Hans Anders seeks expansion with new, international name

The Dutch Hans Anders Retail Group, parent company of optical chains Hans Anders, Eyes + more and Direkt Optik, underlines its European ambitions by changing its name to the more international sounding Nexeye.

Five countries

Hans Anders wants to become a major European player, and says scale is needed to enforce better purchasing conditions and to carry technological investments. “We are ready to continue to open stores on our own or to add an optical chain to our group”, CEO Bart van den Nieuwenhof told Dutch business newspaper FD. To reflect the group’s international ambitions, it has now changed its name to Nexeye.

The retailer is already active in five European countries: Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. Its three chains are working increasingly closely together, in areas like purchasing and logistics. Together they account for 724 stores and a turnover of 267.6 million euros.

Growth is necessary in order to remain competitive, the CEO says.The optical market is moving towards consolidation: last year, after a lengthy legal battle, eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica took over the GrandVision group, parent company of Pearle, the main competitor for Hans Anders on the Benelux markets.