MILAN – On the heels of a strong performance in the first half of 2025, EssilorLuxottica is continuing its acquisition spree to strengthen its supply chain.
The French Italian eyewear juggernaut said Monday that it has acquired Automation & Robotics, a Belgium-based company designed and manufacturing automated systems for quality control of optical lenses.
“The integration of A&R into EssilorLuxottica’s portfolio of industrial solutions marks another milestone in our ongoing journey to set new standards of excellence in our industry. Sharing a commitment to innovation, precision and service, we will be able to better support the evolving needs of ophthalmic manufacturing, including those of new categories like wearables,” said Francesco Milleri, EssilorLuxottica’s chairman and chief executive officer. The executive holds executive powers alongside deputy CEO Paul du Saillant.
“This move is a key step towards advancing the future of vision care through quality and performance, by strengthening our technological platform,” he said.
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Established in 1983, Automation & Robotics boasts proprietary technologies, supporting lens manufacturers at both industrial and laboratory-size scale in digital transformation through research and development, software development, manufacturing, distribution and deployment.
The acquisition comes two weeks after EssilorLuxottica took over a division of the South Korean company PUcore, which specializes in the development, manufacturing and sale of monomers used in the production of ophthalmic lenses.
EssilorLuxottica has been on an acquisition spree as of late, especially in the med-tech space.
In May, the eyewear group took over ophthalmology platform Optegra, which operates a network of more than 70 eye hospitals and diagnostic facilities across Europe under the Optegra, Lexum and Iris brands.
In mid-December, it revealed the acquisition of the Italy-based Espansione Group, which specializes in the design and manufacturing of noninvasive medical devices, protected by international patents for the diagnosis and treatment of dry-eye, ocular surface and retinal diseases. This followed the deal last July to acquire an 80 percent stake in Heidelberg Engineering, a German company that is a specialist in diagnostic solutions, digital surgical technologies and health care IT for clinical ophthalmology.
In addition to frames, lenses, medical instruments and science-backed eye care solutions, the group’s offer today includes AI-powered innovative technologies and wearables, for which it has been ramping up its tech capabilities through acquisition.
Last year, the company introduced its Nuance Audio brand, a convergence of eyewear and hearing aid devices. And then, in January, it took over Pulse Audition, a French start-up that specializes in AI-powered noise reduction and voice sound enhancement to scale up its Nuance Audio technology.
The group established the dedicated Super Audio division in the summer of 2022 and finalized the acquisition six months later of Israeli company Nuance Hearing.
As reported, in the first half of 2025 EssilorLuxottica reported that adjusted revenues were up 5.5 percent at current exchange rates to 14.02 billion euros. They jumped 7.3 percent at constant exchange rates, driven by the direct-to-consumer business and growth in sales of smartglasses. The French Italian group’s operating profit amounted to 2.53 billion euros in the first half, with the adjusted operating margin stable at 18.3 percent of sales.
In addition to its own brands ranging from Ray-Ban and Oakley to Persol, the group produces and distributes eyewear for brands spanning from Giorgio Armani, Brunello Cucinelli and Burberry to Chanel, Michael Kors, Moncler, Prada and Ralph Lauren, to name a few.