Smart glasses: Essilux is also expanding production to Agordo

EssilorLuxottica’s wearable devices will also be manufactured at the historic site in Agordo, in the province of Belluno. The eyewear multinational, led by Chairman and CEO Francesco Milleri, has announced, in conjunction with the trade unions (Filctem Cgil, Femca Cisl and Uiltec Uil), the trial launch of the first production lines for the manufacture of wearable devices in Italia, starting in the second half of the year. As Milleri explains, ‘Bringing the production of our wearable devices to Italia, starting with the Agordo plant, is a strategic and industrial decision of great value for the group and for the local area. It is an ambitious project, requiring expertise, a solid supply chain and an ecosystem capable of supporting innovation, quality and speed of execution.” “We are convinced that this challenge can only be met through strong synergy between all parties involved – the company, people, trade unions and institutions – to build an integrated system around our plants that pools technologies, talent and the supply chain, further strengthening our leadership in a sector with extremely high potential,” continues Milleri. For the multinational, Italia is not only becoming an even greater production hub for high-tech products such as wearables, but also a hub for research, with the expansion of the smart glasses laboratory in collaboration with the Politecnico di Milano (see ilSole24Ore, 7 May).

Over the coming months, work will begin on converting a production line at the Veneto plant, and by early 2027 an entire production area dedicated to the new industrial activities will be up and running. In a joint statement, the company and the trade unions explain that the investment in plant, machinery and staff to carry out the pilot project forms part of the process initiated by the Group and the trade unions through the Supplementary Company Agreement (CIA) and the subsequent programme agreement of last September, the aim of which is to support the development and competitiveness of Italian factories and to strengthen an industrial model based on quality, innovation and the promotion of ‘Made in Italy’. For the multinational, collaboration with the trade unions is essential to ensure the efficiency of the production platform and the sustainability of the investment over time. Marco Falcinelli, Sebastiano Tripoli and Daniela Piras, general secretaries of Filctem CGIL, Femca CISL and Uiltec UIL, say that ‘this is a decision that confirms how innovation, research and advanced manufacturing can and must find a place in our country. The challenge now is to support this transition with ongoing investment in people, training and the quality of work, so that technological development generates industrial and social growth across the whole country”. The national secretaries Sonia Tosoni of Filctem Cgil, Raffaele Salvatoni and Ivano Dalla Brea of Femca Cisl, and Livia Raffaglio of Uiltec Uil speak of “an important signal against the logic of offshoring and in favour of an industrial policy that puts work, skills and the manufacturing capacity of our country, consolidating the strategic role of the Group’s Italian plants. We will continue to support a development model that combines innovation, stable employment, worker participation and the strengthening of the national productive fabric.”