IoD director highlights the strengths of optics

A top business guru has praised the role of optics in the path to economic recovery in UK.

'This industry is a great example of Britain's strengths in advanced manufacturing, and with a UK optical retail market worth nearly £3bn, there are clearly major opportunities across the sector,' said Simon Walker, director general of the Institute of Directors.

He was making a keynote address at last week's Federation of Manufacturing Opticians (FMO) meeting.

Walker, speaking hours before the government announced its 2012 budget, warned of a 'bi-polar' economy whereby GDP growth could potentially be a lot better or a lot worse than forecast.