By Seth J. Bookey
Contributing Editor

GRAPEVINE, Texas--OLA 2005, “the world’s largest show exclusively for optical laboratories,” took place here last month at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center. OLA officials had projected the three-day meeting would attract 1,300 attendees and 114 exhibiting companies. However, their expectations were pleasantly exceeded as the show attracted more than 1,400 attendees, topping attendance figures for 2004.

OLA board members cut the ribbon to open the show floor on Thursday. (l to r) Ed Dietz III, Steve Sutherlin, Barney Dougher, Susan Crawley, Art Waite and Bob Dzuiban.

Busy traffic in the OLA 2005 Exhibit Hall.

“This is the first time in four years that OLA attendance has exceeded 1,400 attendees,” according to Carmen Sevilla, show and exhibitor manager for OLA. On an even more important note, Sevilla said, “the attendee/exhibitor ratio was higher for 2005 versus 2004. The presence of OLA member labs continues to be strong, showing a 5 percent increase in participation from OLA member labs this year versus last year.”

OLA executive director Bob Dziuban said that by the end of the show’s first day, registration exceeded all three days of last year’s show. “The show floor was full and our morning classes were full. Attendees participated in activities across the board.”

The OLA has also been “building bridges” by getting its message out through more channels. “We’ve increased our marketing and our exposure in the trade press, and we are working with our exhibitors. So the message is coming to them from more than one direction,” Dziuban said.

Dziuban also saw a lot of walk-in traffic at the meeting, since “there are many labs in the Dallas area.” The ratio of customers to suppliers being 1-to-1 means “an increase in the amount of business the labs are interested in doing here. The mood is much more positive than it was in 2001.”

Building on the positive energy of previous shows, the OLA 2005 enjoyed an energetic opening day and carried the momentum throughout the three days. In addition to the trade show, the meeting featured general sessions, guest speakers, special panels, and 34 educational seminars.

Like many attendees on opening day, Shelley De Lano, sales and marketing manager for Conejo Valley Optical in Ojai, Calif., was “investing in the future.” Her priorities at OLA 2005 were”looking at in-house AR technology, networking, and attending sales and marketing seminars.”

For Shelley Hiett, marketing manager for Pinnacle Optical of Birmingham, Ala., a major priority was to check out the ES-3 industrial edger from Satisloh, as well as the new conveyor-belt technology. “We’re looking into doing more with robotics,” she said. Hiett spent the morning checking out seminars that covered customer service needs and new lens marketing.

George Nasser, managing director of Opticare Pty. Ltd., Silverwater, New South Wales, Australia, came from Down Under to check out freeform processing, computer software programs for lab automation, generators, and edging equipment. “We were looking at partial automation,” he said, specifically, automating their surfacing operations.

Tangible new technologies, discussed in seminars--and on view in the exhibit hall--helped raise member attendance during the second day of OLA 2005.

Sutherlin Optical’s Steve Sutherlin, president of the Optical Laboratories Association, said that “attendance by OLA members on the second day was up significantly.”

Sutherlin also noted that the morning’s seminars that drew the biggest crowds covered freeform technology, rimless eyewear, lab productivity, business strategy, industry consolidation and the new lens safety standard.

Hoya Vision Care’s Barney Dougher, who is OLA treasurer said, “We’ve marketing new technologies and this show is the best place to see it. Even if they are just shopping here at OLA, they will go home and buy later.”

Dougher also noted, “Today, there’s a lot of interesting technology going on in cut-to-polish, rimless, and polishing. OLA is the best place to see unique, exciting new technology in lab equipment.”

Paul Zito of Encore Optics, South Windsor, Conn., who is a former OLA president, said OLA 2005 had “a lot of new energy. There’s new technology here that is more tangible, not just concepts.” His list of seminars focused on freeform technology.

John Haigh, of J&J Optical in Paradise, Calif., said he was “glad to see that attendance appears to be up.” Haigh said 35 percent of jobs get AR and came to check out AR technology because “not doing AR in-house is holding us back.”

Jeff Morgan of Volunteer Optical, Knoxville, Tenn., said that this year, “the technology is even more automated and advanced. Business has been good since we installed AR in house and we’re looking at AR chemicals here. We’re also looking at multifunction edgers.” Morgan is also checking out freeform technology, both on the show floor and in the morning seminars.

Radio personality Suzie Humphreys showed her “I Can Do That” spirit as Friday’s general session speaker.

Ralph Sollenberger, MS Optics, Delran, N.J., said he was particularly interested in the cut-to-polish technology. “Getting rid of laps would help us quite a bit,” he said, “since we’re a small lab and now there’s technology within our reach.”

Exhibitors were also happy with this year’s OLA show. Clement Patry, president of Gerber Coburn, said, “I think the OLA is picking up every year. Our booth was packed on the opening day of the show.”

Pleased with the turnout, Scott Schaller, a consultant for Tokai Optics, said “The show was better than I expected.” Tokai’s Mark Ruppert said that the attendance seems better this year. “I saw more attendees’ badges [than exhibitor] this year.”

PSI’s Karen Gillen concurred. “Traffic was much busier today. There are many more blue [member] badges on the show floor.”