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'We've taken delivery of the system, with its intricate tooling and it will be offered in the third quarter. It's a service thing, which will help to differentiate us,' explains managing director Richard Crook.
Stepper UK moved into its 12,000sq ft premises last year, having outgrown a nearby site in Tonbridge, and despite the fact there is room to expand, Crook believes they will have to move to a custom-built headquarters further along the line thanks both to a growing customer base and existing customers doing more business.
'We really bend over backwards with our service,' Crook says. 'If a frame is ordered at 4pm one day, we can deliver the next day. I get really upset if I see a back order. We will also admit to a problem with a frame design if we see one. The bottom line is we don't want to be the cause of a practice losing a patient. We work hard to give the optician what they need - service and not silly prices.'
The company has resisted the urge to get involved in 'designer' eyewear, although Crook accepts that some brands really do have value. Stepper also seems to be bucking the trend when it comes to rimless product.
'Everyone says the rimless market is dying, but we're still adding and evolving. We do lots of supras and rimless, and probably have the biggest collection in the country,' he says. 'We're now adding detail, even blingy bits on some. To me rimless frames are much more feminine and flattering than the heavy acetate look. I know I am the one who's out of step.'
Colourful new styles
This appears to be true, as part and parcel of the company's recent success is its diffusion line Stepper S along with its Xtreme collection, which are very much tapping into the heavier acetate trend and far removed in look from what might be perceived as the company's staple - traditional plastics for the older woman.
The Xtreme collection (pictured above) started with eight models, and Crook says that thanks to an instant reaction, the line has now grown to 84 models. These come in three colourways, with many in a choice of sizes, making it a 350 sku collection, all of which can be seen on a recently introduced CD-Rom. The bulk of this line is laminated acetates either in full or combination styles. 'The market appeal is towards younger wearers who may not have the same levels of disposable income. To keep the price down we've only got a couple of models in titanium and tried and tested other materials. The colours are gorgeous, but I wouldn't be brave enough to wear them. We're also doing different colours on the inside so that you can catch glimpses of it in different lighting and it becomes a point of interest.'
Another influence is finishings that echo 'urban materials', for example industrial flooring. Crook adds that while people might desire two to three pairs, a pair of spectacles is still quite an investment and he is not sure consumers will be able to do it because of the price. 'What is lovely to see, and it has started in the past 18 months, is that the UK wearer has gone from the old fashioned person of Europe to being up with the wackier wearer. The Irish sort of started it and it has seeped across the water now. UK wearers are now choosing some really trendy specs and it's not just opticians who are wearing them. A lot of the barriers about spectacles as a distress purchase have been broken down, which is good for children.'
Stepper S is higher end than Xtreme, and slightly less adventurous in terms of colours, with reds and purples. The range includes more individual hinge designs and constructions, added rubber inlays and detail relating to comfort, for example keyhole bridges. 'The line is pricier thanks to the use of technology - we hardly make any that aren't titanium or a combination with titanium,' he says.
With the company's production and designer Hans Stepper based at the partner plant in China, it can react quickly with new designs. 'If an idea is good enough we can get a prototype together in a matter of days and bring it to market in seven weeks.'
Round-table meetings throughout the year enable director and designer to exchange ideas as the company expands. 'We have 37 distributors around the world with all of Europe covered, North and South America, and the Far East is a wonderful market with a Chinese partner. We've also finally cracked Italy which is looking interesting,' says Crook.
And with Stepper already expecting to outgrow its latest headquarters, the UK's holding up its end.
