamic brand that is preferred by new generations and follows the fashion of the day very quickly. Meller offers both quality and affordable products to consumers with a wide range of models and colors. Freesbee, our other brand, is our second optical eyewear brand that we have brought after the success of Meller and is an American California brand. With the same goals, Freesbee is produced in 100 percent acetate with high quality and accessible prices. Although it entered the sector in 2022, it has become a highly acclaimed and popular brand. With our special agreement with U.S, we have decided to make Turkey a regional supply center and we have made an agreement to carry out sub-distributorships abroad, especially in Europe, Arab countries and Russia, which are in our close geography, through Turkey.

What is your priority when determining the collections of your brands? What inspires you while designing your products?
For the collection selections, we primarily follow international fairs and combine the trends of the season with our own vision and gustom and make choices in accordance with our own market. Of course, our collection and model selections are also guided by current customer interest and demands. We supplement them with at least four collections and color variants per season. Since Freesbee and Meller have a very wide product and collection structure, we have a design team that works very meticulously to bring the most up-to-date models together with consumers. In addition to closely following the trends in the relevant season, our design team also analyzes customer tastes and behaviors in detail and makes model and color choices accordingly.

What is your strategy for expanding your distribution and sales network?
When expanding our distribution and sales network, we are working on a very careful strategy that we have worked on beforehand. Our roadmap is determined before the brand enters the country. We take great care to make sure that brands meet their consumers at the right points of sale and in the right way, rather than being everywhere and on every corner. In this regard, we go a little out of the ordinary and first create the tastes and consumers of the brands. Then, we establish and develop long-term collaborations with sales points that are in line with the dynamics of the brands. Our aim is to be on the supply and promotion side of a long-term and winning business model rather than selling products. We work with only one point of sale in each city except for big cities. Our primary goal is to create demand for brands. In this direction, I can say that we use social media channels very actively.
As a company investing in the sector, what are your thoughts and expectations about the development of the sector?
Obviously, we think that the Turkish optical sector is still developing compared to abroad and has a long way to go. We think that the cumbersome retailers who are still stuck in the old methods should make more efforts to adapt to the development processes and the current new system retail. We think that companies and brands that can no longer interact with their end customers through social media management and communication will have much more difficulties. We foresee that it will be much more difficult for companies and brands that do not have a message to give to their consumers and are not accessible at any time to survive in the next five to ten years compared to the last five to ten years. We also think that the sector needs more innovative and dynamic young managers and labor force with a vision. In addition, we think that the government’s support and incentives for companies, especially in the areas of exports and digital transformation, will increase their contribution to the free growth of the Turkish optical and retail market, and thus the sector’s place in the market may become more important.
Do you follow international fairs and what are your thoughts on this subject?
We think that fairs are a very important building block in sectoral growth and that it is necessary to follow the right fairs accordingly. Of course, we follow all the important fairs as visitors and exhibitors and I think we get the returns. Silmo Paris carries the banner at the forefront in international fairs in this regard, and we follow it regularly with great appreciation as it opens our vision.
As an exhibitor, how would you evaluate Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, which is being held for the 10th time with its new and larger service area?
After following Silmo Istanbul closely as a visitor since the first year it was held, we participated as an exhibitor for the first time this year after the pandemic that intervened. Frankly speaking, before exhibiting in Silmo Istanbul, we did not fully understand how effective the fair was. At Silmo Istanbul, the visitors reflected their trust and appreciation for the fair to us and our brands and we received very positive feedback. We were very pleased with the demands we received, especially in the face of the intense demand of foreign customers. We have started distributorship negotiations with many neighboring countries for Freesbee and we have concluded this process with some of them. Silmo Istanbul has become the locomotive of the Turkish optical sector in this ten-year development process and we are very happy and proud of this development as a company in the sector.
Thank you very much for this valuable interview. Finally, can we learn your views on the evolution of our magazine 4 your eyes into digital publishing?
Frankly speaking, we think that 4 your eyes magazine has filled the sectoral gap very well in the process of the shift of printed publications to digital. We are eagerly waiting for the new episode to be published every month. Endless thanks to you for your meticulous and diligent work.

