| kpmedia |
11-15-2010 06:28 AM |
TDK withdraws from CD/DVD manufacturing [Archived]
Another press release saved for archival value:
Quote:
TDK withdraws from recordable CD & DVD products
TDK Corporation announced today that the board of directors decided at the board meeting held on March 8, 2006, to further accelerate the restructuring of recording media business, to withdraw from the manufacturing of recordable CD&DVD products in TDK group. Consequently, TDK decided to shut down the production facilities at its European subsidiary, TDK Recording Media Europe in Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The shut down is planned to take place at the end of May 2006. This decision completes TDK's withdrawal from the manufacturing of recordable CD & DVD products, coupled with the reorganization of plants in Chikumagawa area (Nagano, Japan) implemented at the end of last year.
TDK recording media business
The TDK Corporation and its group companies (hereinafter called "TDK") have been fundamentally restructuring the recording media business during this fiscal year. While reviewing the progress of the restructuring and future strategies of the recording media business, TDK has looked for ways to re-strengthen the manufacturing of recordable CD&DVD foundations from various perspectives.
TDK recordable CD & DVD products
However, a sharp drop in market prices of recordable CD&DVDs as well as the increased cost of natural resources has led the recording media business in TDK to serious problems. After studies of measure for re-strengthening manufacturing, the decision of withdrawal from the manufacturing of recordable CD & DVDs that TDK management has made should lead to an improvement and reform of recording media to change fundamentally the business model.
TDK accelerates ODM business model
With this decision, TDK will accelerate ODM business model for the current generation of recordable CD&DVD products, or the third party supply. In the domain of blue laser disc, a product much expected to grow in the near future, TDK will continue its R&D and manufacturing activities, the latter exclusively focused on highly value-added products, by utilizing the pilot production lines established at Chikumagawa Tecno Plan in Japan. TDK will also concentrate its resources on strengthening data storage tape business, which is another core business.
TDK recording media business - Restructuring activities
Through implementation of a series of restructuring activities, TDK will improve the business structure of recording media business all at once, seek improvement of efficiency and profitability for the future, and accelerate changes in the business structure and development of core products. The planned expenses needed in relation to the announced withdrawal from the manufacturing of CD and DVD will amount to approximately 8 billion yen.
About TDK Corporation
TDK Corporation is a leading global electronics company based in Japan. It was established in 1935 to commercialize "ferrite," a key material in electronics and magnetics. TDK's current product line includes ferrite materials, electronic components, wireless computer networking products, magnetic heads for HDD, and advanced digital recording media.
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Most of us realize that this is horsecrap:
Quote:
the decision of withdrawal from the manufacturing of recordable CD & DVDs that TDK management has made should lead to an improvement
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The only thing that was possibly "improved" was TDK's bottom line -- the re-branded CD-R/DVD-R/etc products that have gone to replace TDK's own media have been craptastic to date, a mix of cheaper produced discs from the likes of CMC/MBI (consumer) and FTI/MAM-A (professional). None of the replacement manufacturers have manufactured products that are as good as the blank CD/DVD media once made by TDK's own facilities. Of course, consumers/retailers are really to blame, with their unrealistic pricing demands. Competition between larger manufacturers like CMC, Ritek and Prodisc also flooded the market with blanks, thereby devaluing the market.
Ah well. :( |
