AJL Ophthalmic celebrates its 30th anniversary
AJL Ophthalmic S.A., a leading company in the manufacturing and marketing of ophthalmic material, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this July
AJL Ophthalmic S.A. celebrates its 30th anniversary on 1 July 2022, being the only Spanish company dedicated to the manufacture of intraocular lenses and other medical devices for the field of ophthalmology. The company currently has more than 70 employees, 85 distributors around the world and has grown by 190% in the last decade.
AJL Ophthalmic S.A. was founded on 1st July 1992 in Las Arenas (Bizkaia), initially dedicated to the distribution of medical equipment imported mainly from the USA. Six years later AJL Ophthalmic built its own manufacturing plant in the Alava Technology Park located in Miñano. This plant laid the foundations for developing a line of implants for the field of ophthalmology.
At the beginning of the new century, significant research and development work was carried out on new products in order to improve its global competitiveness and meet the demands of the healthcare sector. 2006 was a key year for AJL Ophthalmic, as it strengthened its management structure to address the challenge of opening up new markets abroad in order to boost the export of its products. In 2007 AJL Ophthalmic opened a new line of business with the design of an optical laryngoscope and intubation cannula in order to improve the safety and efficiency of patient anaesthesia processes.
In 2010 AJL Ophthalmic opened its current facilities in Miñano, also in Miñano, with a two-storey building with a surface area of 3000m2. The facilities have solar panels on the upper part that generate part of the electricity consumed. In the manufacturing area, it has ISO 7 and ISO 6 class clean rooms and ethylene oxide and steam sterilisation chambers.
Most of the products AJL sells are manufactured in-house. The rest of the turnover comes from the distribution of other products such as instruments, surgical packs and other equipment and accessories for ophthalmic surgery. AJL Ophthalmic’s outstanding products include intraocular lenses, implants for the surgical treatment of glaucoma, intrastromal rings for keratoconus, and iris expanders, among others. In-house manufactured products account for 51% of turnover.
AJL Ophthalmic abroad
AJL Ophthalmic now has a stronger presence abroad. In 2013 it acquired the entire US company Addition Technology Inc (ATI), the only global company with FDA approval to market intracorneal rings for the treatment of keratoconus. The integration of ATI together with Ferrara e Hijos S.L., exponentially boosted the company’s exports, so that today 29% of turnover is thanks to exports, when in 2010 it only accounted for 5%.
An inclusive company
AJL Ophthalmic is a company committed to diversity and the inclusion of women in positions of responsibility. Its three management positions are headed by three women, making AJL Ophthalmic a modern company that is committed to equality in society. In addition, the staff includes two hearing-impaired people and a specialist in the area of keratoconus from Ukraine, a refugee from the war in her country.
AJL Ophthalmic continues to grow and innovate day by day thanks to its R&D department, which is why it has also developed its own line of AJL VET products for the veterinary sector and to meet the demand for specific ophthalmological products for dogs and cats.
