Key company data

Günther Fielmann, state-certified optician and master optician, opened his first specialist optician’s in Cuxhaven in autumn 1972. Today, Fielmann sells almost every second pair of spectacles in Germany.

In 2007 Fielmann, with its 599 branches, generated an external turnover (incl. franchises and industry) of 984 million euro with a sales volume of 6.0 million spectacles.

Employees
Fielmann is the biggest employer in the optometry sector. Currently, the company has more than 11,800 employees, 2,500 of which are employed in the new German Federal States.

In modern shops and training workshops, fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, 1,800 young people learn their trade with Fielmann. The training is exceptional and a number of national awards confirm this fact.

The extent to which Fielmann employees identify with their company is demonstrated by the fact that 70 per cent of them retain a holding in the company, be it through capital investment or shares. They not only receive excellent salaries, but also interest, a share in profits and dividends. This is extremely motivating and it is the customer who reaps the benefits as a result.

All Fielmann branches are managed by master opticians. They, in turn, are assisted by qualified opticians’ assistants who constantly undertake further training: both technical and personal. In each and every Fielmann shop, customers can count on being advised by motivated specialists who wholeheartedly support the consumer-friendly philosophy of the company.

The Fielmann Academy, a non-profit organisation located at Plön Castle in the state of Schleswig Holstein, trains the future generation of the specialised optometric industry. Within the framework of the training, Fielmann assumes responsibility for the entire trade. Admission to the non-profit organisation Fielmann Academy at Plön Castle is also granted to external opticians.

Turnover
In 2007, the company generated an external turnover of 984 million euro (previous year: 913 million euro).

The average turnover of a Fielmann branch is 1.6 million euro, compared to 0.3 million euro in the case of an average German specialist optician’s. (ZVA)

Number of units
In 2007, Fielmann sold 6.0 million pairs of spectacles (previous year: 5.8 million spectacles).

On average, a Fielmann branch sells 35 pairs of spectacles per day; the figure for an average traditional optician is less than two. (ZVA/Spectaris)

Profit
In 2007, the company’s group generated a pre-tax profit of 136 million euro (previous year: 107 million euro). Net income totalled 82 million euro (previous year: 72 million euro).

Equity ratio
In 2007, the equity ratio amounted to 60.8 per cent. The return on equity after tax amounted to 23.2 per cent.

Market shares
In 2007, with 5 per cent of all German outlets for opticians, Fielmann achieved a 21 per cent market share in total turnover of spectacles, and a 48 per cent market share of units sold - a testimony to the market leader’s reasonable pricing structure. Had Fielmann sold their products at similar prices to those of the competition, market share figures in turnover and units sold would probably have been identical.

Productivity
Fielmann strives to constantly outperform and to invariably offer more reasonably priced spectacles than its competitors. For this reason, Fielmann has drawn up a set of basic regulations that are countersigned by each employee and emphasise the company’s commitment to increasing productivity, offering lower prices and providing better quality.

Whereas the average German optician sells less than two pairs of spectacles per day per employee, Fielmann retails four pairs daily per employee, which allows the company to offer their products at lower prices.

Expansion
Fielmann currently operates 615 branches.

Germany continues to present us with great potential, as do Switzerland and Austria, but also the neighbouring countries.

Our aim is to operate one branch per 100,000 inhabitants throughout Germany. Fielmann intends to achieve a market share of at least 50 per cent in all the regional markets of the German-speaking countries.

Furthermore, Fielmann requires an additional 170 branches in Germany, first and foremost in southern Germany. In the northern part of the country, Fielmann will primarily tap further sales and turnover potentials by relocating larger units to more beneficial site locations.

The opening of major units such as in Cologne, Schildergasse, is not only planned for the major German-speaking cities: by establishing a "supercentre" and two to five additional branches, Fielmann will be able to cover the national markets of several adjoining countries to a significant extent.

Production
Being a manufacturer, agent and optician, Fielmann covers the entire value-added chain of the trade.

By remaining loyal to the production site in Germany, Fielmann makes a valuable contribution to preserving the cultural heritage of spectacle production. The German market leader produces spectacle frames in Rathenow/Brandenburg and in the French Jura.

We have good reasons for doing this: operating its own production enables Fielmann to spontaneously initiate fashion trends or to pick up on existing ones within only a few weeks. Generally, the industry requires five to nine months to introduce a new spectacle model.

Fielmann supplies both its own branches and wholesalers directly from its production sites, thereby eliminating the need for intermediate traders.

High quality at low prices
Fielmann is committed to premium quality in all price segments. We monitor the quality at every stage of the production process.

