With more than 6700 members throughout the world, Cecop enters the French market thanks to a fusion with the local purchasing group, Cercle Optique, which will remain an independent entity.
Founded in 1996 by Jorge Rubio, the Cecop group is now operating in nine countries - Spain, Portugal, Italy, England, Ireland, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and the United States. Cercle Optique was created in 2009 by Xavier Ktorza and Benjamin Zeitoun. Currently, it has more than 6000 active members.
Benjamin Zeitoun, speaking about this synergy, stated: “Cecop’s international base will clearly allow Cercle Optique to develop its business model and to strengthen its support to optical professionals. Cecop, thanks to its ability to adapt in each country where it operates, will make it possible for opticians in our network to fully benefit from the international intelligence and expertise. In this way, we will be able to offer independent opticians the best in terms of services, support and commercial conditions”.
Jean de Contades, Global Managing Director of Cecop, has described the merger in these words: “The mission of this alliance is to further strengthen our value proposition for opticians, members of the two groups, and to be able to provide services that improve the results of their entrepreneurial activities, no matter what their characteristics and provenance.”