Midas makes rimless move

Midas Eyewear, which launched on October 1, is based in Milton Keynes and is headed by Mr Wildman, the former managing director of Polaris Optics (UK). He is supported by co-director Kristina Wennström, who comes from a non-optical customer service background, and Howard Brake, also previously with Polaris Optics, in field sales. 'We aim to build the sales force up to three people over the next two years,' says Mr Wildman. 'The team will grow with the business.' He says he set up Midas because of the opportunity in the rimless market, provided the supplier has the correct product, price and service. 'It takes four to five times longer to glaze rimless lenses than ordinary frames and practices are not keen to spend that time in their in-house departments. They need someone to do the glazing or they don't sell rimless spectacles,' says Mr Wildman. 'We have found that wearers are willing to pay more for lighter, rimless frames and we expect demand to grow as this service is available.' Mr Wildman, who was made redundant from Polaris a year ago, admits Midas is in direct competition with his old company. He is hoping Midas will capture business by staying small, and by offering independent practitioners a personal service. 'I estimate rimless sales account for about 4 per cent of the total eyewear market,' he says. 'I hope we will be able to take 1 per cent of that.' Initially, Midas will be glazing Pro Design Plato Point and Plato Link products from Denmark, but it plans to introduce its own range of titanium frame products early next year.