January 2024

“Silmo Istanbul is a meeting point for us with friends. Every year it progresses by putting more and more on top with beautiful crowds. Especially in terms of both exhibitors and visitors, there is a serious increase in local and foreign visitors.”

Hello Mr. Cem, first of all, thank you for opening the doors of your factory to us and for your nice welcome. Adel Lens company made a big investment this year and started to work with the “Automatic Production” system. Could you inform us about this state-of-the-art production line and what it brings to the sector?
First of all, we are very happy and proud to be the first company to bring the fully automated production line to Turkey. The automatic line we saw in a few companies during our travels abroad always impressed us a lot and we believed that our country should definitely have this line. We are proud to have achieved this. After this investment, we were happy to receive a lot of support and congratulatory phone calls from our sector. This innovation will definitely have an impact on the future vision of the sector, because the trend in the world is no longer walking towards automation, it is almost running. All products will of course be made in an automated system. Delivery times will definitely be shorter, and the impact on quality will be at the highest level, completely independent of human beings and tied to the standard. The price increase will not be different from the realities of the sector.
How many brands do you have? What distinguishes your products from your competitors?
As Adel Lens, we have three brands. Among these, our Cortex brand is our main brand and a brand we have been using since our establishment. It includes single focus, bifocal and progressive product groups. Since we have to constantly update ourselves and our investment, we added our Oppo brand to our organization with the new software in 2019. Oppo also includes single focus and progressive. In 2020, we expanded our product range with the latest software we received. Our latest addition to our Adel Lens family is our Cyber Eye Progressive product. We strive to continuously improve ourselves and bring innovations that will add value to our production and products.

Do you produce lens in all indexes here?
I can easily say that our product range is extremely wide. We produce all indices 1.5-1.56-1.57-1.61-1.61-1.67-1.74 under three different brands of single focus-bifocal (S2-Eline-Aphak Bifocal) – progressive lenses in our production facilities in Istanbul. Twenty-five to thirty percent of our production is exported. From our own sales office in Bulgaria, which has been in operation for eight years, we have serious work with both the Bulgarian market and the Balkan countries. In addition, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan are among the countries where we have dealerships. In addition to all these, I would like to point out that our main production site is in Iran. Our production facility in Iran produces both our own brand and the Indo brand. We are both the largest production facility in Iran and the leader in the sector.
What is your annual production capacity? How much do you aim to increase your capacity with the automated production system?
Our annual production capacity was two hundred and sixty thousand pairs. After we switched to a fully automated production system and started using the fully automated production line, we achieved a significant capacity increase of sixty percent and reached the level of producing four hundred fifteen thousand pairs annually.

Why should an optical store prefer Adel Lens Optik brands?
I can count quality, trust, speed, after-sales service, instant problem solving as the main reasons for optical stores to choose Adel Lens brands. Of course, as one of the most important elements, I can not leave out the existence of our regional managers in the Adel Lens family and our team working devotedly alongside them. Because each member of this team is now a real brand name in their own region. When the features I mentioned at the beginning are combined with this magnificent team, it becomes even easier to be the reason for preference.
As a company that has been exhibiting in Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair for many years, how would you interpret the contributions and development process of the fair? As a manufacturer company, what are your expectations from Silmo Istanbul Fair?
Silmo Istanbul Optical fairs are a meeting point for us with friends. Happily, thanks to the kindness of our optician friends, the fair is very crowded and beautiful every year. Especially with our dinner program on the evening of the third day, which we have made a tradition, we reinforce this beautiful meeting. Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair is progressing by putting more and more on it every year. There is a significant increase in both local and foreign exhibitors and visitors. We will continue to do whatever it takes for the fair of such a beautiful city to become even more international. Because this organization, this city really deserves it.

December 2023

“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.

