November 20, 2009 Update:
Thank you for the kind words and well-wishes following the announcement of the fire at our Jakarta facility last week. The facility was released by police officials on Nov. 19, and key members of our leadership team are now in Jakarta to assess damage.
Initial inspection shows certain portions of the plant faired better than others, but it is still too soon to understand the impact on operations. Once we are able to further assess damage, we will communicate potential long-term inventory scenarios and contingency plans with affected customers.
In the meantime, we are pleased to share that clear polycarbonate lenses, formerly produced in Jakarta, are now being manufactured in our Ramsey, Minn., facility. As noted in our communication last week, we still expect to meet continued customer demand with existing inventory at key distribution centers, safety stock and product en-route from Jakarta. Additionally, the Ramsey, Minn., facility will continue to operate during its previously scheduled December shutdown to build inventory.
As we begin preparing to rebuild in Jakarta, we have set our management team up in new offices to continue day-to-day activities including communications to Ramsey, Minn. counterparts and Jakarta employees as well as moving forward with plans to get us up and running.
We have also retained full-time employees in Jakarta, which will allow us to be ready immediately once operations begin. We thank you for your support and patience as we move forward. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Thank you again.
RAMSEY, MINN. (Nov. 12, 2009) – Vision-Ease Lens (VEL), a manufacturer of ophthalmic lenses, learned yesterday that its manufacturing facility in Jakarta, Indonesia, sustained damage from a major fire. All employees evacuated safely and damage is currently being assessed. The Jakarta facility is one of two manufacturing facilities owned by VEL.
As part of initial recovery steps, interim manufacturing operations of lenses made in Jakarta will be moved to VEL’s facility in Ramsey, Minn. The company expects to meet continued customer demand with existing inventory at key distribution centers.
“Our priority right now is ensuring employee and customer needs are met,” said Doug Hepper, CEO, VEL. “The Jakarta facility is a vital part of our operation. We will leverage the skills and knowledge of our Jakarta employees to rebuild a world-class facility.”
VEL will continue to inform its stakeholders and the public regarding the impact on operations. For additional information about VEL and continued updates, please visit
www.vision-ease.com.
About Jakarta Facility
Vision-Ease Lens built the 80,000 sq. ft. facility, which opened in 1997. It is operational 24/7 and employs approximately 500 employees.
About Vision-Ease Lens
Headquartered in Ramsey, Minn., Vision-Ease Lens is a manufacturer of quality ophthalmic lenses including LifeRx
(R) light-responsive lenses, Coppertone
™ polarized lenses, SunRx
(R) polarized lenses, and Illumina
(R) progressive line-free lenses. Vision-Ease Lens products are sold through independent opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists, as well as many retail chains and dispensing markets across the country. For more information about Vision-Ease Lens and its products, visit
www.vision-ease.com.