Fielmann AG FIE.DE

FIELMANN AG (FIE.DE) is Europe’s largest optician and Germany’s market leader, selling around a fifth of all spectacles sold in Europe’s biggest market. The Hamburg-headquartered company was founded in 1972 and has been listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange since 1994, as well as being a constituent of both the MDAX index, comprised of Germany’s 60 largest companies outside of the DAX, and the northern German regional HASPAX index. Around 70% of the company is still held by the founding Fielmann family.

Fielmann’s success came as a result of the opportunity that founderGünther Fielmann spotted in the market for spectacles purchased through Germany’s mandatory health insurance system. Back in the 1970s, only 6 models of plastic frames were available for adults relying on health insurance payments. Only two models were available to children. In 1981, Fielmann took the transformative business decision to sign deals with the insurance companies and design 90 new higher quality plastic and metal frames, available in a total of 640 varieties.

By 2018, Fielmann employed close to 20,000 staff over 700+ locations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

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