According to the president of CCIPA, the visit took place as part of the entity's commitment to "facilitate partnerships, promote investments and support the growth of companies, both in Angola and Portugal, creating an environment conducive to business success".
"With this visit we had the opportunity to visit the only factory that ensures the local production of ophthalmic lenses, not only for the Angolan market, but soon for the countries of Central Africa and PALOP, placing Angola at the forefront of technological development with export potential. This investment represents an excellent and important contribution to the diversification of the Angolan economy, based on technology-based and digital projects linked to health", said João Luís Traça, quoted in a statement sent to VerAngola.
"The opening of this factory was a very important milestone for Angola, not only because it was a pioneering investment, but also because it made it possible to fill a gap that existed in the African market, in the area of visual health", he added.
Owned by Oftalmed, part of the Centrooptico group, the factory was opened in January this year in Viana. According to the statement, the visit of the president of CCIPA to the aforementioned factory took place last Tuesday, "with the purpose of demonstrating CCIPA's commitment to promoting commercial relations between Portugal and Angola, getting to know the reality of the production unit to understand the needs and challenges of the company and identify synergies, creating new opportunities for cooperation".
On the occasion, João Luís Traça was received by João Murteiro, CEO of Oftalmed, André Grilo, Legal & Financial Manager, and Susana Ferreira, director of marketing and communications at Grupo Centrooptico.
According to João Murteiro, this almost year of operations has "been a very rewarding journey".
"It is naturally gratifying to welcome CCIPA to our ophthalmic lens factory and have the opportunity to show part of the contribution we make to the diversification of the economy and the development of Angola. We are about to celebrate one year of activity at this unit and it has been an very rewarding path. The creation of this unit in Angola made it possible to reduce the delivery time for ophthalmic lenses, which went from one month to an average of five working days, and made it possible to make the price of lenses, now produced in the national territory, more competitive, and therefore more accessible for the population that lacks visual health care", highlighted João Murteiro, quoted in the statement.
The factory had an investment of more than eight billion kwanzas from Oftalmed, "with support and financing from the Development Bank of Angola".
With 1800 square meters, the factory, "which has around 50 employees, has highly qualified staff and cutting-edge technology, aligned with the highest international standards for the medical device industry, having a production capacity of more than 1000 lenses per day – with a production line –, and the installation of a second assembly line is planned, which will ensure the production of more than 2000 lenses per day", reads the statement.
In addition, the factory also has a "laboratory for cutting and assembling all types of ophthalmic lenses into glasses, namely frames, sunglasses, sports glasses and occupational protection glasses, among others".