Let’s talk a little bit about your brands. Could you share with us the main features of your brands, their interaction groups and their position in the sector?
We currently offer services with our three brands. With Pourchet, one of our brands, we offer affordable, quality price performance product frames from standard TR-90. With our Imabari Kinsei brand, we offer products in the middle segment for men and women. Finally, we continue to serve with Louis Barton, our brand for men only.
What is your priority when determining the collections of your brands? What inspires you while designing your products?
Our point of inspiration is “extraordinary”. Acting with this motto, our company has the most different and creative collection in Turkey. With our self-colored injection glasses, which are the world’s first and only self-colored injection glasses, we plan to be the change-maker face of Turkey on international platforms. Understanding the needs and expectations of our customers becomes a priority in the design process. We strive to design comfortable and functional eyewear that suits the style of our customers. We follow the trends in the fashion world and try to offer our customers eyewear in line with the latest trends. The choice of material is an important factor in eyewear design. The quality of the materials can have an impact on the durability and comfort of the eyewear. Therefore, we are meticulous in the choice of materials. Colors can reflect the style and personality of the glasses. Therefore, we are careful in the choice of colors. Our sources of inspiration include the world of fashion, nature, art and architecture. Inspired by these sources, we strive to design unique and creative eyewear.

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.

As an exhibitor, how would you evaluate Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, which will be held for the 10th time with its new and larger service area?
Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair is a very important platform for companies in the optical sector. When we participated for the first time, we had the opportunity to network with other companies in the sector, find new customers and introduce our products to a wide audience. By participating in Silmo Istanbul, we increased our chances of following the developments in the sector and gaining a competitive advantage.
Thank you very much for this valuable interview. Finally, could you tell us about the evolution of our magazine 4 your eyes to digital publishing?
We consider your magazine’s transition to digital publishing as a positive step in terms of reaching a wider readership and presenting content interactively. Digital platforms allow for a closer connection with readers by providing fast access, sharing and interaction opportunities. It is also important to offer a remarkable and user-friendly experience in digital compared to traditional print publishing. In this sense, we think that the digital evolution of 4 your eyes magazine will have very good results.

November 2023

“We are excited to be exhibiting our brands for the first time this year at Silmo Istanbul.”

Hello Mr. İlker… Could you introduce yourself to our readers and tell us about how you decided to enter the optical sector?
Since the optical sector is a profession that constantly improves itself, focuses on human health and directly affects the quality of life, I have been working in this sector since 1999 with the motivation of what I can put on it with the same excitement every day. After working for many years in the wholesale and retail departments of the important companies of the sector, I have been trying to be useful with all my equipment to realize our development goals for the sector under the roof of Ademur Optik since 2020.

With what goals and objectives did you decide to establish your company?
Ademur Optik is a company established in 2012 with 100% domestic capital, aiming to operate in every field of the optical sector, growing with fast and confident steps. We have two special brands, Original Vintage Sunglasses and Nano Vista, which we distribute together with our own brand Roysse. They are delivered to the consumers through exclusive optical stores in our country.

Could you tell us about your brands, technical specifications and customer profile?
As Ademur Optik, we are bringing our products together with our suppliers as the distributor of Nano Vista and Orginal Vintage Sunglases brands in Turkey at Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, where we will be exhibiting for the first time this year. Nano Vista is an eco-friendly brand that aims for glasses to adapt to children instead of children adapting to glasses, allowing children to live comfortably with their glasses without setting rules and without fear of breaking them. We care a lot about sustainability, so we bring together the world’s most durable baby/child/teen (0/14 years) collection with our suppliers. All products are made of Siliflex material. Therefore, they are super flexible and very resistant to breakage. The Nano Glow series has glow-in-the-dark arms, making it easy for your child to find their glasses when they wake up at night and increases safety by making your child more noticeable in low light conditions at night. Nano Clip On series can be used with two different band options. This allows children to carry out all their daily activities with a single pair of glasses. Clip on sunglasses have UV 400 protected Polarized lens + Blue Block lens with full protection. Original Vintage Sunglasses is the original Italian brand that adapts the iconic designs of the past to the present, with extraordinary models, unique handmade craftsmanship and premium materials. For all models, orders can be created by selecting lens and frame combinations. Products can be completely personalized with rich accessory options. The collections include designs that bring together the past and the present.

