Duncan and Todd said they would invest “millions of pounds” in a new manufacturing lab after purchasing five other optical stores around the country.
       North East, the company behind the scheme, has announced it will spend millions of pounds on a new spectacle and contact lens factory in Aberdeen.
       Duncan and Todd said the investment of “multi-million pounds” in the new manufacturing labs would be made through the purchase of five more branch opticians across the country.
       The Duncan and Todd Group was founded in 1972 by Norman Duncan and Stuart Todd, who opened their first branch in Peterhead.
       Now led by Managing Director Francis Rus, the group has expanded significantly over the years in Aberdeenshire and beyond, with over 40 branches.
       He recently acquired a number of independent optical stores, including Eyewise Optometrists of Banchory Street, Pitlochry Opticians, GA Henderson Optometrist of Thurso, and Optical Companies of Stonehaven and Montrose.
       It also sees patients registered at the Gibson Opticians store on Aberdeen’s Rosemont Viaduct, which has closed due to retirement.
       Over the past few years, the group has invested in hearing care and provides these services across Scotland, including free hearing tests and the supply, fitting and fitting of a wide range of hearing aids, including digital ones.
       The company’s manufacturing division, Caledonian Optical, will open a new laboratory in Dyce later this year to produce custom lenses.
       Ms Rus said: “Our 50th anniversary is a huge milestone and the Duncan and Todd Group was almost unrecognizable from the start with only one branch in Peterhead.
       “However, the values ​​we held then hold true today and we are proud to provide affordable, personal and quality services on the high street in cities across the country.
       “As we enter a new decade at Duncan and Todd, we have made a number of strategic acquisitions and invested heavily in a new laboratory that will expand our lens manufacturing capabilities for our affiliates and customers across the UK.
       ”We’ve also opened new stores, completed renovations and expanded our range of services. Bringing small, independent companies together into the extended Duncan and Todd family has allowed us to offer our patients a wider range of services, especially in the field of hearing care.”
        She added: “We are always looking for new acquisition opportunities and are looking at options within our current expansion plan. This will be important to us as we prepare to open our new lab later this year. This is an exciting time as we celebrate our 50th anniversary.”