MIAMI, Fla.--A new, Miami-based company, OCA Optical Corp., has recently begun distributing and servicing the WECO line of lens edging equipment in the U.S. OCA is a subsidiary Optica Caroni, the major Venezuelan optical retail chain led by Allen Moreno. Under its agreement with Belgian-based Buchmann International, which owns WECO, OCA can exclusively distribute WECO equipment to optical laboratories and retailers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia. OCA can also sell WECO equipment to retailers in other states.

Jacobo Moreno, left, Mike Kohl, center and Ariel Croitorescu of OCA demonstrating WECO equipment during International Vision Expo in April.

The company will provide service and technical support on a nationwide level from its Miami facility, which is fully stocked with WECO parts and accessories. “We will continue with our strategy to base our business with technical support and services to the old WECO users as well as the new users, said Ariel Croitorescu, general manager of Optica Caroni. He added that OCA will also service on ophthalmic instruments as well as other brands of edgers.

OCA is Optica Caroni’s second venture in the U.S. Three years ago, the company bought Arno, a Miami company that supplies optical tools and accessories. “Our first objective was starting to grow Arno’s business,” said Croitorescu. “Then we were given exclusivity to sell WECO in nine states. We want to reposition the brand and expand nationally.”

Tom Fourt was recently hired as general manager for OCA and Arno, Fourt has been in the optical market for more than 10 years, and has served as general manager of Hilco.

Optica Caroni’s involvement with WECO dates to the mid-1990s, when the company began installing the equipment in the surfacing lab and 18 edging labs it operates in Venezuela. “After we start working with WECO, we built a huge maintenance facility to service their equipment,” detailed Croitorescu. “They sent over German-trained engineers to share their knowledge with us.”

Croitorescu believes that service will be the key to growing OCA’s U.S. business. “First, we want to build the infrastructure, then sell you the equipment,” he said.

Last month, Buchmann and Indo Internacional, based in Barcelona, announced they have signed a letter of intent to merge their respective equipment businesses.(See story Page 10) The move will not directly affect OCA’s U.S. distribution agreement with Buchmann, according to Croitorescu. ■