What are your sales and after sales services?
We offer uninterrupted service for all the brands we distribute through our online wholesale website b2b.ademuroptik.com, where our dealers can be reached 24/7 from anywhere in Turkey, create fast orders in the comfort of the store, supply spare parts, check their current accounts and make payments safely whenever they want. In addition, we attach importance to providing fast feedback by identifying deficiencies and needs on the spot by establishing one-to-one communication with our dealers through our placers who visit the optical stores in Turkey region by region.

What are your comments on the present and future of the Turkish optical sector?
The optical sector in Turkey offers great opportunities and a bright perspective for the future. New technological developments, innovations and online sales platforms are accelerating the growth of the sector and increasing its capacity to provide better service to customers. In the future, the optical industry is expected to pay more attention to innovations focused on sustainability, personalization and health.

 

What can you say about 2023-2024 trends in optics and sunglasses?
Digital blue light protection technologies are the most prominent trends in the optical and sunglasses industry for 2023-2024. At the same time, sustainability and the use of recyclable materials are on the rise.  Especially in summer, frames in vibrant and fun colors are preferred. Geometric designs and sharp lines are also trending.

You are among the exhibitors of Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, which will be held on November 23-26, 2023. What are your expectations from fairs? How would you evaluate the ten-year process of Silmo Istanbul?
We are very excited to be exhibiting in Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair for the first time this year. Such international fairs are excellent opportunities to follow developments in the industry, make new business contacts and showcase our products. Ten years of Silmo Istanbul is a great success in supporting developments in the optical industry and bringing together stakeholders in this field. Such events are important for contributing to the growth of the industry and providing innovative solutions.

What are your views on our magazine 4 your eyes, which has started to publish digitally?
Digitalization is of great importance in the optical industry as it is in every sector today.  This innovation of 4 your eyes will make a significant contribution to the digitalization process of the sector. This is an important opportunity for the optical sector to reach more people and raise awareness in the sector.

October 2023

Silmo Istanbul creates wonderful circumstances where boutique companies like us can express themselves more effectively and accurately.

Hello Mr. Cinemre… Could you introduce yourself to our readers and tell us about how you decided to enter the optical sector?
Hello there. I am Kadir Cinemre, I was born in Istanbul, I graduated from Işık University Opticianry Department. I have been in the optical sector for about twenty years. Firstly, in 2006, I started to work in a lens company, which is a pioneer in its sector and a world brand, in order to specialize in the sales and marketing department. Then, in 2010, I continued as a brand sales manager in a company that is a distributor of world brands in the frame department. The variability of the optical sector and its proximity to fashion were the factors that brought me closest to this sector. I think it is a sector that is very open to innovation and we can add a lot to it.

With which aims and objectives did you decide to establish your company?
I met the optical sector in 2006. I worked in different positions in every part of the sector. I worked as a sales manager of different brands in different companies. I was constantly intertwined with brands in lens, frame, wholesale and retail departments. Afterwards, with my vintage curiosity, I rolled up my sleeves to prepare retro glasses for the coming years. After mastering many areas of the sector, I focused on production in line with my goals. The idea of creating local and handmade products with retro lines led me to a very exciting start.

Could you tell us about the Mooshu brand, its customer profile and technical features?
Mooshu brand was born as a 100% Turkish brand from design to production. The name meaning of the brand comes from the word Men with the letter (M); that is, having hard and masculine lines, the letters (OO) represent glasses, (S)(H)(U) comes from the word SHE, which represents women in English; it represents women having curved and aesthetic lines. Ninety percent of our brand’s designs are unisex. It has sophisticated and vintage lines that both women and men can prefer. We attach importance to offering original designs as well as being useful. Our customer profile consists of users who expect comfort in light but flashy glasses with different designs. The most important principle of Mooshu brand is ‘if it’s not qualified, don’t make it’. Every single piece used in production is carefully designed. Each model is revised about five times before it is presented to the users. We keep working on it until we find perfection. All Mooshu models have screwless and weldless designs. We have an innovation-oriented dynamic. We put a lot of effort into improving our production systems, so we spend a lot of time on technological studies and R&D. We already use the technologies that the world offers as innovations in coating in Turkey. We produce long-lasting products with titanium coating.

