Originally Posted by mutley 
That is fine as long as it is in the same price range as Nikons consumer 18-135mm zoom at about $250 since any increased cost of mechanical focus parts will be offset by the huge savings Pentax will get using Hoya glass compared to what Nikon pays.
This is exactly the type of added value Pentax can offer now if they'd like to compared to Nikon/Canon.
I am puzzled - Hoya is there to get a profit - I would suggest most companies expect each division to make a profit - I cannot see the Blanks division transferring at cost and just the Pentax division making their normal profit on the glass - this would mean a reduced profit on the overall glass from sand to finished lens.
This may be acceptable if you must 'dump' product on the market to quell a competitor but it is not practical for a company that
must give a return to investors.
The advantages will probably be more subtle - shared R&D, early access to the latest glasses and technology, etc. These will not affect prices much but they may provide a better product faster.
Rod