The optical industry must rally around its own exhibition, Optrafair, if it wants to prevent itself from being treated as a ‘cash cow’ and exploited by outside forces, FMO members heard last week.
After an unprecedented five years in top positions at the Federation of Manufacturing Opticians, outgoing chairman Barry Dibble said the future of the optical exhibition scene was in members’ hands.
Optrafair’s 38 year heritage was under threat from an outside organisation, and if it was successful optics would lose out, he said.
‘This is actually quite sad because if the optical industry show falls into the hands of a commercial organisation then I believe we simply become someone else’s cash cow and Optics UK will lose in many ways. We understand and agree that no-one wants – or can afford – two major exhibitions each year but this will continue only for as long as you breathe life into the alternative. It’s in your hands.’
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