We make the production of our lenses with our own color chart. All our lenses are anti-reflective coated and consist of PA lenses that provide a clear vision. Our products are cut and assembled with laser technologies. We work with a margin of error of one thousandth. This year we have added a bio-acetate series to our new collection. We offer the combination of acetate body and metal temples to our customers this year. Again, we tend to approach zero carbon consumption with products that are completely compatible with nature, all of which come out of our own workshop in Turkey. Our eyewear cases are made of vegan leather. We design and manufacture them in Turkey.

What are your sales and after sales services?
While we are constantly meeting with our sales team friends, we are actually looking for a partner for our dream. We determine our sales points accordingly. It is very important for us to protect our brand value. It is not our business just to sell products and make money. We spend our earnings, knowledge and values to move our brand forward. Since the production belongs to us, we do not have supply problems with our customers for any model or product. We prioritize the satisfaction of our customers and therefore their customers in terms of spare parts such as all kinds of lens, springs, hooks and terminals. Nobody wants to wait weeks for a spare part. We have to take our share from ourselves.

Which promotional and advertising activities do you use to increase your recognition in the sector?
We strive to use social media effectively in order to bring our brand to better points and make it a well-known and recognized brand. We aim to reach different audiences by collaborating with famous personalities. Influencer studies support us and optical stores to sell our products. The use of our products by well-known and recognized people gives confidence to our customers. Along with social media, we see that participation in optical fairs also provides us with a lot of benefits. We add a lot of innovations to our brand and experience in fairs with new optical stores, employees and young optician friends. At the same time, fairs are the gateway to the world market. This is our aim anyway. To be a world brand.

What are your comments on the present and future of the Turkish optical sector?
I think that the Turkish market has become a market that the world cannot ignore. Especially high value-added products like ours attract a lot of attention in Europe. There is an intense interest in Turkey. Increasing transportation costs and costs after the pandemic reduced interest in the Far East market. I think there is an intense interest in our country. We are preparing for the future by increasing our investments, R&D studies and capacity every year. I think that Turkish brands will soon be among the world brands and our vision will increase every year and add added value to our country.

What could you say about 2023 trends in optics and sunglasses?
Last year and a few seasons before, minimal eyewear were more popular. However this year, large and multi-colored models have become a trend. Large acetate models have been preferred recently. Pastel colors are at the top of the preferences. We prefer products in extraordinary colors and timeless lines in our Mooshu models. The aim here is to create the trend. Instead of presenting existing trends to our loyal customer base, we prefer to offer the trends we create.

You said that you exhibit in fairs… Do you get what you expect from fairs? How would you evaluate the ten-year process of Silmo Istanbul?
We have been exhibiting in Silmo Istanbul for two years and we leave with a smile on our faces after every fair. The new people we meet, dealers and industry followers from abroad open new doors for us. It creates wonderful circumstances where boutique companies like us can express themselves more effectively and accurately. The fact that Silmo Istanbul attracts great interest from abroad is a stepping stone for companies like us that are on their way to becoming a world brand. This year, we think that we will have a much more productive fair process for our sector in the new expanded space of Silmo Istanbul.

Our magazine has made another innovation and continues its publication life digitally. In this way, we establish a more effective and intense interaction. How would you interpret this innovation of 4 your eyes and its work on behalf of the optical industry?

As it is an up-to-date and dynamic magazine, we can find all the innovations in the sector under a single roof. I believe that the magazine is the only place for boutique companies like us to be heard by the whole sector. The fact that the magazine is online is a great innovation. Now everyone will be able to reach you, and therefore us, from anywhere. We can see from social media how important interaction is today. It is a great convenience to be able to interact with your magazine just a touch away in our pockets. We would like to thank the 4 your eyes team for bringing us to a wider audience with this innovation.

