Established in 1946 by Walter Conway and Herbert Thorn in the Millmead area of Guildford, Millmead Optical Group boasts an impressive legacy spanning over 75 years within the eyewear, accessories, and lenses industry. We are proud to still be a family run and entirely independently owned company.
Our expansive network comprises eight companies including Optoplast, Jai Kudo Lenses and Continental Eyewear in the UK, Victoria Collection in Germany and Rainbow Bright in Hong Kong.
We take immense pride in our range of acclaimed eyewear brands, including the prestigious Reykjavik Eyes Black Label and the award-winning Walter & Herbert Made in England collection. In addition to our exceptional eyewear selection, we offer an extensive range of optical cases, accessories and ophthalmic lenses. Our lenses portfolio encompasses both stock and surfaced options, ensuring we cater to a diverse range of requirements.
We also create personalised products tailored specifically to the needs of our valued customers – this could be branding spectacle cases with a company logo or creating an entire eyewear brand bespoke for a partner. This personalised approach allows us to deliver exceptional solutions that perfectly align with our customers’ vision and branding. This personalised approach allows us to deliver exceptional solutions that perfectly align with our customers’ vision and branding.
Founded in Millmead, Guildford in the UK, Millmead Optical Group (formerly Yakira Group) combines nearly 75 years of industry experience across eyewear, accessories and lenses.
Today the company remains a family run business retaining its independent values. The company is proud to provide our customers with high quality, well designed products with a reputation for reliability and integrity, with operations in London, Liverpool, Stuttgart and Hong Kong, Millmead operates throughout the global market.
Consisting of seven companies, the secret to our success is our ability to cross platforms, integrating our dynamic skill set to provide a complete service tailored to our customer’s needs.
1946
Walter Conway and Herbert Thorn moved to the quintessentially English town of Guildford in Surrey, where they established the headquarters for Optoplast Manufacturing Co. Ltd. With an initial staff of 6, surrounded by rolling hills and cobbled streets, this small team of workers were soon to make a name for themselves within the optical industry.
1948
Optoplast worked closely with the National Health Scheme to launch the first range of optical frames for the NHS.
1951
The PIMO machine was launched and put into production, inserting metal reinforcements into acetate spectacle sides with absolute precision, an innovation that changed the way spectacles were manufactured worldwide. With 80 staff at work, Walter and Herbert were able to produce 2 temples a second, exporting more than 5 million a year to 11 countries.
1968
Optoplast took over Sidecrafts and relocated from Millmead to Sidecrafts premises in Surbiton. Sidecrafts manufactured NHS temples as well as spectacle cases and lens cloths which was an important diversification opportunity.
1988
The business relocated to Liverpool and set up manufacturing in Manchester.
Gary Conway and Daniel Thorn were appointed Joint Chief Executives.
This was a milestone in the history of Walter and Herbert as the company was now in the
hands of the second generation Conways and Thorns.
2016
Jai Kudo Lenses joined Millmead Optical Group incorporating lenses and glazing into the groups’ extensive range of optical services.
2017
Continental Eyewear, a leading eyewear distributor
joins Millmead Optical Group
2021
Optoplast began manufacturing rPET spectacle cases at it’s UK factory in Liverpool.
