What Michael Pachleitner Group does

Michael Pachleitner Group (MPG GmbH) is an Austrian, family-owned eyewear group headquartered in Graz, operating a vertically integrated value chain spanning design, lens development, lens manufacturing, logistics, brand distribution, and optical retail. The group was founded in 1949 by Erich Pachleitner and has been led by Michael Pachleitner since 1984; it currently employs approximately 2,500 people across more than 20 nationalities. MPG serves two primary customer bases: (1) B2B specialist optical retailers, supplied through a dedicated field sales force, customer service teams, and B2B webshops in over 70 countries, and (2) B2C end consumers, served via company-owned optical retail chains Hallmann (100+ stores in Germany and Denmark) and Eye Wish (145 stores in Netherlands and Belgium), plus franchise partners.

The group's product portfolio combines proprietary and licensed eyewear brands — Robert La Roche, HECHTER PARIS, H.I.S, Red Bull SPECT, Davidoff, kiotonakamura, Ruud van Dyke, Vienna Design, Prova, JILL Sport, Basley, and SPECT — with the proprietary MPO premium lens brand developed by Austrian Optic Technologies (AOTG) in Austria and manufactured at MPG Optische Werke in Glücksburg, Germany. Underlying technology includes free-form lens manufacturing, a 17,000 m2 logistics center in Domaželice, Czech Republic with an integrated single-lens edging workshop, and B2B e-commerce platforms for frames and lenses. Revenue mechanics span wholesale frame and lens sales, private-label/OEM contracts (Eyewear Concepts), retail store operations (Hallmann, Eye Wish), logistics and supply-chain services, and an in-house creative marketing agency offering co-branded campaigns to optical retailer partners.

Name

Michael Pachleitner Group

Legal name

MPG GmbH

Website

https://mpg-eyewear.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

MPG is a vertically integrated Austrian eyewear group serving B2B optical retailers in 70+ countries and B2C consumers through ~250 retail stores, combining proprietary and licensed eyewear brands with owned lens manufacturing and logistics operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Eyewear and Optical Products

NAICS

Optical Goods Retailers (45613), Optical Goods Retailers (456130), Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115), Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers (42346)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury & Designer Eyewear (CRAAAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sunglasses (Non-Prescription) (CRAAAKAB), Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Devices (Frames, Lenses, Lens Edging/Finishing Equipment) (HLAHAJAD), Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Retail (Glasses/Frames/Lenses) (HLAKAKAL)

Keywords

• Eyewear manufacturing
• Optical lenses
• Wholesale eyewear
• Optical retail
• Private label eyewear

Headquarters

HQ city

Graz

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Eyewear Frames Wholesale (B2B): Sale of branded sunglasses and eyeglass frames (Robert La Roche, HECHTER PARIS, H.I.S, Red Bull SPECT, Davidoff, kiotonakamura, Ruud van Dyke, Vienna Design, Prova, JILL Sport, Basley, SPECT, and readymade reading glasses) to specialist optical retailers and distributors across Europe and beyond. The company maintains dedicated sales teams and field service for order acquisition and daily consultation.
2. Optical Lens Manufacturing and Distribution: Production and sale of prescription spectacle lenses under the MPO brand through subsidiaries AOTG (Austria) and MPG Optische Werke (Germany). Products include single vision, progressive, and free-form lenses. Provides edging and finishing services for opticians as well as lens supply contracts.
3. Retail Optical Stores: Revenue generated from company-owned and operated optical retail chains: Hallmann (Optik & Akkustik) with over 100 stores in Germany and Denmark, and Eye Wish with 145 stores in Netherlands and Belgium. Includes sales of eyewear, lenses, and hearing solutions to end consumers.
4. Private Label / White-label Eyewear: Custom-branded eyewear products and lens solutions sold to external optical retailers and non-optical businesses under their own brand names. MPG provides complete process handling from design through delivery.
5. Logistics and Supply Chain Services: The company's logistics subsidiary handles warehousing, packaging, and global shipping of frames and lenses to over 80 countries, supporting both internal operations and external B2B customers with supply chain solutions.
6. Marketing Services: In-house creative agency provides customized marketing packages, sales promotional concepts, and advertising materials (postcards, vouchers, cleaning cloths, online campaigns) to optical retailers for product sell-through support.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MPG is a vertically integrated eyewear company that designs, manufactures, and distributes a portfolio of proprietary and licensed eyewear frames (Robert La Roche, HECHTER PARIS, H.I.S, Red Bull SPECT, Davidoff, kiotonakamura, Vienna Design, Prova, JILL Sport, Basley, SPECT, Ruud van Dyke) and prescription spectacle lenses under the MPO brand. The company sells to specialist optical retailers across 70+ countries and operates company-owned retail chains (Hallmann in Germany/Denmark, Eye Wish in Netherlands/Belgium), supported by in-house logistics, lens production, edging/finishing services, and private label (Eyewear Concepts) solutions.

