New investors and new market challenges for Avant Italiana

Avant Italiana S.p.A., the exclusive distributor of Seiko and Optiswiss ophthalmic lenses, today proudly announced that it has been assured new investments by an important investment fund operating on international markets.

The details of the investment and the names of the new shareholders will be announced later.

The new funds will allow Avant Italiana to approach new markets where there is a strong request for innovative ophthalmic products, and they envisage the possibility of expansion abroad.

In this light, the company will concentrate on commercial and marketing strategies and customer service.

In recent months, the company has been involved in a significant structural reorganization program.

As planned some time ago, General Manager Fabrizio Giussani has left and has gradually transferred the reins to the main shareholders in the company, the Rocchitelli family.

'Avant Italiana is the only company we have seen that is balanced and ready to meet the growing demand for ophthalmic products in a rapidly changing market. All this is possible thanks to the flexibility and availability Avant Italiana can offer its clients, and its ability to propose a wide range of high-quality ophthalmic products because of special relationships with international partners of the caliber of Seiko and Optiswiss', said Carlo Rocchitelli, sole director of Avant Italiana. 'Apart from this, Avant Italiana's constant commitment to growth in billings has always paid significant attention to maintaining high profits. It is the only key to success in this demanding market.'

'Avant Italiana can respond quickly to market developments and we are all pleased to welcome the new investors who will support our growth.
Our ability to overcome the recent problems on the market by maintaining our growth percentage figures high is due to Fabrizio Giussani's work over the years as head of Avant Italiana, and I would like to thank him personally for everything he has done.'

The results of sector analyses show that the ophthalmic market in Italy is growing. After a period of crisis during the first few years of the century, lately there has been a slow but constant recovery (2005 v 2004, 1st quarter: -5% in quantity and -6% in value; annual total: +5% in quantity and +5.6% in value). This positive trend is continuing in 2006: during the first 5 months of the year there was +6% growth in quantity and +7.5% in value.