COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 339115

Opthalmic Goods Manufacturing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

38companies1887–1986founding years38still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedJohnson & Johnson
1887
FoundedCarl-Zeiss-Stiftung
1889
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedBMC Industries, Inc.
1907
FoundedMine Safety Appliances Company
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedFosterGrant, Inc.
1919
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedSafilo SpA
1934
FoundedPolaroid Corporation
1937
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedAmerican Greetings Corporation
1944
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedAllergan, Inc.
1948
FoundedChristian Dalloz SA
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedSola International Inc.
1960
FoundedLuxottica SpAFoundedMarcolin S.p.A.
1961
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedAkorn, Inc.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
FoundedAlain Afflelou SAFoundedFielmann AG
1972
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
FoundedOakley, Inc.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedOcular Sciences, Inc.
1985
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Johnson & Johnson →
Active · founded 1887
One of America's most admired companies, Johnson & Johnson (J & J) is one of the largest healthcare firms in the world…
Johnson & Johnson →
Active · founded 1887
One of America's most admired companies, Johnson & Johnson (J & J) is one of the largest healthcare firms in the world…
Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung →
Active · founded 1889 · Germany
The Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung, a 'juridical person' under German civil law, is the sole owner of two industrial enterprises,…
Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung →
Active · founded 1889 · Germany
The Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung, a 'juridical person' under German civil law, is the sole owner of two industrial enterprises,…
BMC Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1907
BMC Industries, Inc.
BMC Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1907
BMC Industries, Inc.
Mine Safety Appliances Company →
Active · founded 1914
Mine Safety Appliances Company (MSA) is one of the world's largest designers and manufacturers of equipment that…
Mine Safety Appliances Company →
Active · founded 1914
Mine Safety Appliances Company (MSA) is one of the world's largest designers and manufacturers of equipment that…
FosterGrant, Inc. →
Active · founded 1919
FosterGrant, Inc.
FosterGrant, Inc. →
Active · founded 1919
FosterGrant, Inc.
Safilo SpA →
Active · founded 1934 · Italy
Safilo SpA is one of the world's leading manufacturers of eyeglasses and sunglasses, as well as other goods for the…
Safilo SpA →
Active · founded 1934 · Italy
Safilo SpA is one of the world's leading manufacturers of eyeglasses and sunglasses, as well as other goods for the…
Polaroid Corporation →
Active · founded 1937
Polaroid Corporation, founded on Edwin H.
Polaroid Corporation →
Active · founded 1937
Polaroid Corporation, founded on Edwin H.
American Greetings Corporation →
Active · founded 1944
Founded in 1906 as a small Cleveland jobber's shop, American Greetings Corporation, which advertises itself as "the…
American Greetings Corporation →
Active · founded 1944
Founded in 1906 as a small Cleveland jobber's shop, American Greetings Corporation, which advertises itself as "the…
Allergan, Inc. →
Active · founded 1948
Allergan, Inc.
Allergan, Inc. →
Active · founded 1948
Allergan, Inc.
Christian Dalloz SA →
Active · founded 1958 · France
Christian Dalloz SA is one of the world's leading manufacturers of protective equipment for the work environment.
Christian Dalloz SA →
Active · founded 1958 · France
Christian Dalloz SA is one of the world's leading manufacturers of protective equipment for the work environment.
Sola International Inc. →
Active · founded 1960
Sola International Inc.
Sola International Inc. →
Active · founded 1960
Sola International Inc.
Luxottica SpA →
Active · founded 1961 · Italy
Luxottica SpA is the world's largest manufacturer of eyeglass frames and sunglasses, and is also one of the world's…
Luxottica SpA →
Active · founded 1961 · Italy
Luxottica SpA is the world's largest manufacturer of eyeglass frames and sunglasses, and is also one of the world's…
Marcolin S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1961 · Italy
Marcolin S.p.A.
Marcolin S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1961 · Italy
Marcolin S.p.A.
Akorn, Inc. →
Active · founded 1971
Akorn, Inc.
Akorn, Inc. →
Active · founded 1971
Akorn, Inc.
Alain Afflelou SA →
Active · founded 1972 · France
Alain Afflelou SA is one of the leading optical retailers in France, with a network of more than 475 largely franchised…
Alain Afflelou SA →
Active · founded 1972 · France
Alain Afflelou SA is one of the leading optical retailers in France, with a network of more than 475 largely franchised…
Fielmann AG →
Active · founded 1972 · Germany
Fielmann AG, based in Germany, is Europe's largest optician; more than every third pair of eyeglasses sold in Germany…
Fielmann AG →
Active · founded 1972 · Germany
Fielmann AG, based in Germany, is Europe's largest optician; more than every third pair of eyeglasses sold in Germany…
Oakley, Inc. →
Active · founded 1975
Oakley, Inc.
Oakley, Inc. →
Active · founded 1975
Oakley, Inc.
Ocular Sciences, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
Ocular Sciences, Inc.
Ocular Sciences, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
Ocular Sciences, Inc.
STAAR Surgical Company →
Active · founded 1986
STAAR Surgical Company (Staar) develops and markets medical devices for use in refractive, cataract, and glaucoma…
STAAR Surgical Company →
Active · founded 1986
STAAR Surgical Company (Staar) develops and markets medical devices for use in refractive, cataract, and glaucoma…
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