August 2023

Could you tell us about the properties of the materials used in the production of Slastik brand and the technology of production?
Slastik is one of the visionary companies that attaches special importance to the issue of sustainability, which has become a trend in many sectors, and acts proactively in this regard and takes action in advance. It has been considering this issue for years while conducting R&D studies based on continuous development. First, it started to produce environmentally friendly products by using Rilsan® Clear G850, a plant-based material that we call bio-based in the production of glasses. This material not only provides high performance with a highly flexible structure for the product, but also allows for a lower carbon footprint. For some time now, the brand has also been developing its eco-friendly credentials by using recycled materials in the production of all ancillary materials, including eyeglass cases and eyeglass storage pochettes.

Let’s talk about the new designs of Slastik eyewear. Is it difficult to implement different designs in your collections produced with a special technology and technique?
Since the collections are designed in Spain, even though we are not involved in the design process, there are periods when we exchange ideas with the brand owner in terms of design. In general, it is not difficult to implement different designs, but the brand focuses on more timeless designs. Even if new models are added to the collection, the brand does not aim to create a new collection every year. Instead, it prefers to constantly improve the color range of the models.

A few years ago, the Slastik brand filed a lawsuit against some manufacturers and dealers in Turkey for producing and selling imitations. Could you tell us about the role you played in this process and how is the case going on?
Actually, we do not have a role in this process. As I mentioned before, the brand owner has been filing lawsuits against manufacturers and dealers who violate Slastik patents in many countries around the world, including the largest manufacturer of imitation glasses in China. Contrary to popular belief, the first lawsuits in Turkey were actually filed in 2014-2015 and resulted in favor of Slastik. The reason for the increased awareness of this issue in the sector in recent years is that the brand owner has contracted with a new law firm that specializes in patent rights. As far as we know, this new law firm acted very quickly as soon as they received the trademark owner’s power of attorney, investigated the sellers and manufacturers of imitation products and initiated the processes within the scope of the law. As I said, we had no involvement in this process, but we did our best to inform the parties involved through all possible channels. We know that lawsuits have been filed against some opticianry establishments that sell imitation products and the lawsuits are ongoing.

We know that you have created your own brand as Optist Optik Ürünler. How is your journey with Blue-Coral going? What is your inspiration for the designs? Do you produce the brand in Turkey?
Creating our own brand has been a dream of mine for a long time and we finally started production this year. Our products are made of acetate material in Italy. When we created the first collection of our brand, we preferred the middle and upper segment reading glasses product type, which we thought was open in the sector. When we chose the name BlueCoral, which means Mavi Mercan in Turkish, we emphasized the marine theme. In our collection, which we started with four models, we determined the model names by considering the marine theme. Although we started with four models, we kept the color scale quite wide. From now on, we will continue to invest in our own brand. We are at the stage of presenting our products to the market and our next step will be to diversify our collection with new designs.

As a company that has been exhibiting in Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair for many years, what are your thoughts about the fair? How would you interpret the contributions of Silmo Istanbul to you and the sector?
Since we do not have a large sales team, it is very important for us to show our presence in fairs. Instead of the cost of establishing a sales team, we prefer to invest in our online dealer portal within the scope of modern shopping trends and reach opticians across Turkey and introduce our brands at Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair. In this way, we try to pull back our sales prices that we offer to our dealers. As Optist Optik Ürünler, we are very happy to take part in Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair since the beginning. We think that your energy, problem solving and positive approach during the whole fair process has created an unprecedented synergy for the sector. In addition to the fact that being an international fair contributes to the export of local brands to nearby markets, we think that Silmo Istanbul is a very effective organization in terms of promoting the brands/products of companies like us that do not have a large sales team, following the developments in the sector and establishing a network.

July 2023

“Silmo Istanbul is an organization that we have been supporting since its foundation, perhaps feeling like its founder like many of our colleagues. We don’t see its success story very different from Novax’s.”

