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For
two decades, Sofi de Chihuahua has stood out as a quality
maquiladora in Chihuahua.
Twin Plant News
was there when the plant was inaugurated in 1986 and we recently
visited the plant again on the occasion of its 20th anniversary.
Remarkably, we found several employees at the plant who have
been there since the inauguration.
Sofi de
Chihuahua is a part of Essilor International, a France-based
manufacturer of lenses for eyeglasses. To mark the 20th
anniversary, Essilor COO Philippe Alfroid visited the plant for
the first time. Gerard Malledant, director of North America
Operations, was present as well.
Alfroid’s
visit was important because it shows the importance and
prominence that Sofi has acquired recently, as well as the
excellent support that has been given by the directors.
To
celebrate the event, important personalities from state and city
governments, as well as directors of local maquilas, educational
entities and Sofi staff were invited.
Alfroid
said Essilor is the leader in corrective lenses in the world,
except in Japan where it is number two.
Essilor
spends 5 percent of sales on Research and Development to
maintain its technological leadership and anticipate market
developments with 550 researchers at four centers in the United
States, France, Japan and Singapore. Its expertise covers two
main areas: optical designs, which includes lenses; and
materials and coatings.
Ophthalmic
lenses are highly sophisticated products created by combining
materials and surface coatings with specific photo chromic,
anti-reflective, scratch-resistant, dirt-proof and other
properties
Alain
Robert, director of Sofi de Chihuahua for the last three years,
informed about the results of his plant as well as the projects
for 2007.
Sofi de
Chihuahua started operations in October, 1985 and belongs to the
North America Division of the Essilor International Corporative.
Sofi de Chihuahua has followed the corporate lines, promoting
the scientific and technological research with the active
participation of the plant personnel and support of the
educational and research institutions in Chihuahua, such as
Tecnológico de Chihuahua, CIMAV, Centro Nacional de Metrología,
RENIACYT, CONACYT, etc. All these activities promote the
confidence of the corporate directors to invest in more products
and processes in Mexico, with highly trained technical
personnel, internationally recognized for its creativity and
ingenuity.
Carlos
Herrera, projects and engineering manager gave TPN a tour
through the plant and explained in detail the different
processes carried on in their operation. TPN had the opportunity
to talk to some of the employees, several of whom have worked
here since its inauguration. The enthusiasm and pride of the
plant personnel was amazing.
Sofi de
Chihuahua is one of four Essilor plants in North America (two in
the United States, one in Mexico and one in Puerto Rico).
The
products that Sofi de Chihuahua process are:
•Index 1.5
Straight Top, Progressive (PAL) P/Transitions and PAL polarized.
•Index 1.6
MR6 PAL, MR8 PAL, Polarized.
•Index
1.67 MR7 PAL.
All of
them in semi-finished and coated and uncoated
Staying in
business 20 years was not an accident. Sofi de Chihuahua has
been recognized for being a solid and stable company. Sofi is
ready for new expansion challenges and greater market
penetration, thanks to the confidence that the directors have in
the potential of its employees. Also critical to its success has
been the excellent support that the state and city governments
give to Sofi de Chihuahua; as well as the excellent educational
and the state and federal government institutions, which have
been a strong link in the chain they are building to make
Sofi a more competitive company
with worldwide projection.
Alfroid
was happily surprised with the Chihuahua plant and the quality
of its people. He said the support of government authorities is
vital for the strengthening of any business. That is why he
thanked all the government representatives who were invited. C.P.
Alejandro Cano, director of industrial development in the state
of Chihuahua sent a message to the SOFI directors, reiterating
the support of the secretary for the strengthening of the
company.
From the
invention of the first Varilux lens in 1953 to the launch of the
Varilux Physio in 2006, Essilor has always been on the leading
edge of innovation. Allocating nearly 5 percent of revenue to
research and development, the company holds 3,300 patents in its
Lens and Instruments businesses.
Operating
in an industry shaped by high technological content, Essilor is
keenly aware of the need for training programs that enhance
existing employee skills and develop new areas of expertise.
These programs may cover a specific technological field, shared
project management methods, communication and management
capabilities, or a cross-functional approach to the company’s
skills and expertise.
With a
market of several billion potential lens wearers, the world’s
emerging countries represent a crucial driver of future growth
for Essilor.
A
corrective lens is made of plastic, polycarbonate or glass. The
choice of material determines the lens’s lightness, thinness,
transparency, shock resistance and protection against UV rays.
Since
Essilor’s launch of the first organic (plastic) lens in 1953,
the transition from glass to plastic has gradually gained speed,
reaching nearly 100 percent in countries like the United States,
the United Kingdom and Japan.
In recent
years, the global market share for low and medium-index glass
lenses has leveled off or declined, even in countries like
China, as they are replaced by lenses made of more resistant
polycarbonate and high and very high-index materials that allow
for thinner lenses.
Responding
proactively to market trends, Essilor has considerably developed
its range of polycarbonate lenses, a segment in which it is the
global leader, as well as its medium and high-index materials
with the 1.67 and 1.74, the world’s highest index material.
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