MEI, a manufacturer of ophthalmic lens processing machines, has acquired a minority stake in flō Optics. The Israeli start-up has been developing additive manufacturing technologies for coating ophthalmic lenses since 2019, using inkjet technology. The aim is to digitalize the coating process and thereby improve precision, efficiency and sustainability.
“We found an affinity with the disruptive innovative approach of flō Optics. At MEI, we always think out of the box to revolutionize the processes and meet our customers’ needs, and we can see that the same passion moves flō Optics.” claims Stefano Sonzogni, President at MEI.
The additive coating of ophthalmic lenses allows material to be applied in a targeted manner instead of spreading it over a large area using conventional processes. This allows the material properties of the coating to be optimized and the consumption of resources to be reduced.
“We are immensely proud to be partnering with MEI. Being a leader in its field, MEI gives us the opportunity to tap into its vast knowledge in the ophthalmic market. The unveiling of our platform – Visiōn100 – at MIDO 2025 will show MEI’s tray loading system incorporated into our platform. This is just one of the many examples of how we can leverage this partnership, ultimately better serving our customers.” declares Jonathan Jaglom, Chairman & CEO of flō Optics.
MEI is continuously developing new technologies, including the blockless freeform lens processing system CoreTBA, which was presented in 2023. The launch of ClearXM, a solution for cleaning and inspecting ophthalmic lenses, is planned for 2025. The investment in flō Optics shows that additive manufacturing is also playing an increasingly important role in the optical industry.
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