Fielmann is able to sell our products at cheaper prices because Fielmann sells more spectacles than entire nations – more than the sum of spectacles sold by all the opticians in Denmark, Switzerland, Austria and the Netherlands - more than five million per annum.

The customers literally buy our own extremely trendy Fielmann Collection at the purchase price of the traditional optician. The wholesaler’s margin is sufficient for Fielmann. As a consequence, our branches are also factory outlets. The post-order fee charged by traditional opticians is omitted.

Fielmann purchases from great brand suppliers. We manufacture where the famous brands are manufactured.

Frames from the Fielmann Collection, which we purchase from brand suppliers, are sold to customers practically at the purchasing price of the traditional optician. The wholesaler’s margin is, once again, sufficient for Fielmann.

In this field, Fielmann’s prices are around 70 per cent lower than the general price level of labelled goods, i.e. products “upgraded” with a brand logo.

In addition, Fielmann purchases branded spectacle frames like entire nations, as a result of which we can offer prices which are 15 to 50 per cent below those of the traditional average optician.

A successful concept
The employees learn to see themselves as the customer. They serve customers as they would like to be served themselves. Fielmann employees are not pressured into talking customers into buying expensive spectacles.

At Fielmann, they have the satisfying job of finding optimal solutions for each customer, unrelated to price. They follow the motto: “Take less, receive more”. A success: 16 million Germans are already wearing Fielmann spectacles.

Time and again, Fielmann has introduced previously unknown, consumer-friendly services into the sector, such as openly displaying a selection of thousands of spectacles, a three-year guarantee or the money-back guarantee from Fielmann and the HanseMerkur insurance group.

Fielmann has made prescription spectacles attractive. In 1981, Fielmann broke away from the optics industry’s phalanx strategy, and in favour of the consumer, concluded a unique and trendsetting special contract with the AOK (medical insurance scheme) Esens. Fielmann turned eight classically ugly prescription frames into 90 chic and trendy metal and plastic models in 640 variations. It is the historical achievement of the company to have eradicated the social discrimination caused by ugly prescription spectacles: 8 million German people need no longer wear the proof of their low incomes on their noses.

Fielmann writes a new chapter in the history of spectacles insurance. The zero-tariff insurance offered by Fielmann and HanseMerkur is a further development of the proven system of service and additional payment, offering a viable alternative to the services of legal health insurers.

Immediately on taking out the policy the customer can claim a top-quality pair of spectacles from Fielmann’s zero-tariff collection. They do not pay either for the frame or for the lenses. The premium for a pair of spectacles with single strength lenses comes to 10 euros per annum, for a pair with multiple-strength lenses it is 50 euros.

If the person who takes out the policy opts for a pair of spectacles from the additional payment range, he gets a credit of 15 euros against the purchase price, 5 euros per single strength lens and 5 euros for the frame. For multiple strength lenses he gets 70 euros credit, 32.50 euros per lens and 5 euros for the frame.

If the customer chooses a pair of spectacles from the additional payment range, they receive as a special service of Fielmann, a credit of 70 per cent on the purchase price of the insured spectacles, in addition to reimbursement of the insurance premium in the event of breakage, damage or a change in the prescription (from 0.5 dioptres) up to two years after purchase. Fielmann pays the difference in reimbursing the insurance.

Persons insured can choose from 70 zero-tariff models in metal or plastic in more than 500 design variants, including stainless steel models. Spectacles in this durable material generally cost around 60 to 120 euros in the trade, depending on the quality of the print. Fielmann’s insurance policy offers them for nothing.

Every two years, those who take out a policy with HanseMerkur are entitled to a new pair of spectacles from Fielmann’s zero-tariff collection. Spectacles can be replaced at any time free of charge if they are broken or damaged, or if the prescription changes by more than 0.5 dioptres.

Fielmann sets trends in spectacles. The latest trends in Milan, Paris or New York are simultaneously available in Fielmann branches. Fielmann collects the wildest, latest, most beautiful and most amusing spectacles from all over the world for its stylist service.

At Fielmann the customer is guaranteed a good price. For Fielmann gives a money-back guarantee. If its customers find frames in another store and for a cheaper price within six weeks, Fielmann will take the spectacles back and refund the purchase price.

There is a three-year guarantee on all Fielmann spectacles which are tested in the company’s own laboratory. All frames comply with DIN EN ISO 12870 utility test standards.

Every year Fielmann plants a tree for each employee. To date, more than 900,000 trees and bushes have been planted. Fielmann is committed to conservation, protection of the environment, monument restoration and ecological farming. Fielmann helps schools, communities, retirement homes and promotes popular sport.