Mitsui Chemicals unit SDC Technologies adds investment in flō Optics

Mitsui Chemicals subsidiary SDC Technologies, based in Irvine, California, has made a significant follow-on investment in Israeli digital lens coating developer flō Optics Ltd. through a Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE). SDC is acting as strategic lead investor and will appoint a non-executive director to flō Optics. The move builds on the partnership started with Mitsui Chemicals' July 2025 investment and aims to combine flō Optics' digital coating platform with SDC's ophthalmic lens coating expertise.

Key facts

Market context

Ophthalmic lens coatings are thin functional layers applied to eyeglass lenses to improve scratch resistance, anti-reflection performance, UV protection, and clarity. Demand comes mainly from the eyewear and vision-care sector, where prescription lens makers and optical retailers depend on consistent coating quality and throughput. Traditional coatings are typically applied through wet-chemistry and vacuum deposition processes, so new approaches that use digital techniques can change how coating lines are equipped and how quickly new lens designs reach the market. Investment in technology developers like this can influence supply by shifting which firms control coating know-how and which suppliers are positioned to license or supply materials and equipment. For buyers, such moves matter because they can alter lead times, cost structures, and the range of coating options available from lens processors over time. Financial terms of this deal were not disclosed, so its near-term impact on pricing or volumes remains uncertain.

Source: official release on jp.mitsuichemicals.com. Summary and context written by Market Krystal.