By Denis Langlois
It’s been a big year for HOYA Vision Care Canada.
The optics technologies company, a division of the global HOYA Corporation, is celebrating a trio of milestones, including 75 years of HOYA Corporation in Japan. 2016 also marks the 20-year anniversary of HOYA Vison Care Canada and the 10th anniversary of the company’s state-of-the-art laboratory facility in Mississauga, Ontario. At a 75-10 Gala at the Mississauga Convention Centre, HOYA Vision Care Canada president Ahmos Henry gave an opening address in which he discussed the company’s growth, successes and dedication to being the “Ally of the Independent.”
Optical Prism recently chatted with Mr. Henry about the milestones it celebrated this year, his speech at the 75-10 Gala and what’s in store for HOYA Vision Care Canada in the future.
Q. Mr. Henry, HOYA prides itself on being the “ally of the independent.” Please tell us more about this campaign and why it’s important to HOYA?
A. HOYA Corporation made it clear that it will not pursue a direct competition with its valued customers by selling readers or selling eyeglasses over the Internet. The launch of the Ally of the Independent Practice program has taken this initiative to the next level by offering numerous innovative opportunities to enhance the business of independent practices who use HOYA as their lens supplier and to ensure their success and competitiveness in the marketplace.
Q. The HOYA Canada lab in Mississauga recently turned 10 years old. Please tell us about the major accomplishments of this laboratory and what they have meant for the eyewear industry.
A. Our laboratory in Mississauga was and remains a major contributor to the optical industry in Canada, making HOYA Vision Care Canada the fastest-growing company in the Canadian optical industry. During our 10 years of operation, HOYA Vision Care Canada has brought to market numerous innovations in lens and coating manufacturing as well as in the area of quality control.
Q. HOYA has also celebrated another milestone — 20 years in Canada. What HOYA products are most popular in Canada and what do Canadians demand from their lenses?
A. The two most popular HOYA products in the industry is our leading EX3 Anti-Reflective coating, which has earned many quality awards from Canadian research centres like the Université de Montréal and the University of Waterloo. In addition, our unique lens design the iD family of lenses, which includes a wide range of progressive, vocational and single vision lenses. Canadians demand high-performance quality in both areas of coatings and lenses and the unmatched performance in both categories has earned HOYA numerous satisfied customers.
Q. At HOYA’s 75-10 Gala in September, you mentioned that HOYA is the fastest-growing company in the optical industry. Please tell us more about this growth and some of the secrets behind this success?
A. HOYA Vision Care Canada’s support of the independent practices via the pursuit of innovative products combined with new sales and marketing techniques is being well received all over the country. A comment from our customers I always hear is “Finally a lens supplier is coming forward with an unwavering determination to support independent eye care practices in Canada. When the market gets tougher and being competitive becomes a difficult task, HOYA steps in and lends a helping hand.” We take this statement seriously and ensure to communicate that we will continue to contribute to the success of the independents through our best-in-class products and services; this is simply our secret.
Q. At the Gala, you also mentioned that HOYA is dedicated to never losing its focus on its team. What did you mean by this and why is it so important?
A. If being the Ally of the Independent is our focus to our customers; our focus on the inside is certainly on our team. We believe that our growth is the result of what I like to proudly call “the best team in the industry.” We have an amazing team in every area of responsibility and we are proud of the culture we built of mutual respect and having fun as we continue to win and grow in every province across Canada.
Q. And finally, can you give us a hint of some of the things HOYA is working on and what eye care professionals can look forward to in the years to come from Hoya?
A. HOYA Corporation is a major global player and has ambitious plans for its Vision Care division globally particularly with their Canadian operations. HOYA Vision Care Canada is planning innovative new product launches, expanding its services across Canada and additional customer care initiatives unheard of in our industry.
For more information visit www.hoya.ca