Product overview

MPG GmbH operates as a vertically integrated eyewear company offering a diverse portfolio of proprietary and licensed eyewear brands (Robert La Roche, HECHTER PARIS, H.I.S, Red Bull SPECT, Davidoff, kiotonakamura, Ruud van Dyke, Vienna Design, Prova, JILL Sport, Basley, SPECT) alongside its proprietary MPO premium lens brand developed in Austria and manufactured in Germany. The company combines design, production, and distribution through subsidiaries including AOTG (lens development), MPG Optische Werke (lens manufacturing in Germany), MPG Logistics (Czech Republic), and retail chains Hallmann (Germany/Denmark) and Eye Wish (Netherlands/Belgium). Services include B2B Eyewear Concepts (private label, POS solutions), Marketing Service, and e-commerce shops for frames and lenses. The closed value chain spans from producer to end consumer through nearly 250 optical specialty stores across Europe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MPO: Premium eyewear lenses brand developed by Austrian Optic Technologies and manufactured by MPG Optische Werke with 'Made in Germany' label
• Robert La Roche
• Davidoff Eyewear
• HECHTER Paris
• Red Bull SPECT Eyewear
• kiotonakamura
• H.I.S Eyewear
• Ruud van Dyke
• Vienna Design
• Prova Eyewear
• JILL Sport
• Basley
• SPECT Eyewear
• Eye Wish
• Hallmann

Products and services

• MPO Premium Eyewear Lenses
• Robert La Roche Eyewear Cult luxury eyewear brand featuring frames in acetate and titanium with distinctive design, sold through specialist opticians.
• HECHTER PARIS Eyewear
• H.I.S Eyewear Mass-market eyewear brand offering fashionable and functional glasses including prescription frames, polarized sunglasses, and children's models at fair prices.
• Red Bull SPECT Eyewear Premium sports eyewear combining innovative power and expressive design, including functional sunglasses, ski goggles, and motocross goggles.
• Davidoff Eyewear Timeless luxury men's eyewear collection celebrating joie de vivre, featuring strong character, Made in Italy craftsmanship, and style.
• kiotonakamura Eyewear Extravagant women's eyewear brand with Far Eastern influences and unusual color combinations, playing with contrasts.
• Ruud van Dyke Eyewear Elegant titanium frames designed for people whose faces tell stories, featuring flexible rimless models.
• Vienna Design Eyewear Affordable, straightforward eyewear suitable for everyday wear with outstanding quality and fashionable design at accessible prices.
• Prova Eyewear Lightweight eyewear using aerospace-grade beta titanium, featuring a modern rimless look with flexible hinges.
• JILL Sport Eyewear Ergonomically and aerodynamically shaped sports eyewear combining functionality, innovative technologies, and sophisticated design.
• Basley Eyewear Sunglasses brand offering modern and sporty styles for children and adults with 100% UV filter protection.
• MPG Ready-to-wear Reading Glasses Ready-made reading glasses with equal diopter strength for both lenses, compliant with European standards and anti-nickel regulations.
• Eyewear Concepts (Private Label Service) B2B solution offering private label eyewear, POS solutions, and point-of-sale displays for non-optical retailers and wholesalers.
• MPG Marketing Service In-house creative agency developing customized marketing packages, sales-promoting concepts, and online/offline advertising materials (postcards, vouchers, cleaning cloths) for optical retailers.
• Hallmann Optical & Acoustic Retail Chain Retail chain with over 100 branches in Germany and Denmark offering branded eyewear, German-made lenses, and modern hearing solutions.
• Eye Wish Optical Retail Chain Optician chain in Netherlands and Belgium with 145+ optical specialty stores in the mid to higher market segment, offering brand diversity, contact lens specialization, and franchise opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hallmann grew from 32 stores to over 80 stores in Germany and Denmark within three years of MPG investment
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• kiotonakamuraminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2024kiotonakamura is an extravagant women's eyewear brand with Far Eastern influences and unusual color combinations. The brand was featured in the 'Generation Kyoto' campaign, a tribute to beauty at every stage of life using AI-generated imagery combined with creative craftsmanship.
• Davidoff Eyewear (License)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2022Davidoff Eyewear, a timeless luxury men's eyewear collection, was added to MPG's portfolio. The collection reflects all facets of joie de vivre, crafted in Italy with style and pure elegance, targeting men who appreciate long-lasting quality and sophistication.
• Robert La Roche International TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Since 2019, an international team has been leading the Robert La Roche brand into a new era, developing visionary frames from acetate and titanium with courage to take unconventional paths and merge contradictory design ideas.
• ProSieben / Germany's Next Topmodel (GNTM)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2015In 2015, MPG was awarded the contract by ProSieben to create the official eyewear collection for Heidi Klum's 'Germany's Next Topmodel' format. The collection of 16 exclusive sunglasses models sold one million units, demonstrating the commercial potential of celebrity and TV brand collaborations.
• The Flying Bulls (Red Bull)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Collaboration with The Flying Bulls (Red Bull's aviation arm) to create the Red Bull SPECT Signature Collection, an exclusive line within the RedBull SPECT Eyewear portfolio.
• Red Bull / Red Bull RacingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Partnership driven by shared passion for Formula 1 and connection through Grazer roots with Red Bull Racing team principal Dr. Helmut Marko. Launched initially with the Red Bull Racing-inspired eyewear brand in 2009, evolving into RedBull SPECT Eyewear in 2016 through the combination with MPG's SPECT label. Includes exclusive collections such as the Signature Collection created with The Flying Bulls.
• MPG Optische Werke GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Formerly Schulz Optische Fabrik at the Baltic Sea coast with over 60 years of experience, acquired in 2008. Located in Glücksburg, Germany, it produces high-quality spectacle lenses with 'Made in Germany' certification and partners with AOTG to produce the MPO premium lens brand.
• Robert La Roche EyewearcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999MPG acquired the brand rights to Robert La Roche Eyewear in 1999 from the Vienna-based designer who founded the cult brand in 1973. The brand gained international fame through appearances in Hollywood films ('Thelma & Louise', 'Die Firma') and was worn by celebrities including Andy Warhol, Tom Cruise, and Meryl Streep. MPG has led the brand into a new era since 2019 with an international team.
• Austrian Optic Technologies GmbH (AOTG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1982AOTG is an MPG subsidiary based in Guntramsdorf, Austria, founded in 1982 as Optic GmbH and renamed in 2009. It is Austria's market leader in eyewear lens units sold and serves as the development forge for MPO premium lenses in partnership with MPG Optische Werke.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Morpho Eyewear / Mondottica: International eyewear distributor and brand owner with proprietary brands (Converse, Skechers, Ted Baker) and European distribution. Comparable as a mid-sized multi-brand frame distributor serving B2B optical retailers across European markets, similar to MPG Optische Werke's optical partner network.
• Charmant Group: Japanese eyewear manufacturer producing titanium frames (Charmant, Line Art, Prospect) and licensed brands with global distribution. Comparable as a frame-focused multinational with similar B2B optical partner model to MPG's distribution in 70+ countries.

