Essilor
Essilor, merged with Luxottica in 2018 to form EssilorLuxottica, manufactures prescription lenses, anti-reflective coatings, and smart eyewear while operating 17,000+ retail stores and licensing over 150 brands for global consumer and professional optical markets.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1972
- HeadquartersCharenton-le-pont, France
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Essilor does
Essilor is a French ophthalmic optics company founded in 1972 that merged with Italian eyewear manufacturer Luxottica in October 2018 to form EssilorLuxottica, a French-Italian eyewear conglomerate listed on Euronext Paris (ticker: EL) with headquarters in Charenton-le-Pont, France, and a market capitalization of approximately €100B. The combined entity designs and manufactures prescription lenses (including progressive Varilux lenses and pediatric myopia-control Essilor Stellest lenses), anti-reflective coatings (Crizal Sapphire HR, Crizal Rock, and the newly launched Crizal Natural Look), and proprietary optical instruments such as the Vision-R 800 refraction system. It also controls or licenses major eyewear brands including Ray-Ban, Oakley, Prada, Chanel, and Versace (with rights to 150+ brands total), and operates more than 17,000 retail stores globally including LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, OPSM, GMO, and Pearl Vision.
The business operates through two principal revenue streams: a Direct-to-Consumer segment (53% of consolidated revenue) selling finished eyewear through owned retail chains, and a Professional Solutions segment (47%) supplying lenses, coatings, and instruments to independent opticians, optical chains, and eye-care professionals on a B2B basis. Supplementary revenue derives from brand licensing royalties and, increasingly, from smart eyewear (Ray-Ban Meta, Oakley Meta, Prada Meta) developed in partnership with Meta Platforms, which has invested approximately €3B for a ~3% stake and extended the collaboration into the 2030s. FY2025 consolidated revenue reached €28.491B (+11.2% at constant exchange rates, the company's first double-digit annual growth), with adjusted operating margin of 18.3% in H1 2025 and a combined workforce of approximately 200,000 serving 200+ countries.
Strategic posture is shaped by vertical integration across the optical value chain — from lens R&D and manufacturing (including the Jiangsu Youli Optics joint venture and the Nikon-Essilor Corporation) through branded frame portfolios to retail — supplemented by recent moves into adjacent categories including ophthalmic imaging and diagnostics via the majority acquisition of Heidelberg Engineering (announced October 2025) and lifestyle apparel via the reported ~$1.5B Supreme acquisition (2024). Ownership remains concentrated, with Delfin (the holding vehicle of the late Leonardo Del Vecchio) controlling approximately 32% of the merged entity's capital, and Francesco Milleri serving as sole CEO since 2021 following Hubert Sagnières' departure.
Essilor firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Essilor
- Legal name
- Essilor
- Website
- https://essilor.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1972
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Essilor, merged with Luxottica in 2018 to form EssilorLuxottica, manufactures prescription lenses, anti-reflective coatings, and smart eyewear while operating 17,000+ retail stores and licensing over 150 brands for global consumer and professional optical markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Essilor industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Ophthalmic Lenses and Eyewear
- NAICS
- Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115), Optical Goods Retailers (456130), Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers (423460)
- SIC
- Ophthalmic Goods (3851), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Devices (Frames, Lenses, Lens Edging/Finishing Equipment) (HLAHAJAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Retail (Glasses/Frames/Lenses) (HLAKAKAL), Sunglasses (Non-Prescription) (CRAAAKAB), Sunglasses & Luxury Eyewear (CRAKAEAE)
Keywords
Where Essilor is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Charenton-le-pont
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Essilor business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer: Retail sales through owned optical stores and sunglass retail chains including LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, OPSM, GMO, and others. Represents 53% of consolidated revenue.
- Professional Solutions: B2B sales of lenses, coatings, and optical instruments to independent opticians, optical chains, and eye care professionals. Represents 47% of consolidated revenue.
- Smart Eyewear Licensing: Licensing of brands including Ray-Ban, Oakley, Prada, Chanel, Versace for smart glasses products with technology partners like Meta.
- Brand Licensing: Licensee of over 150 brands including Prada, Chanel, Versace, Ray-Ban, and Oakley generating licensing revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Oakley Meta smart glasses targeting athletes |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Essilor product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Essilor manufactures and distributes ophthalmic lenses and eyewear products, including prescription lenses, anti-reflective coatings (Crizal), progressive lenses (Varilux), myopia-control lenses (Stellest), and advanced diagnostic refraction systems (Vision-R 800). The company sells these products through two channels: B2B Professional Solutions serving independent opticians and eye care practitioners, and Direct-to-Consumer through owned retail banners such as LensCrafters and Sunglass Hut.
Product overview
Essilor is a global leader in prescription lenses, offering a comprehensive portfolio of optical products including myopia control lenses (Essilor Stellest), anti-reflective coatings (Crizal family including Natural Look, Sapphire HR, and Rock), and progressive lenses (Varilux). The company also provides advanced diagnostic equipment like the Vision-R 800 refraction system. Essilor's products span corrective lenses for myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia, with technologies focused on anti-reflective properties, UV protection, and myopia management.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Crizal: Anti-reflective coating technology for spectacle lenses
- Essilor Stellest
- Varilux
- Stellest
Products and services
- Essilor Stellest
- Crizal Natural Look
- Varilux Physio Extensee
- Crizal Sapphire HR
- Crizal Rock
- Vision-R 800 Refraction System
- Varilux Progressive Lenses
- Nikon-Essilor Z Series Single Vision Lenses
Quantifiable outcome
- 70% reduction in myopia progression over two years with Essilor Stellest lenses
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Essilor
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Essilor technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Essilor partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, strategic and core.
