| Started in Parma (Italy) in 1975 to develop new materials and technologies for the production of hard-resin optical filters, INTERCAST EUROPE, is now a worldwide leader in the production and supply of high-quality organic sunlenses. There are four fundamentals for its success:
• a sound scientific and market research to identify the full range of solutions in order to satisfy customer and consumers’ needs
• the ability to create products that exceed the needs in fashion and sports
• the ongoing attention to quality, delivering and service
• the nurturing of the relationship with customers.
INTERCAST EUROPE actively represents Italy at the international standardization bodies CEN and ISO and participates in defining the standards to be applied to eye-protection equipment.
Driven by a philosophy founded in technological innovation and scientific research, INTERCAST has distinguished itself as a leader thanks to the advanced technological contents of its products and the stringent quality control of its production. The Company operates cooperatively with its customers to develop custom lens programs. INTERCAST is capable of providing the required support for designing as well as launching new products.
The headquarters are located in Parma, Italy, where all the Research and Development activities are concentrated together with the production of special lenses. Thanks to a continuous process of globalization, INTERCAST EUROPE, now covers all major international markets with production and sales units in Europe, USA, Japan and Hong Kong.
INTERCAST EUROPE is organized in 3 Divisions: Optical, Industrial and Scientific.
• The OPTICAL DIVISION develops and produces optical filters for sun, fashion and sports eyewear. The advanced technology developed in this sector has led to many international patents and the development of products used by leading sunglass companies throughout the world.
• The INDUSTRIAL DIVISION uses the advanced performance of Intercast’s polymers to create optical filters for digital displays, bar code readers and anti-spark screens for welding applications.
• The SCIENTIFIC DIVISION produces Nuclear Track Detectors (detectors for cosmic and nuclear particles) used in nuclear and aerospace applications as well as optical filters for various scientific fields.
1987 | Dispersion of Carbon black nanoparticles in CR-39 for CR-39 lenses in-mass tinted | 1987 | Set-up of CR-39 sheet casting process for Nuclear Track Detectors applications | 1989 | Developed color recognition of high contrast light filtration lenses | 1990 | Introduced photochromic sunlens in CR-39 | 1990 | Developed sandwich lenses with enhanced impact resistance | 1992 | Dispersion synthetic melanin in CR-39 | 1996 | Developed mirror coating process | 1996 | Development of special surface treatment for anticounterfit and decorative purposes | 1997 | Launch -1st in plano industry- of nylon lenses | 1998 | Developed light filtration for optical readers | 1999 | Developed lenses with permanent Antifog properties | 2001 | Developed high impact polyureaurethane lens - NXT® | 2001 | Developed multilayers coatings | 2002 | Launch in-mass photochromic high impact polyureaurethane lens | 2004 | Developed CR-39 sheets for Aerospace glazing | | 2005 | Introduced NXT® Melanin lens | 2005 | Developed sport visors made in NXT | | 2007 | Developed novel casting technique for tinted/photochromic NXT® blanks | | 2007 | Introduced NXT® RX sunlens | 2007 | Developed HCD lens in NXT® |
• 28 Granted Patent, mostly international (some of those patents are in the same family) • Several licence on international patents | Company research facilities are based in Italy and United States, manufacturing facilities are based in Italy and Thailand and commercial are based in Italy, Hong Kong and Thailand. Company milestones: 1976 Founding INTERCAST EUROPE 1983 SOLARLENS facility opening (Thailand) 1997 INTERCAST HONG KONG commercial office opening 2006 PPG Industries acquire Intercast Europe Intercast Europe is now a wholly owned subsidiary of PPG Industries, Inc., part of the Optical Products strategic business unit. PPG Industries Optical Products |