Over 33,000 visitors made their way around the halls of the latest Silmo, held September 26 through 29 in Paris.

More than half of the visitors (56%) came from abroad, despite the ill-timed Air France strike, which had an impact on travel for some. Once arrived, they got a look at the new products from 900 exhibitors, of which over 150 were new to Silmo.

In an interview with ClipInfo.ca, Silmo president Philippe Lafont stressed the importance of events like Silmo in a challenging economic climate. “They allow opticians to get an overall picture of the market, by seeing over 1,000 brands in a single location,” he said. “However, Silmo is more than just a sales venue; it's a stimulating place for professionals to gather and exchange ideas with other members of a profession that is generally relatively isolated.”

Furthermore, Silmo and Mido have announced a new partnership. Starting in March 2015, at the Silmo and Mido trade shows, the two organizations will release the results of quarterly barometer surveys to measure the economic performance of the European optical industry, jointly requested of the GfK Insitute. “There is little statistical data available on the industry, and it's a gap we intend to fill,” said Philippe Lafont.