(L to R) EssilorLuxottica’s Giorgio Striano, Paul du Saillant and Francesco Milleri joined Shamir’s Yagen Moshe and Omry Rotem last month at Shamir headquarters in Israel to congratulate the company on its 50th anniversary.
KIBBUTZ SHAMIR, Israel—In late May, just ahead of a celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of Shamir Optical Industry, Vision Monday met with leaders of the company at their corporate headquarters here. In exclusive, wide ranging video interviews, three of Shamir’s top executives—Yagen Moshe, CEO and president, Raanan Naftalovich, CEO and president of Shamir North America and Zohar Katzman, chief technical officer—discussed how the company has established and maintains its position as a vision technology innovator on a global scale.

In conversation with VM’s Andrew Karp, they described how Shamir functions as part of Israel’s renown tech sector, and how partnerships with start-ups and others have resulted in the ongoing development of new products and technologies for the optical industry. Recent examples include Glacier Express AI, an anti-reflective coating that helps wearers communicate better with others while using digital screens; the second generation of Autograph Intelligence, a lens design that adjusts to the wearer’s “visual age;” and Metaform, a lamination process that produces thinner, stronger lenses and can be applied quickly and inexpensively by labs.

“We’re always focusing on learning what the consumer needs to help the ECPs bring them better solutions,” Moshe told VM.

 
 This timeline at Shamir's headquarters at Kibbutz Shamir in Upper Galilee, Israel, chronicles the company's history of innovation.
Additionally, Moshe shared his perspective on what Shamir’s recent partnership with the Formula One Alpine racing team means for the company and its customers and how Shamir benefits from its 11-year relationship with EssilorLuxottica, which owns 50 percent of the company, the potential impact its new Metaform lamination technology may have on optical labs and eyecare professionals, and where he sees the company five years from now.

Click below to watch "VM Conversations with Shamir."