ONE AMONG 100 SUBSIDIARIES (SPREAD IN MORE THAN 50 COUNTRIES) OF ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL, THE UNDISPUTED WORLD LEADER IN OPTICAL LENS INDUSTRY.

For more than 160 years, Essilor has dedicated to the mission of seeing the world better.

In 2012, Essilor celebrates the 40th anniversary of the merger of Essel and Silor that founded the Essilor Group.

But did you know that the origins of Essilor date back to more than 160 years?

Essilor was created from Essel and Silor, two companies dating back respectively to 1849 and 1931, which dominated the French optical eyewear market in the mid-20th century. The new company inherited a priceless tradition from its two precursors - the entrepreneurial values of mutual trust, respect and building on differences - which make it unique and encourage a spirit of initiative, enabling it to stay constantly ahead of the curve.

The Group's corporate culture is built on the innovation which drives its employees on a daily basis and makes it possible to continue creating life-changing solutions: invention of the progressive lens, creation of plastic lenses, as well as lens coatings, hi-tech vision measurement tools and now customization of visual correction...

The mission "seeing the world better", that means to improve eyesight to contribute to better people’s lives, was explicitly part of the founding agreements of the Group in 1972. This mission results from a rich history; it still drives Essilor’s actions across the globe, setting the stage for the Group’s work in the future.