Manufacturers in other emerging markets

India is emerging as a manufacturing location. For example, Zeiss Group is setting up a manufacturing unit in India. 78 In 2022, the social enterprise VisionSpring (see next section for more details) has also moved its sourcing from China to partnering with a subcontractor or OEM manufacturer based in India. LensKart, the largest optical retailer in India that sells multiple global brands along with its in-house brand, has vertically integrated its manufacturing in India. Carl Zeiss also plans to open its biggest lens factory in India for Rs 2,500 crore (approximately 300 million dollars) in 2023. 79 India itself has a strong demand for eyewear. Moving manufacturing to India could address costs related to imports—both financial (such as import duties, taxes, and transportation) and non-financial (such as customs clearance time)—and potentially make eyewear more affordable for local Indian customers.

Manufacturing in Africa is nascent with small-scale businesses such as Wazi Vision distinguishing itself by creating high-quality, fashionable frames designed and manufactured in Uganda using sustainable materials. Despite the successes of these smaller-scale businesses, there remains a pressing need for them to expand their efforts. 80

Table 26: Illustrative manufacturers in other emerging countries – listed alphabetically

Company Product Manufacturing Sites Presence
LensKart (India) Prescription Glasses India and China Asia, including India, Singapore, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Japan. i
Wazi Vision (Uganda) Prescription Glasses Frames locally manufactured from acetate and sustainable materials Uganda

iLenskart may shift SE Asia manufacturing to India plant, 2022, mint, https://www.livemint.com/industry/ manufacturing/lenskart-may-shift-se-asia--to-india-plant-11661706547231.html. ↩︎

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