Christchurch and Australia-based optical laboratory, CR Surfacing is gearing up for growth with a complete overhaul of its technology and processes to ensure it remains at the cutting edge of lens production in today’s high-tech world.

Linton Dodge, CR Surfacing’s New Zealand general manager, says it’s an exciting time for the company, which has grown significantly in the last year and is banking on growing far more due to recent changes in the industry.

To this end, after months of investigation and deliberation, CR Surfacing has unveiled details of a million-dollar plus investment in its future, with the company installing a new state-of-the-art lens processing manufacturing suite, from German company Schneider, at its headquarters in Melbourne. Dodge, who went to see the new installation and be briefed on its capabilities in October, said it was amazing. “It’s just crazy. All automated conveyor belts… just very, very advanced.”

The new Schneider installation marks the end of CR Surfacing’s long-standing Signature brand of lenses, which will be phased out and replaced by its new Perfection Lens Series over the next year. The new Perfection range is completely compatible with the Schneider machinery and will ensure the company can offer the highest accuracy possible for progressive lenses, said Dodge. “It’s all about the end result. You can pretty much get a freeform lens from anywhere. You can get one from China or Germany; you can buy the best freeform lens in the world, but if it’s designed on a lower quality machine, you are not going to get the result you want.”

CR Surfacing’s tech investment has been driven by two factors: first, and foremost, it’s commitment to being entirely independent to best serve the needs of the independent optometry market in New Zealand and Australia; and the looming Essilor-Luxottica merger, which is creating a wealth of opportunities in the market, said Dodge.

The company was selected as the preferred lens supplier to Australia’s largest network of independents, ProVision, at the beginning of this year, after ProVision separated from Essilor following the merger announcement, he said. “Doors, that in the past, we thought would be shut to us forever are now opening… and it’s that independence that drives us. Right from day dot, CR Surfacing has been 100% independent, that’s why the Signature series came about years and years ago because we said if we’re going to be truly independent we need to have our own product. It was a bold move at the time, but we’ve never looked back and now we’re looking forward again.”

In July, Eyepro, the New Zealand independent optometry group run by Chris Clark, also announced CR Surfacing would be its preferred lens supplier (see story in NZ Optics’ August issue).

CR Surfacing’s Kiwi HQ in Christchurch is also undergoing some changes to accommodate the changes, with Dodge and his team welcoming a new state-of-the-art Mei Ezfit all-in-one edger. The EZfit allows the operator to control the power and cut of a lens without the use of centring blocks, reducing production costs and increasing the accuracy of lens centring. Fully automated, Ezfit uses a patented vacuum system to hold the lens in place, reducing the risk of breakage during milling.

It’s a massive job changing from one production system to another, but CR Surfacing hopes to have all the bugs ironed out and the new Perfection Lens Series range in place to begin showing to selected customers by the beginning of December, said Dodge. “CR Surfacing is investing millions of dollars for the growth and success of the independent market. That’s why we are so excited, and the interest is there for us to do it.”

For all the details about CR Surfacing’s new Perfection Lens Series range, please refer to the Lenses Rx section of the 2018 OIG, out soon.