Hello Mr. Murat Balcı… As Beta Optik, we know that you have a highly developed and large facility. Could you tell us about your production process and capacity?
As Beta Optik, we are the pioneer company that brought FreeForm technology to our country in the production of eyeglass lenses. At that time, we were the first practitioner in Turkey of the method of producing eyeglass lenses with software, which was just beginning to be used in the world. In the years we have left behind, we have invested more and more in technology every day, further expanding the advantage given to us by the fact that we took off earlier than all our competitors in the sector. We have made our brand synonymous with technology. This perception, equipped with great efforts spent in the light of science, has made Novax a preferred eyeglass lens brand not only in our country but all over the world. Now, we have our own production culture. We have established our own standards. All this has ensured that a product that meets all the expectations of our colleagues in terms of quality, while also being acceptable in terms of price, reaches the trading houses of our business partners. This is the summary of our success, which has become more easily observable especially in recent years, but which, as I said, is based on many years of labor.

Are all of the brands within Beta Optik produced in your facility in our country? Do you also produce brands abroad? We know that your factory in Portugal can also produce at high capacity. What are the reasons for having such a facility in Europe and why Portugal?
As you know, we made an exclusive manufacturer/distributor agreement for the Turkish market with Zeiss, the world leader in terms of brand perception in our industry. Currently, we produce almost the entire Zeiss product portfolio for our country in our facilities in Istanbul at the same standards and quality level as Zeiss production points all over the world, and again with Zeiss processes. All certifications and periodic inspections of this production are carried out by Zeiss. Being able to fulfill these requirements and easily comply with these standards without any special procedures has been a great opportunity for us to see how much we have been doing the right things in the production field over the past years. On this occasion, it has been a great honor and pride for us to add the appreciation of a world giant like Zeiss to the appreciation we have already received from our colleagues for years. We firmly believe that our cooperation with Zeiss will continue in the future by expanding its scope and becoming even stronger. In addition to our production in Istanbul, we started to produce in our company in Portugal in 2018, which we established in 2014. Nowadays, we are increasing the capacity of this production facility and moving it closer to logistics centers. I think we will complete all our installations and start production with our increased capacity within two months. Our production and management building in Porto is planned as the epicenter of the entire European Union region of Beta Optik. The difficulties we experienced in exporting to European Union countries from our factory in Istanbul, and some conditions that would put us at a disadvantage in terms of preference against our competitors, forced us to establish a production facility in a country within the borders of the European Union. In this way, we have realized the second step of our project “A factory on every continent and becoming a world brand”, which has been on our agenda for years. We have prepared the infrastructure of our factory in Portugal in such a way that its capacity can be increased 3 times more than its current state without the need for any additional time and investment. In the next 2 years, we aim to further expand our already existing exports to the European Union by expanding our exports to all 28 European Union countries. There are two answers to the question of why Portugal. The first is that Portugal is the only developing economy within the European Union, not counting the Eastern European countries. Therefore, it is a market that has become a center of attraction for investors. Labor costs are lower than in other European countries and, above all, the country is willing to receive investment. Secondly, Portugal is both a member of the European Union and a very important gateway to Latin America. With this feature, it is natural for a company like Novax, which exports to all over the world, to be preferred. For this reason, Portugal was one of the important reasons why we chose to establish a factory in Europe.

For 20 years, you have been representing our country in an ideal way by exhibiting in international fairs. Could you give information about your export activities? How many countries do you export to in total?
Personally, I am a big believer in fairs. As you follow, we have exhibited in almost all of the world’s optical fairs since our establishment. There were years when we exhibited in 14 fairs a year. Then, of course, we reduced this number to a manageable level by measuring the benefits of all of them. In the current years, you can see Novax stands in all of the organizations that we can call the signature fairs of the sector, the number of which does not exceed 4-5. Speaking of stands, I cannot pass without underlining the concept, equipment and design of our exhibition stands, which we have maintained for years and have never compromised. For 20 years, we have exhibited in all fairs with the same concept, regardless of where in the world they are organized. We paid very serious prices for this, but at the end of the day, we managed to add a strong brand perception to our product, which we are proud of its quality. The first years were a bit difficult. Although we exhibited in fairs, we could not export in the quantities we wanted, but I can say that we broke this chain after the fourth year. We offered a quality product to the market at a reasonable price and represented our brand at fairs tirelessly. At the point we have reached today in our struggle that started 20 years ago, there are 58 countries where Novax lenses are exported. Among these countries, there are countries of high importance in the optical industry such as America, Canada and France, as well as many Middle Eastern and African countries where we started the export project 2 years ago. In the second half of 2023, with the commissioning of our expanded production facility in Portugal and doubling the capacity of our production line in Istanbul, we aim to increase the number of countries we export to over 100 by the end of this year.

