Strong attendance was reported at Optrafair 2016 last weekend as thousands of practitioners gathered at Birmingham NEC to gain CET points, place orders and network.
The exhibition hall featured latest frame designs, lenses, contact lenses, equipment and services, together with an area dedicated to children’s eyewear. Speakers at the event included Specsavers co-founder Doug Perkins and former optometrist Julia Manning, who discussed the future of optics following the much-anticipated release of the Foresight report last month.
Robert Morris, founder and creator of eyewear company William Morris, told Optician: ‘The timing of the show is very good because we just launched our new spring summer collection. A lot of customers have not had a chance to see the new designs, which are all on show at our stall with a double decker London bus.
‘We will always bring the spirit of William Morris to Optrafair.
I think what I would like to see is more frame companies who go to Silmo and Mido come to Birmingham.’
It was the first time Optrafair owners, the FMO, had combined with new Optician parent company Mark Allen Group, and the majority of exhibitors have already booked their stands for Optrafair 2017.