Gulden Opthalmics, R.O. Gulden & Co., Inc.

Products: Ophthalmic and Medical Instruments / Hand Held Devices

Objective: Manufacture, market and service ophthalmic and medical products through a well established national and international distributor network, providing the vision care industry with instruments and services of the highest quality.

History: Gulden Ophthalmics, formerly R.O. Gulden Company, was founded in 1938 and has remained a family run business. R.O. Gulden's first product, the diagnostic Prism Bar, was jointly developed and patented with Dr. Conrad Berens of New York, along with many other Gulden products. Today, the business is being operated by the grandson of Mr. Gulden, who continues to remain faithful to the quality reputation and name recognition associated with the Gulden Company, and who was recently listed in Business Philadelphia Magazine's article "100 People to Watch" - Philly's Hottest New Leaders.

Customers: In the national arena, Gulden has been a reliable manufacturer for both Pilling Weck and Bausch Lomb Surgical/Storz in excess of fifty years. Internationally, our first foreign distributorship was established in 1953. Currently, we retain all of our original customers and have established long term relationships with a broad range of distributors in America. Some clients include: Franklin, Lombart and Graham Field. Gulden's target market includes Ophthalmic Instrument Distributors, Hospitals, Eye Clinics, Universities, Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, and Ocularists. Internationally, Gulden continues to grow in foreign markets, especially those in South America, Europe and the Far East. To this end, Gulden has been recognized as the "1994 Eastern Pennsylvania Exporter of the Year," by the Region III, U.S. Small Business Administration Office.

Market Strategy: Gulden intends to expand the promotion of its long history of quality, as well as that of its single source suppliers, through an aggressive, "High Profile," advertising campaign. Efforts are being dedicated to better utilizing and expanding Gulden's distributor network, both nationally and internationally. Finally, Gulden intends to reassert itself as a prominent player in the ophthalmic industry through the introduction of many new products.

Strategic Plan: To remain strategically competitive, Gulden has instituted Total Quality Management (TQM) and Statistical Process Control (SPC) training programs involving all levels of employees and managers. TQM and SPC are being incorporated into the daily operations and culture of the company and Gulden intends to follow these actions by obtaining the internationally recognized, ISO-9002 Certification Quality System registration.