The fact that Turkish brands have distributorships in various world countries strengthens and makes the whole sector proud. We can say that Novax brand pioneered the sector in this regard. In which countries do you have distributorships?
As I mentioned above, the number of countries we currently export to is 58. However this number is very dynamic. It is increasing day by day. Believe me, the days of counting the names of countries are long gone for us. The most important thing I want to say here is that in the past, we used to go from country to country, door to door, so to speak, looking for customers. Now Novax has become a brand that is reached and desired to work with on different occasions. In some countries, we even witness that several companies are struggling to become Novax distributors. In some countries, we have to choose one of several options. This is the distance we have been through. This is what we really need to talk about. Of course, it is our greatest source of pride to be exhibiting in the fair, which we attended years ago as the only Turkish company, now with our other colleagues, as you underlined in your question, to have pioneered them, to have encouraged them by showing them that this is something that can be achieved. We hope that Novax will become a global brand that not only our colleagues but also the whole of Turkey will be proud of, by increasing its penetration and establishing new production facilities in other continents in the coming period.

In 2022, you entered into cooperation with Zeiss, one of the world’s most recognized lens brands. Could you tell us about this cooperation process and the services you will offer with Zeiss in the upcoming period?
First of all, I would like to ask our colleagues and all our followers not to see our business partnership with Zeiss as an ordinary exclusive manufacturer or distributorship agreement, because the scope of our relationship is much different. There is a unity of purpose here, a unity of ideal here. Regardless of their financial size, this is a success-oriented and long-term project of two companies that have adopted quality and success as their motto. Beta Optik has become the “first” third party to produce many of Zeiss’ products in the world, apart from Zeiss’ own production facilities. This clearly demonstrates both the importance Zeiss attaches to this project and its confidence in Beta Optik’s production capability. Going forward, we will rapidly increase the number of products on the Zeiss side, and we will realize many different sales and marketing activities that will help us carry the Zeiss brand to the place it deserves in our country. Our colleagues who know that instead of instant and sensational successes, we plan long-term and lasting successes that are built on hard work in a sensitive and meticulous manner will understand what we mean much better.

How would you evaluate the ten-year process of Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, of which you have been an exhibitor since the first day?
For me, 4 your eyes and Silmo Istanbul are inseparable parts. Underneath all of them, you have been working for many years. There are works done very well. There is support, there is solidarity, there is very high quality human relations management. Silmo is a world brand in fair organization. Perhaps the name Silmo has become an argument that complements your experience in the sector. Silmo Istanbul is an organization that we have supported since its foundation, and perhaps like many of our colleagues, we feel like its founder. When was it born? When did it speak? When did it start to walk? We honestly could not understand. But one thing we understand is that if you are doing the right things and following the world well in your sector, walking and working in the light of these, very good results come out. That’s why we don’t see your success story as very different from Novax’s. Thanks for your labor and heart. Silmo Istanbul has a support that cannot be ignored in the growth of Novax. In this respect, we owe a debt of gratitude to Silmo Istanbul.

Thank you very much for this valuable interview. Finally, could we learn your opinion on the evolution of “4 your eyes” to digital broadcasting?
As for the digital 4 your eyes, it was a very good decision in today’s world where almost everything has evolved to digital platforms. It is both easier to access and easier to review. While reviewing the digital version, I realized that I read many parts that I had not read in the printed magazine. We wish 4 your eyes success in its next publication life.

May 2023