Direct peers

• De Rigo: Italian eyewear group producing licensed (Police, Loewe, Givenchy) and proprietary brands (Lozza, Sting), distributed through B2B optical channels globally. Direct peer for MPG's branded frames B2B business and European-centered distribution.
• Safilo Group: Italian eyewear company that designs, produces, and distributes frames under proprietary and licensed brands (Carrera, Hugo Boss, Kate Spade, Tommy Hilfiger). Closely comparable to MPG's multi-brand wholesale frame strategy and licensed-brand mix, including the Red Bull SPECT-style co-branded licensing playbook.
• Silhouette International: Austrian family-owned premium eyewear manufacturer headquartered in Linz, producing lightweight titanium frames and lens-related products. Comparable to MPG in Austrian origin, family-controlled ownership, premium positioning, and B2B distribution model.
• Marcolin Group: Italian eyewear manufacturer specializing in licensed and proprietary brands (Tom Ford, Ermenegildo Zegna, Guess, Bally). Comparable business model to MPG's mix of owned brands (Robert La Roche, Vienna Design) and licensed luxury/fashion labels (Davidoff, HECHTER Paris).

Broad incumbents

• Fielmann Group: Europe's largest optical retailer with ~1,000+ stores primarily in Germany and other European countries, vertically integrated through in-house lens production. Comparable to MPG's Hallmann/Eye Wish retail business in core European optical retail markets, though at much larger retail scale.
• EssilorLuxottica: Global eyewear and lens leader combining frame design (Ray-Ban, Oakley, licensed luxury brands) with lens manufacturing (Essilor/Varilux) and retail (LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut). Direct comparable for MPG's vertically integrated frames-plus-lenses-plus-retail model, though MPG operates at smaller scale and in European core markets.
• Kering Eyewear: Luxury conglomerate's eyewear division developing, producing, and distributing branded eyewear for brands like Gucci, Cartier, Balenciaga, Saint Laurent. Comparable to MPG's luxury eyewear portfolio (Davidoff, Robert La Roche) and brand development/licensing capabilities, though operating at much higher luxury scale.
• Specsavers Optical Group: Large European and global optical retail chain (partnership/franchise model) supplying frames and lenses through partnerships. Significant overlap with MPG's B2B customer base in Netherlands/Belgium and competition for retail consumer share in DACH region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mpg-eyewear

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Michael Pachleitner Group