LensCrafters 2011 Annual Report Download - page 29

292.5 OPERATIONS
achieving it means continually improving quality in every phase of the production process
(and also the distribution process) and has been the reason for undertaking the full vertical
integration of every phase of production.
Most of the manufacturing equipment used is specially designed and adapted for Group’s
manufacturing processes. This facilitates a rapid response to customer demand and an
adherence to strict quality-control standards.
Quality and process control teams regularly inspect semi-finished products during the
various phases of production, verifying the feasibility of prototypes in the design phase,
controlling standards across the spectrum of products in the production phase, and sub-
sequently checking for resistance to wear and tear and reviewing optical properties in rela-
tion to type of use. The manufacturing processes and materials used by primary suppliers
are also controlled and certified. Through ongoing verification of precision and expertise
in all phases of production,
Luxottica designs products to meet or exceed relevant industry standards for safety, per-
formance and durability. Throughout the development process, optical products undergo
extensive testing against standards established specifically for eyewear by ANSI (Z. 80.3),
ASTM, Standards Australia Limited (AS 1067) and EU (EN 1836 and ISO EN 12870). These
standards relate to product safety and performance and provide quantitative measures of
optical quality, UV protection, light transmission and impact resistance.
As a result of the effectiveness of Luxottica’s quality control program, the return rate for
defective merchandise manufactured has been approximately 1%.
Intellectual property is one of Luxottica’s most important assets, protected through the registra-
tion and enforcement of its trademarks and patents around the world.
The Group’s commitment is demonstrated through the on-going results of its anti-counterfeit-
ing activities and increased leveraging of its global organization. Trademarks and products from
market leaders are increasingly copied and the implementation of a strong global anti-counter-
feiting program allows Luxottica to send a strong message both to infringers and to its author-
ized distribution network. This program allows Luxottica, on one hand, to exercise rights against
retailers of counterfeit eyewear and wholesalers and manufacturers which supply them, and,
on the other hand, to send a message to authorized distributors that the Group values its intel-
lectual property and will work diligently to protect it. Through a strong investigative network,
the Company has been able, especially in China, to identify key sources of counterfeit goods,
to organize raids on their premises in cooperation with local law enforcement and to file legal
actions against the counterfeiters.
Additionally, the Group continues to consolidate and strengthen its cooperation with customs
organizations around the world, which helps stop, seize and destroy hundreds of thousands of
counterfeit goods each year.
The Group dedicates considerable effort to monitoring the trafficking of counterfeit goods
through the internet, and works actively to remove counterfeit eyewear from certain popular
on-line auction platforms and shut down the websites that violate its intellectual property rights,
through the sale of counterfeit products or the unauthorized use of Luxottica’s trademarks.
ANTI-COUNTERFEITING
POLICY
Luxottica฀seeks฀to฀manufacture฀
a฀product฀of฀the฀highest฀quality.