Chris Tyler leads buy-out at Birmingham Optical

Birmingham Optical chief executive Chris Tyler and his management team have acquired a majority shareholding of the 60-year-old ophthalmic equipment supplier.

In a deal supported by Clydesdale Bank, Tyler and his team have purchased the company, which also includes a glazing and lens distribution business, from former owner Aberdeen Asset Management, a private equity firm, for an undisclosed sum.

'The deal has become a reality based on the strong support of key suppliers such as Nidek and Oculus in combination with the strong desire for the companies' products in the optometry, machinery and ophthalmology fields,' said Tyler.

Tyler has been with Birmingham Optical since 1993 but began working with the Nidek product line in 1987. He was appointed chief executive of the group in 2005.