Essilor sees growth in emerging markets

Essilor experienced its fastest growth in 15 years in 2010, with revenue up 13.4 per cent excluding the currency effect to €3.89bn, according to its financial statement for the year.

However, much of the growth was provided by fast growing countries, while European revenues rose 0.4 per cent on a like-for-like basis with situations varying from country to country.

Essilor revealed that European sales were driven by strong demand in certain markets such as France, the Netherlands, Russia and in the instruments division, but that southern and northern Europe under-performed.

Global sales of equipment grew 38 per cent on the previous year and Essilor revealed they had risen to pre-recession levels, with fast growth in sales of digital surfacing equipment.