Rodenstock practices received a rallying cry from Club president Chris Hunt at its pre-Christmas awards luncheon as it announced new brands, price cuts and renewed marketing support.
Next year the marque will take on the Dunhill eyewear brand, the Mercedes Benz brand and put more emphasis on Porsche eyewear and Wimbledon. On lenses Rodenstock is moving to a free-form-only policy on progressive lenses and offering price cuts of up to 50 per cent on some of its lens products. It will also be launching new rimless products and making more investment at its manufacturing base in Kent.
In a candid assessment of the year, managing director Dietmar Rathbauer admitted that Rodenstock practices had not enjoyed the best of times over the last three years and had lost market share but in the last six month the situation had changed. He said 2010 would be better but recovery would not happen 'overnight'. It would go back to supporting practices as strongly as it had in the past with these changes and better marketing. 'I want to reinstate the Club like it was. We will defeat the opposition with these weapons,' he said.
Hunt said Rathbauer was making a lot of changes but it was up to practices to capture the spirit of the Rodenstock Club halcyon days and turn those changes into success.
'We have the same as we had 20 years ago with chain eating chain. Tesco and Asda are fighting Specsavers on price but that has nothing to do with you.' He said Club membership was back on the increase and members' performance was strong when compared to the market in general.
He added that Rodenstock Club practices had a unique offer with its free-form-only policy and practices should take advantage of it while they could.
'Free-form over time will be given away just like coatings and photochromics. Go for it in a big way and get ahead of the opposition.'
The message to the market was: 'You had better watch out because we are coming back.'