CEO: Croakies is “synonymous with eyewear retention.”
PLAINVILLE, MA – Hilco Vision has announced the acquisition of Croakies Inc., a Wyoming-based maker of eyewear retainers and associated outdoor lifestyle accessories.
“Hilco Vision strives to lead the industry in the optical accessories category through product innovation and brand authenticity,” said Ross Brownlee, CEO of Hilco Vision. “Croakies is synonymous with eyewear retention and has built an incredibly loyal customer base through its focus on comfort, design, and functionality over the past 40 years. We are very enthusiastic to build on this tradition of innovation and invest in the continued global growth of the Croakies brand.”
Hilco Vision said in a press release that it is “committed to ensuring Croakies maintains its strong footprint within the mountains of the American West, through the company’s Bozeman-based manufacturing facility.”
John Krisik, president and owner of Croakies, will retire at the end of the month.
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“Croakies has its origins on the slopes of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and has at its core the desire to meet the needs of the everyday adventurer,” Krisik said. “We were attracted to Hilco Vision due to their focus on quality, innovation, service and sustainable development, all things important to Croakies’ bright future.”
Hilco Vision is a global eyewear/eyecare company that has direct subsidiaries in the U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, Australia, China and the Netherlands.
The company’s product portfolio is concentrated on professional tools, vision protection, consumer accessories, lens care and eyecare. The original Croakies were invented in 1977 by a local ski patrolman from Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming. Today, most of the company’s production is in Bozeman, MT.
Ross Brownlee, CEO of Hilco Vision, said Croakies is “synonymous with eyewear retention.”
