The Commerce Commission has cleared Essilor New Zealand Ltd to acquire up to 100% of shares in Optical Laboratories NZ Ltd and all shares in Prolab (Wellington) Ltd.

Commission Chair Paula Rebstock said that the Commission was satisfied that the proposed acquisition would not have, or would not be likely to have, the effect of substantially lessening competition in the national markets for:

  • the import and intermediate supply of blank prescription lenses; and
  • the wholesale supply of processed prescription lenses.

Essilor has a variety of activities in New Zealand including the supply of finished and unfinished lenses, and lens processing, in particular the edging and fitting of lenses.

Prolab is a Wellington based optical laboratory lens processor. In addition to edging and fitting lenses, Problab also carries out grinding and coating.

Optical is a Christchurch based lens processing company that grinds, coats, tints and edges lenses. Optical also sells stock lenses.

A public version of the written decision will shortly be available on the Commission's website under Public Registers.