Panasonic DVD disc production factory..........
Panasonic Opens DVD Disc Factory in Torrance, CA; First in U.S. to
Specialize in DVD Disc Replication
TORRANCE. Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 10, 1997--Panasonic Disc Services Corp. marked the grand opening of
its new DVD disc manufacturing facility in this city today. The new 62,000 square-foot factory is the first in the U.S. to
specialize in the high-volume production of DVD disc products for the movie, music and software industries. The company
also offers turnkey DVD services from the disc authoring stage through DVD disc product distribution. "We in Panasonic
Disc Services Corporation are delighted to launch this exciting business in Torrance just as the DVD format begins to take
off," said Bob Pfannkuch, the company's president. "Based on the DVD format's popularity and the support it has received
from major Hollywood studios, we expect to increase our current 50 employees to 200 by next year, and to expand our
production capacity from the current 600,000 DVD discs monthly to approximately 2 million per month by next year, and 10
million a month by the year 2000." Production of DVD discs at the $25-million, state-of-the-art Panasonic replication facility
began on Aug. 1. The company was established in June 1996. Panasonic DVD players launched in the US in March have
been winning increased consumer acceptance, and sales of both the DVD players and DVD movie software have been very
brisk. Total industry sales of DVD players are estimated to have reached 150,000 units in the first six months, while sales of
DVD discs are projected to have already exceeded 2 million units in the same period. Best known by its Panasonic brand,
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE:MC) is one of the world's leading producers of electronic and electric
products for consumer, business and industrial use. A pioneer in advancing the DVD format, the company developed the
DVD disc's unique 0.6 mm substrate and bonding technology, and played a leading role in the development of single and
dual-layer DVD discs. The company's principal North American subsidiary, NJ-based Matsushita Electric Corp. of America,
markets products under the Panasonic, Quasar and Technics brand names. Matsushita Electric subsidiaries and affiliates here
operate 25 manufacturing sites and employ over 20,000 people in the US, Mexico, Canada and Puerto Rico.
CONTACT: Kurt Praschak, 201/392-6124
Harvey Mabry, 310/783-4800
Holly Sefton, 310/783-4800
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