Sowing the seed for growth

The acquisition of UltraVision by Japanese contact lens giant SEED earlier this year has provided the opportunity for both parties to expand their global reach.

SEED, which sells 60-70 million contact lenses per month in Japan and Taiwan, will use the acquisition to orchestrate an entry into the UK contact lens market for its daily disposable portfolio.

Meanwhile, UltraVision will expand into the Asian markets of Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia with specialist contact lens brands including Avanti and KeraSoft.

Optician was invited to interview Masahiro Urakabe, president and CEO of SEED, who had travelled from Japan to visit the newly-acquired Bedfordshire unit, now part of the newly-named SEED International.