TDK Withdraws from the Manufacturing of Recordable CD, DVD
In an effort to further accelerate the restructuring of recording media business, TDK decided to withdraw from the manufacturing of recordable CD&DVD products in TDK group.
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 and its group companies 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. 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 business to change fundamentally the business model.
With this decision, TDK is expecting to 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.
Through implementation of a series of restructuring activities, TDK said it would 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.
TDK and its group companies 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. 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 business to change fundamentally the business model.
With this decision, TDK is expecting to 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.
Through implementation of a series of restructuring activities, TDK said it would 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.
