(Formerly Shooting Star Technologies Inc. SSJ-ASE)
Gimbel Vision is a leader in the rapidly growing technology of refractive eye surgery. Refractive surgery utilizes a laser to safely alter the way in which the eye focuses, thus eliminating the need for glasses or contact lenses. The company also performs cataract surgery.
Gimbel Vision operates five eye care centres in Canada and one in the United States. Management feels that the U.S. market for refractive surgery will become quickly saturated and are primarily opting for expansion through joint venture arrangements with established, quality medical facilities in Asia, South Pacific and South America. Joint venture partners are granted the use of the Gimbel Eye Centre name and its clinic operating systems and technologies. Gimbel's proprietary operating systems have been developed over thirty-three years.
Key management appear to be heavily invested and joint venture partners are required to hold equity positions in any new centres. They hope to add fourteen new centres by the end of 1997 (six have been added through to May 30, 1997). Considerable background information can be found at the Company's web site:
www.gimbelvision.com.
Analysts predict that worldwide volume of laser corrective eye surgery should reach two million procedures per year with annual revenues of $2.5 billion by the year 2000. Gimbel Vision International appears to be poised to capitalize on this growth and may interest investors with a medium to long-term horizon. |
