As many as 150 staff could lose their jobs at Boots Opticians after it announced the closure of all 28 of its regional glazing centres and transfer of all glazing work to Hoya.
All permanent Boots employees working in the RGCs will transfer to Hoya over the next three months, but given relocation distances involved it is expected many will opt for redundancy.
The decision to close the RGCs, made on July 18, follows a two-month trial with Hoya Lens UK in Wrexham involving 29 Boots practices (News, May 19). Edinburgh RGC will shut first on September 8, Belfast a week later, then three to four RGCs closing each week until November 10.
The trial has not been without its problems, however. In an employee information document dated July 21 and seen by Optician, Boots Opticians managing director Chas McShane acknowledged that generally good results were tainted when Boots ran out of stock of some frames, resulting in delays.
After a two-week trial extension, however, McShane felt confident that sufficient progress had been made to proceed with a roll-out plan: 'I am now in the position to confirm that, following a review of progress in each of the weeks of the trial, I have decided to transfer all of our glazing business to Hoya and close the RGCs.'
Boots Opticians director of professional services David Cartwright told Optician: 'The move simplifies the whole supply chain. It involves changing where our glazing happens but also how we supply and stock frames as well.'
One Boots employee affected by the decision told Optician that Boots was 'clever' to do it in the summer, traditionally a quiet time of year, but also when no two-for-one deals were on offer.
Hoya managing director Steve Ellis said: 'We are keen to have Boots staff transfer over because of their skills and knowledge of the glazing process within Boots, so we're looking at it very positively. In terms of how many finally come, it is a little difficult to say.'
He also reassured other Hoya customers that the Boots transfer would not have an effect on their service. 'We've developed over the past two years a facility that has the capability to serve all of our customers' anticipated requirements, including the provision of glazed items.'
Boots labs to close
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