PLYMOUTH, Ind.—Hoya Optical Labs of America, a unit of Hoya Vision Care North America, plans to close its safety prescription eyewear lab here, a move that will impact 83 employees. In an Aug. 6 letter, Bruce Scott, general manager and vice president of Hoya’s Global Safety Division, informed the Indiana Department of Workforce Development that Hoya will shut down the lab in phases, beginning Oct. 4, 2019. “The plant closure will be complete as of March 2, 2020. We expect it to proceed gradually and in phases as work is transferred to other Hoya locations,” Scott said in the letter.

Asked about the reason for the lab closing, Scott told VMail, “The decision to consolidate the Plymouth, Ind. facility into the existing network of Hoya laboratories is a part of our regular review process. As an ally of the ECP, Hoya is constantly evaluating how to best serve every customer. We want to ensure patients receive the highest vision solutions they have come to expect from Hoya.”

Hoya became a major producer of safety prescription eyewear when it acquired the 3M safety business, based in the Plymouth facility, in 2017.

The company provides safety prescription eyewear or frames to customers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. Its “Eyes on Safety” program helps independent eyecare professionals develop their safety prescription eyewear business.