Dino Tabacchi committed to Sight Resource relaunch

After acquiring Salmoiraghi & Viganò and carrying out the operations of consolidation, Dino Tabacchi (one of the three brothers who founded Safilo, now in the hands of Vittorio) is now committed to the relaunch of Sight Resource, a chain of 115 optics centers headquartered in Cincinnati (Ohio) with 750 employees and revenues of 60 million dollars. A Nasdaq-listed company until 2002, it is now having to cope with problems of liquidity.

According to an article in today's Il Mondo, in 2001 Tabacchi had already bought a share in Sight Resource in association with Carlyle funds and with Dean Butler (the founder of Lenscrafter and president of the British optics chain Vision Express). Currently, Tabacchi has risen to 27.6% of the company through the Dutch holdings Excalibur and Euro Venture Equity. Also involved in the investment are the Orsi and Brustio families (12.4%), owners of Mazzucchelli at Castiglione Olona (Safilo and Luxottica suppliers). The two Italian partners have granted Carlyle a put option which commits them to purchasing, within specified expiration dates, a further 14% and which would give them the majority.

(Source: Il Mondo)