Rep. Bill Pascrell toured the U.S. headquarters of Italian eyewear manufacturer Safilo today, touting manufacturing in the state's Ninth Congressional District. The company, which was originally founded in 1878, produces 30,000 styles of glasses, has 12,000 employees in the United States and invented the mass production of eyewear, an executive said today.

The wholesaler, whose U.S. headquarters are located at 300 Lighting Way, manufactures frames for companies like Pierre Cardin, Saks Fifth Avenue, Swatch, Gucci and Tommy Hilfiger. It has manufactured custom glasses for the likes of Elton John and U2's Bono, according to a company executive. It has a showroom on Fifth Avenue in New York City.