GARLAND, Texas—DAC Vision, a top manufacturer and supplier of ophthalmic lens processing supplies, is broadening its product portfolio to become a full solutions technology provider for ophthalmic manufacturing. The company, based here, is changing its name to DAC Technologies to reflect its new positioning and expanded scope of business. Joe Ciochetto will lead DAC Technologies as its president. He joins the company from Essilor of America where he held various positions including director of strategic accounts and senior director of finance.

Ciochetto succeeds David Meisenheimer, who led DAC Vision since 2007. Isaac Altit, a DAC Vision veteran, will continue in his role as vice president sales, reporting directly to Ciochetto.

As part of its transformation, DAC Technologies is becoming the main U.S. distributor for the National Optronics product line of edgers, tracers and blockers. National Optronics is a leading manufacturer of lens finishing equipment for any size lab operation. DAC Technologies, out of its Garland, Texas facility, will provide customer service and warehousing for all National Optronics spare parts and consumables. The company is assuming these functions from Satisloh, which has distributed National Optronics products since 2010.

“DAC Technologies, National Optronics and Satisloh are all part of Essilor’s Equipment and Supplies group of companies and we are always evaluating how to position our companies to best serve all of our customers while successfully competing in the marketplace,” Larry Clarke, president and CTO Satisloh AG, told VMAIL.

“We believe that DAC can add more value for its customers by expanding its portfolio beyond lens manufacturing supplies and becoming a technology provider. DAC Technologies has a strong presence in finishing consumables already. Adding the National Optronics line of table top finishing equipment will become a catalyst for growth for the group’s finishing business,” he said.

“Satisloh on the other hand has always positioned itself as a full solution provider of industrial equipment selling products under the Satisloh brand name. There is room for table top finishing equipment in Satisloh’s line as well but it should be designed to be very complimentary to the ES line of industrial automated edgers that we already offer and should be sold under the Satisloh brand name. In the future, National Optronics will design finishing equipment for both DAC Technologies (under the National Optronics brand name), and also differentiated tabletop finishing equipment for Satisloh under the Satisloh brand name,” Clarke said.

Transitioning to DAC Technologies from Satisloh are Kevin Paddy, who will be managing key accounts, and Maggie Fries who will be managing inside sales for National Optronics products. Technical phone support and the technical service team for National Optronics products will remain in Charlottesville, Virginia, at the National Optronics production and R&D facility, with additional service technicians throughout the U.S. DAC Technologies will continue designing, producing and distributing consumables for the U.S. market and through its subsidiaries in Europe and Asia.

“We are excited about this new era for our company,” said Joe Ciochetto. “Enhancing our line-up of DAC Vision lens processing supplies with the full National Optronics distributorship is the first step toward building a full-fledged technology company.

“We have exciting plans ahead for our customers and look forward to adding more brands and products to our portfolio in the near future. For our customers in the lab and ECP markets, this will mean one-stop shopping convenience and consolidated shipments resulting in an enhanced customer experience.”

DAC Technologies mailing address and phone number in Garland remain unchanged. The company’s new web address is www.dactechnologies.com.