Verbatim/MKM Announces Development Plans for Blu-ray

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Verbatim Corporation and its parent company, Mitsubishi Kagaku Media (Verbatim/MKM), world-leading optical media developers and marketers, today announced plans to support the development of Blu-ray recordable and rewritable media. The format is expected to begin shipping late this year, when Blu-ray drives and recorders are expected to be released.

Verbatim Blu-ray media will be available with 25GB (single-layer) and later with 50GB (double-layer) capacities. With premium-quality recordable media that meets the specifications of this new high-capacity formats, users will be able to record and enjoy the amazingly sharp images that high-definition video provides. The high-capacity discs will also find extensive application in computer data storage.

Verbatim/MKM, which is already working with the standards groups and burner/recorder manufacturers to develop and refine the materials and manufacturing processes, has joined the BDA (Blue-ray Disc Association) as a contributor.

Verbatim officials noted that the company will leverage its experience in producing professional blue laser media to produce the new media. This past year, the firm has been shipping 30GB UDO (Ultra Density Optical) media that is increasingly being used in optical libraries for legal, financial, healthcare and government applications.

“MKM's proven R&D strength will play a prominent role in the development of next-generation blue laser media technology,” said Ryuhei Sato, Director, Optical Business, EUMEA. “Verbatim has established itself as the industry leader in DVD technology and our growing expertise in double layer technology will enable us to rapidly migrate to the production of blue-laser media.”

A world leader in media dye, sputtering and production process technologies, Verbatim/MKM has assigned the development of the next-generation technologies to two of its leading-edge facilities. With its expertise in magneto-optical and UDO media development and high-precision mastering, the Mizushima Plant, in Japan, will focus on the development of the Blu-ray media.

About Verbatim

Verbatim is a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Kagaku Media and provides information storage products, computer and imaging consumables and related accessories. Verbatim is currently the only company in the world that designs, develops and manufactures high performance, high quality CD-Recordable, CD-Re-writable, DVD-Recordable and DVD-Re-writable media products, a complete family of 3.5 inch and 5.25 inch MO media. The range also includes tapes, imaging products, digital devices and memory cards.