French lens manufactuer Essilor to buy Ray-Ban maker in major eyewear deal
by The Associated Press
Multibillion-dollar merger to marry Italian luxury frame designer Luxottica to French corrective lens company
PARIS—A new European eyewear giant is set to emerge as Italian frames maker Luxottica—maker of brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley—joins with French lens manufacturer Essilor in a multibillion-euro merger.
Essilor International SA announced Jan. 16 it had reached a share exchange deal with Luxottica’s main shareholder, Delfin, to create a combined company making both frames and lenses.
Shares in both companies jumped on the news.
The statement said the new company would have combined revenues of more than 15 billion euros (US$16 billion), 140,000 employees and sales in more than 150 countries.
The French lens maker said the merger is an effort to meet growing global demand for corrective lenses, sunglasses and luxury frames.
