Hoya has announced restructuring plans for its Wrexham factory that put 46 workers at risk of redundancy.
The lens firm said it wanted to create a smaller, more multi-skilled and flexible workforce.
More than 100 employees will continue working at the Welsh plant after the changes, Hoya said, and customers would see little difference in their daily dealings with the company.
It said the reduced headcount followed the floods in Thailand last year (News 21.10.11), which had impacted its global supply chain.
As a contingency Hoya said it had expanded its lab in Mateszalka, Hungary, and used automated manufacturing technology to build a lab and customer support function in the UK.
The company expected to make a number of the required redundancies through voluntary severance. Staff were told of the proposals last week and the company's vision of 'world class ophthalmic lens production supported by a European and international supply chain'.
Martin Batho, Hoya Lens UK managing director, said: 'We have conducted a structured and detailed review of the impact of the floods in Thailand and used our findings to design a streamlined business for the future.
'Hoya's experience is that we have a stronger market presence in those countries where we also manufacture, consequently it is our ongoing intention to maintain an Rx production facility in the UK.'