Rodenstock GmbH
Line
- Oliver Kastalio (CEO)
- Michael Kleer (COO )
- Sven Schirmer (CFO )
The Rodenstock GmbH, headquartered in Munich, is a German manufacturer of lenses and frames. The company was founded in 1877 by Josef Rodenstock and is represented with about 4200 employees and 14 production facilities in 12 countries.
Company History
The early years (1877-1920)
1877, the company in Würzburg Josef Rodenstock under the name " G. Rodenstock Optical Institute " was founded. In the fine mechanical workshop located there first barometer, lenses and frames, scales and different measurement instruments were produced. 1880 Rodenstock developed with the diaphragm lenses its first patented products and exported two years later to Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy and Russia. Beginning in 1883, the company moved to Munich and built a loop rafting business in Regen in the Bavarian Forest in 1898. 1899 made the first corrective Rodenstock - sunglass lenses with UV protection. As early as 1886 the Rodenstock company site at the Isartalstrasse was acquired, until 1905 the son of Joseph Alexander Rodenstock relocated to the entrance the entire production to Munich.
Entry into the lens and arms production (1920-1953)
From the 1920s produced in large series Rodenstock lenses for many camera manufacturers. A dedicated camera production was discontinued under pressure from the buyers of these lenses. 1930-1939 built Rodenstock representations and offices in all major markets worldwide.
During the Second World War Rodenstock set forth armaments, including tanks telescopes and prisms outlook for tanks. The glasses production was retained, since it also was considered a " war effort ". In the postwar period, the focus was more on the back seen as core competencies of business of the frames and lenses.
Federal German large companies in family ownership (1953-2000)
1953 took over Alexander Rodenstock's son Rolf Rodenstock company management. The rise to a world-renowned large companies in the optical industry began. Since about 1954, the Group invested next to advertisements in trade journals for opticians and ophthalmologists reinforced in public advertising. 1955 produced five million eyeglass frames. In addition to other optics glasses were continue to be built, for example, projection lenses for slide projectors ( Splendar ). In 1968, the first self- tinting lenses were introduced in Europe and in 1975 produced the world's first Rodenstock lenses made of plastic.
Meanwhile, the net foreign sales corporations was expanded 1972-1983. Not on behalf of the company, but as a private citizen co-founded Rolf Rodenstock already 1950/51 in Chile the optical- precision mechanical operation " Industria Optica Rodenstock - Chile SA ", which was only gradually " Optical Works G. Rodenstock KG " of the adopted and so today is the market leader in eyewear in Chile. 1983 Randolf Rodenstock joined as personally liable partner (general partner) in the group of shareholders of the Optical Werke G. Rodenstock and headed the company together with his father Rolf Rodenstock.
1989 shifted Rodenstock much of the production in the newly established series location to Thailand. The turnover in 1988 was around 700 million marks in 1989 declined by about 10 percent. In 1991, the logo and trademark "R" was introduced.
1995-1996 built Rodenstock in Klattau (Czech Republic), a new plant for prescription lenses. 2000, the division precision optics ( production of analogous art cameras, known inter alia, under the brand names Sironar, Apo- Ronar, Grandagon ), magnification devices (such as the Rodagon ) and digital professional cameras with high-resolution digital backs (eg, the 1997 presented Apo- Sironar digital) sold to Linos AG, Göttingen.
Rodenstock GmbH (2000-2012)
The remaining division glasses were transferred from the optical factory G. Rodenstock in the newly created company Rodenstock GmbH 2002. In 2003 there was due to business difficulties in the U.S. to a severe crisis in the company. In the same year, the investor group Permira a .. 2004 increased by 49 % at Rodenstock faltered Permira 's stake in Rodenstock to 85 % to 10% continued to maintain the family Rodenstock. The remaining 5 % held management. With Permira a comprehensive restructuring was initiated.
2006 Permira sold its 85 - % share of Rodenstock to investment company Bridgepoint; the family Rodenstock sold 2007, the remaining 10 % of their shares to Bridgepoint. Thus Bridgepoint owns 95 % of Rodenstock. The remaining 5% remained in the management teams. In the same year we opened up new marketing fields for the optician with the service terminal ImpressionIST ®. Since 2009, Rodenstock leads portfolios for near comfort lenses. And Others v Rodenstock - - In June 2010, the Federal Cartel Office against the Central Association of Optometrists ( ZVA ) and against several manufacturers of ophthalmic lenses had for cartel agreements fines totaling 115 million euros in fines.
Rodenstock - after 2012
2012 was introduced to the market in which the Einstellastigmatismus and Listing's rule account for the proximity and physiologically correct Nahrefraktionswerte be calculated so that the vision of the wearer can be exploited with the Eye Lens Technology, a spectacle lens.
Rodenstock moved to 126 years on the Isar River in early May 2012 in the Elsenheimerstraße in the west of Munich.
Current product range
At present the company is engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of ophthalmic lenses, spectacle frames and sunglasses, sports, reading and children's glasses. Marketing is handled by its own brand, Rodenstock and some licensed brands (Porsche Design, dunhill, Mercedes -Benz Style, Baldessarini ).
The range includes single vision lenses, progressive lenses, near comfort lenses and tinted lenses and photochromic glasses. The company also makes custom-made, including for antique lorgnettes, Monocle, VIEWERS, Pinch or diving masks.
Trademark "R"
The Rodenstock R logo was first introduced in 1991. As a visible proof of origin, the R trademark with laser technology since 2011, will be integrated in the top corner in the right lens for the end customer.
Production
- Glazing services: Denmark, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland
- Regional glass manufacturing locations: Brazil, Chile, Netherlands, Uruguay, United Kingdom
- Central glass manufacturing locations: Frankfurt, Klattau, rain
- Series production: Bangkok
- Subsidiary: optovision in Langen (Hessen)
With 14 production facilities in 12 countries and sales offices and distributors in 80 countries, 4,200 employees (1,600 of them in Germany ) employs.
Awards and Design Awards
Since 1994, 52 eyewear models were evaluated with various design award Awards: 22 times won Rodenstock and Porsche Design Glasses an iF Product Design Award. 11 times spectacle frames have been awarded the Red Dot Award.
2012 the Service Terminal ImpressionIST 3 of the iF Product Design Award from the Industrie Forum Design Hannover was awarded. In the glass sector Rodenstock was in 2012 alone three Silmo d'Or reap awards.
The eyeglass frame " Rodenstock R8005 Perfection " won in the category Lifestyle of German Design Award 2014, the title " Special Mention " for outstanding design quality.
Trivia
At the time of the Wilhelmine Empire was Josef Rodenstock yard optician of the German Emperor. In addition to the product advertising from the 1950s has also been used to image building of the brand. So Rodenstock engaged first in the industry internationally known stars such as Brigitte Bardot, Carl Möhner, Curd Jürgens, Gina Lollobrigida, Hildegard Knef, Senta Berger, Toni Sailer or Roy Black, a prominent advertising.
In the 1990s, for the first time saw the introduction of a guarantee on lenses.