- NikonflagshipNikon-Essilor Corporation Z Series Single Vision lenses using Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) technology from Nikon Z Series photographic lenses. Currently available in Japan with global expansion planned.
- Heidelberg EngineeringstrategicEssilorLuxottica to acquire majority stake in Heidelberg Engineering, a company specializing in ophthalmic imaging and diagnostic devices.
- Meta PlatformscoreExtended partnership into 2030s for multi-generational smart eyewear development. Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses sold over 2 million pairs since 2023. Meta reportedly invested approximately €3 billion for 3% stake. Expansion includes Oakley Meta (~$360 for athletes) and Prada Meta AI-powered glasses.
- Jiangsu Youli Optics (YOLI)coreJoint venture established 2011 with Chinese manufacturer Jiangsu Youli Optics (YOLI) for blue cut lenses. YOLI operates 4 production bases, 18 production lines, 1,200+ employees, 30+ patents, daily capacity 250,000 lenses. Serves global distributors across North America, Europe, Southeast Asia.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Essilor competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- HOYA Corporation: Japanese specialty glass and optical lens manufacturer with strong position in eyeglass lenses, including progressive and high-index products. HOYA is Essilor's most direct global competitor in ophthalmic lens manufacturing and design.
- Nikon-Essilor Corporation: Joint venture partner for advanced single-vision lenses (Z Series using Modulation Transfer Function technology). Serves as both a collaboration partner and a lens design peer, particularly relevant for premium single-vision and progressive offerings.
- CooperVision: Leading contact lens manufacturer (myopia, toric, multifocal) and a growing competitor in myopia management with MiSight. Comparable to Essilor's vision correction and pediatric myopia control ambitions.
- Safilo Group: Italian eyewear manufacturer producing licensed branded and own-brand frames (Polaroid, Carrera, Hugo Boss, etc.). Comparable as a frame and sunglass manufacturer competing for brand licensing deals and retail distribution.
- Marcolin: Italian eyewear manufacturer producing licensed branded frames for Tom Ford, Guess, Ermenegildo Zegna, and others. Directly comparable as a frame maker competing for premium brand licenses and global retail distribution.
- De Rigo: Italian eyewear group producing licensed frames (Polo Ralph Lauren, Guess, Tommy Hilfiger) and own brands. Directly comparable as a European frame manufacturer competing in the licensed-brand eyewear category.
Broad incumbents
- Carl Zeiss Meditec: German precision optics leader producing ophthalmic diagnostic equipment, surgical microscopes, and intraocular lenses. Comparable to Essilor across ophthalmic instruments (Vision-R 800) and the new Heidelberg Engineering diagnostic business.
- Johnson & Johnson Vision: Major eye health division of J&J offering contact lenses (Acuvue), surgical products, and dry eye treatments. Overlaps with Essilor in vision correction and increasingly in myopia management via MiSight contact lenses for children.
- Bausch + Lomb: Global eye health company (now Bausch + Lomb Corporation) covering contact lenses, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, and surgical devices. A broad incumbent competitor across multiple eye-care categories where Essilor also operates.
Emerging players
- Warby Parker: US-based DTC eyewear retailer selling prescription glasses and sunglasses directly to consumers. Comparable to EssilorLuxottica's LensCrafters and Sunglass Hut retail segment as a digitally native challenger focused on disintermediation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Customer concentration
Essilor social profiles
Digital presenceEssilor financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Essilor leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Essilor subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Essilor funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Essilor M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A104 records
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Essilor
What does Essilor do?
Essilor manufactures and distributes ophthalmic lenses and eyewear products, including prescription lenses, anti-reflective coatings (Crizal), progressive lenses (Varilux), myopia-control lenses (Stellest), and advanced diagnostic refraction systems (Vision-R 800). The company sells these products through two channels: B2B Professional Solutions serving independent opticians and eye care practitioners, and Direct-to-Consumer through owned retail banners such as LensCrafters and Sunglass Hut.
Is Essilor a public or private company?
Essilor is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Essilor founded?
Essilor was founded in 1972. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Essilor based?
Essilor is headquartered in Charenton-le-pont, France, in the Europe region.
How does Essilor make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-Consumer is the primary driver. The others are professional Solutions, smart Eyewear Licensing and brand Licensing.
Who are Essilor's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are HOYA Corporation, Nikon-Essilor Corporation, CooperVision, Safilo Group, Marcolin and De Rigo. Broad incumbents are Carl Zeiss Meditec, Johnson & Johnson Vision and Bausch + Lomb. Warby Parker is listed as an emerging player.
Does Essilor have an API?
No public API is recorded for Essilor.
What industry is Essilor in?
Essilor's product category is Ophthalmic Lenses and Eyewear. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAHAJAD, Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Devices (Frames, Lenses, Lens Edging/Finishing Equipment), with a secondary code of HLAKAKAL, Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Retail (Glasses/Frames/Lenses). Its NAICS code is 339115 and its SIC code is 3851.