Merger between Carl Zeiss Ophthalmic Lens Division and Sola is completed

The merger between the Carl Zeiss Ophthalmic Lens Division and Sola International is now complete. In combining and leveraging the strength of the two companies, the merger creates a new global industry leader with increased market presence and scale. Following the approval of antitrust authorities in the Usa and the EU, Australia and Switzerland have now also given the green light. Sola shareholders had already approved the merger at the end of February.

The new parent company, privately held jointly by Carl Zeiss AG and Eqt III fund will be headquartered in Aalen, Germany. Its name will be Carl Zeiss Vision. The new company's workforce of 9,000 people will generate revenues of around 800 million euros per annum. This makes Carl Zeiss Vision a global leader in the eye care business.

Jeremy C. Bishop will be the company's Ceo. Bishop has held the position of Ceo at Sola International Inc. since April 2000. Klaus Leinmueller, Senior Vice President Corporate Finance and Controlling for the Carl Zeiss Group since 2002, will be the new Cfo of the company.

In addition the following regional General Managers have been named: Mark Ashcroft for Western Europe (UK, Ireland, France, Benelux, Spain, and Portugal as well as the Sunlens business), David Cross for Asia/Pacific, Barry Packham for the Americas, and Rudolf Spiller for Central & Eastern Europe, Denmark, Scandinavia and Italy.

The eye care businesses of Carl Zeiss and Sola complement each other extremely well, with a strong presence in all major markets, full product and technology portfolios, and well known trade and consumer brands. The new company will offer an expanded choice in ophthalmic lens products, services and business solutions, supported by unrivalled Research & Development capabilities.

Carl Zeiss Vision will be one of the world's largest manufacturers and a supplier of semi-finished lenses and Oem products. Therefore the new company will not only be a stronger partner for the optometrists and opticians who will benefit from an expanded prescription lens laboratory network that will distribute the existing brands, but will also generate a significant part of its business through independent prescription lens laboratories that act as distributors and through customers that require semi-finished lenses and Oem products.