PIP Acquires Eyewear Maker Bouton
The Bouton brand and its safety glass and goggle business are being acquired, but not the Lavoptik eyewash, VisionAid eyewear cleaning products, or eyewear accessories line.
Albany, N.Y.-based Protective Industrial Products announced June 1 that it is acquiring the Bouton brand and its safety glass and goggle business. The Bouton name is a venerable one in safety, with the company founded in the 1940s and being one of the first to offer safety eyewear to U.S. workers, according to PIP's news release.
The Lavoptik eyewash, VisionAid eyewear cleaning products, and eyewear accessories line are not being acquired. The H.L. Bouton Company, which is based in Wareham, Mass., will change its name and continue to operate, offering those products through distributors, according to the release.
"Since its founding, Bouton has been a cornerstone in non-prescription safety eyewear products," said Joe Milot, PIP's president. "The addition of the Bouton line will add significantly to the choices that our customers demand."
Robin Roberts, PIP's vice president of sales, said the Bouton brand and products "represent a great addition to our eye protection product line," adding, "PIP, a successful marketer of innovative brands, is a recognized industry leader of world class sales and customer service. Bouton's line will enable us to offer a larger array of eyewear products to satisfy more of the unique needs that exist in the safety market."