With the start of the new sunglass season 2013/2014, the Swiss Eyewear Group (International) AG proudly announces the establishment of a new, innovative global eyewear company, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.
A unique management and ownership structure
The Swiss Eyewear Group founders and management team were previously part of the Polaroid Eyewear management team. After the acquisition of Polaroid Eyewear by Safilo, this experienced set of individuals, based in 5 countries, decided to start their own business and take on the challenge of creating a completely new eyewear company with innovative ways of operating in a global marketplace.
The uniqueness of the Swiss Eyewear Group is perhaps best-illustrated by its ownership structure, with shareholders from the entire eyewear industry value chain, starting with manufacturing all the way through to retailing. This set up, combined with the management team’s extensive eyewear industry know-how and experience, ensures that the company has an exceptional wealth of industry-relevant skills and knowledge right from the start. “Having this insight and expertise in all aspects of the value chain gives us a truly holistic understanding of the international eyewear industry and enables us to offer the market better products, better value and better customer service,” says Jerry Dreifuss, CEO of Swiss Eyewear Group. “The strength of the model is illustrated by the speed with which we were able to place significant investment funding with several investors from all areas of the eyewear industry.”
Company Vision and Mission
The Swiss Eyewear Group management team previously played key roles in building up the successful Polaroid Eyewear business. They operated under many different company structures and cultures, from the large Polaroid Corporation to then being part of StyleMark, a smaller, entrepreneurial US-based eyewear company which eventually sold the business to Safilo SPA, a large publicly listed Italian-based corporation.
The company founders set up Swiss Eyewear Group based on a strong belief that a company can only be successful if it operates in an environment of trust, integrity and true long-term partnerships. “Based on our experiences in various company environments, the founders of Swiss Eyewear Group strongly believe that flat hierarchies, short decision-making processes, empowered and entrepreneurial employees and a work environment where teamwork is the norm, is the way forward. “Corporate politics” and “individual egos” have no place in our company and we firmly believe that this will quickly result in higher customer satisfaction, more efficient and satisfied employees and build a stronger, healthier company that adds value to everyone involved, ” says Jerry Dreifuss.
Key commercial managers are based in several different countries, putting them closer to the market and giving a completely international flavour to the entire company. Modern communication technology allows for real-time and efficient teamwork.
Swiss Eyewear Group wants to be ‘Your Eyewear Partner with Integrity.’ Mutually beneficial long-term partnerships are key to being successful. In today’s world, listed companies are under pressure to present a positive quarterly picture resulting in many decisions being made based on short-term impact rather than on what is best for the long-term success of the company and its partners. Swiss Eyewear Group has the advantage of being a privately held, well financed company whose stakeholders share the same long-term view, enabling the company to live up to its promise of seeking true long-term partners and always acting with integrity.
Proven Management Team and Swiss reliability
Swiss Eyewear Group has its headquarters in Zurich Switzerland where the key functions of General Management, Marketing, Product Design and Development, Logistics, Customer Service and Financial Management are based. All of these crucial operations are managed by former Polaroid Eyewear key managers with years of international experience in each of these areas. Internationally SEG will distribute its product portfolio through a comprehensive network of carefully selected, long-term distribution partners.
Just like Switzerland, the Swiss Eyewear Group (International) AG stands for high quality, full reliability, and high efficiency as well as for consistently meeting and exceeding the growing expectations of an international customer base. The “Swissness” of the Company is communicated to the end consumers as an integral part of the marketing strategies. The Swiss Eyewear Group is also actively pursuing partnerships with other innovative companies in Switzerland.
Product Portfolio 2013/2014 and beyond
The Swiss Eyewear Group Management team has in excess of 150 years of experience in the design, manufacturing, marketing and distribution of impulse polarizing sunglasses. It is therefore no surprise that the first product line to be launched will be the “Next Generation Global Polarizing Impulse Brand”. INVU by Swiss Eyewear Group (pronounced “in-view”) will be presented to optical and specialty retailers as of October 2013. The positioning is in the Euro 45 to Euro 65 price range, offering exceptional value for money and placed firmly in the “quality impulse buy” segment. The brand is supported by an extensive Marketing Support Program with a strong focus on INVU’s ultra- polarizing lens technology and benefits, giving retailers the tools to promote the unique benefits of the next generation polarizing lens. Swiss Eyewear Group’s strategy is to add new, complimentary eyewear brands to its portfolio and it is currently in negotiation with several international brands in the fashion and sports segment. The company plans to launch several new lines at the beginning of the 2014/2015 season and beyond. “We want to offer our global distribution partners a comprehensive and attractive product portfolio to successfully compete in their local markets” says Jerry Dreifuss.
Swiss Eyewear Group’s objective is to be the global eyewear company that offers a genuine alternative in the international market by offering true partnership and integrity in everything it does for retailers, distribution partners, suppliers, employees and investment partners and by offering unique eyewear brands and quality products to the end consumer at an affordable price.
