Optician Duncan & Todd eyes further growth at lens lab

One of Scotland's best known optician chains, Duncan & Todd Group, is growing its headcount by 12 and upgrading its production facilities after receiving financial backing from Business Growth Fund (BGF).

Duncan & Todd managing director Frances Duncan. Picture: Contributed

A £1.3 million refurbishment has taken place at the Aberdeen laboratory of the firm’s lens-manufacturing division Caledonian Optical, with new state-of-the-art equipment including a £500,000 in-house coating facility, making it the only Scotland-based prescription lens manufacturer to have this capability.

Eight production staff were hired during the refurbishment, and a further four are to be added this year.

Frances Duncan, managing director at Duncan & Todd, said: “At a time when the oil and gas sector is under pressure, this investment has secured jobs in the north east in a different industry.”

The latest backing by BGF comes after the fund invested £5.6m in the company in 2013 and a further £3.5m last year.

Duncan & Todd was founded in 1973 and now employs more than 280 staff across 30 branches, having acquired rivals 2020 Opticians and Gunn & Galbraith.