Shamir - Celebrating 50 Years
50 years after its establishment in a small agricultural community, Shamir is today a major global player and one of the fastest growing companies in the world's ophthalmic industry. We’re excited to be celebrating our 50th anniversary and look forward to sharing many more! Here are 10 things you should know about Shamir…
1. From farming to precision optics Shamir started with a single production plant in Israel's northern Galilee and was established to provide employment options outside agriculture.
2. A unique mindset From the beginning we wanted to be more than just another optical manufacturer. We wanted to be the best, think out of the box, be revolutionary, and create something better.
3. Going global with international partners In the best tradition of the "start-up nation", Shamir became an international company bringing its considerable R&D and knowhow to the field of optics. Today Shamir operates on every continent, in 23 countries, with 19 manufacturing.
4. Focusing on our customers - Personal Touch! Everything we do at Shamir is geared to producing the best possible outcome for our customers. They are our top priority and the motivation for our values – Passion, Excellence, Service, and Responsiveness. We are passionate about innovation, devoted to being the best, hold service above all, and maintain the agility to make it all happen.
5. 21 international awards Investing heavily in R&D, Shamir today holds 36 registered patents for its leading proprietary technologies. We have always worked to push the boundaries and innovate leading technologies such as Eye-Point, our line of Autograph progressive lenses, and Glacier lens coatings. This innovation mindset has earned us 21 international awards, from Best Lens Design, to Most Innovative Product, and Product of the Year.
6. Matching life's fast pace, anticipating the future Shamir has been providing the industry with the best products to meet emerging consumer needs for decades. We were the first to offer Freeform technology to external labs, and to advance lens performance with new innovations such as Metaform™ technology. We have also been an industry pioneer in customer service with our InoTime fast manufacturing techniques filling optical orders within hours. Looking further into the future, Shamir is ideally positioned to be a major player in the development of products for augmented and virtual reality.
7. From vision at speed to vision in space Shamir is proud to have become the Optical Performance Partner of Alpine F1™ Team. The partnership is a natural expression of Shamir and Alpine's shared values of leading technologies, innovation, high performance, fast reaction, precision, safety and great teamwork. In another new cooperative effort, this time with NASA, Shamir is conducting research in space to provide innovative solutions for presbyopia.
8. Protecting our planet Sustainability is an integral part of Shamir's strategy. This means detailed planning for energy savings and ensuring our infrastructure and practices are as green as we can make them, such as eliminating use of disposables and favouring environmentfriendly materials. Metaform™, our latest lens manufacturing breakthrough, is 80% more energy efficient than existing traditional methods.
9. Giving back to society Wherever Shamir is around the world, community support has always been a core value of our business, offering support such as free eye examinations, joining charity marathons, or supporting the needs of schoolchildren. Recently, Shamir Portugal established a Mobile Lab housed in a converted truck, to provide eye examinations, optical products, and helping maintain the visual health of those who may not otherwise have access to services.
10. Valuing our employees Shamir's employees are its single greatest asset. We grow our business for, and with, our people. But more than that, our employees are a force for good. It’s their willingness to put in the extra time and care, not only to ensure the continued advance of Shamir's mission, but to support for our communities. Yagen Moshe, Shamir CEO: "It is the striving for excellence that has driven Shamir throughout its years of operation, from uncompromising quality of scientific research, to the ability to anticipate and respond to future needs. What makes Shamir different is its very DNA, defining our ultimate commitment to our customers and always with a personal touch. We look forward to continued innovations and developing tomorrow's breakthrough technologies, while also meeting our responsibilities to take care of our planet and give back to the community. "In honor of 50 years of activity, Shamir is making a promise to devote our energies to maintaining green, sustainable practices. We will continue our devotion to innovative R&D, and we aim for nothing less than providing the best possible visual experience to people the world over. We focus on improving life, by improving vision."