CD-R / CD-RW factories

[maciek]

hi, i've heard something about producing CD-Rs / CD-RWs and i'd like someone to confirm or deny it. is it true that there are only few factories which produce CD-Rs / CD-RWs? i've heard that these few factories produce them for all firms (like verbatim etc) using the same production lines and materials. so we buy the same cds but just with different labels. please, could someone explain me it?

[TheWizard]

Yes and no. There are a handful of manufacturers out there, each of which own their own factories...although some of them share factories. It's a long and complicated story, but to shorten it, all you have to know is that, generally, brand names like Memorex, Imation, TDK, and so on do not make their own discs, they outsource the production to one of the aforementioned manufacturers. So, it's entirely possible that one manufacturer is supplying discs to a slew of different brands. This doesn't necessarily mean that all discs, even from the same manufacturer, are created equal. Quality varies, even within the same factory.

[Francksoy]

I know at least:

CMC plants (Taiwan) - the biggest manufacturer, quantity-wise
Prodisc plants (Taiwan)
Ritek plants (Taiwan)
MBI plants (India)
Taiyo Yuden plants (Japan)
Maxell plants (Japan)
TDK plants (Luxembourg)
MPO plants (France)

I'm sure I forget a couple. *LOL*

All these factories produce CDRs with different technologies.

So you can see that we're far from buying "just the same cds but just with different labels".

What is true is you can find the exact same product under different brands. Actually this is a very complicated subject, but now you know that things aren't as simple as you've been told.

[dolphinius_rex]

I know at least:

CMC plants (Taiwan) - the biggest manufacturer, quantity-wise
Prodisc plants (Taiwan)
Ritek plants (Taiwan)
MBI plants (India)
Taiyo Yuden plants (Japan)
Maxell plants (Japan)
TDK plants (Luxembourg)
MPO plants (France)

I'm sure I forget a couple. *LOL*

All these factories produce CDRs with different technologies.

So you can see that we're far from buying "just the same cds but just with different labels".

What is true is you can find the exact same product under different brands. Actually this is a very complicated subject, but now you know that things aren't as simple as you've been told.

Don't forget Daxon and LeadData

Also, I believe MBIL is the largest CD-R manufacturer now, Ritek and CMC have switched over much of their CD-R production to DVDR now.

[Francksoy]

Don't forget Daxon and LeadData

Yeah, I knew I was leaving some out.
I also don't know where ultra-cheap MIDs like Infomedia, GSC, Infosmart, Multimedia, ITL etc... are manufactured BTW.

Also, I believe MBIL is the largest CD-R manufacturer now, Ritek and CMC have switched over much of their CD-R production to DVDR now.

Interesting. My infos about CMC being the biggest CDR manufacturer are most probably outdated.

Would you happen to know which companies outsource to MBI for CDRs?

[Ian]

Would you happen to know which companies outsource to MBI for CDRs?

I know Imation does.. or at least did last time I bought some of their media.

[Francksoy]

Yes, it does, actually I thought Imation/Mmore was kinda MBI's own brand.. I can be plain wrong.

I was wondering if, for example, part of Mitsubishi's CDR production was maufactured in MBI plants, like part of their DVDR production is...

[dolphinius_rex]

Yes, it does, actually I thought Imation/Mmore was kinda MBI's own brand.. I can be plain wrong.

I was wondering if, for example, part of Mitsubishi's CDR production was maufactured in MBI plants, like part of their DVDR production is...

I *THINK* some Verbatim brand media is... also a lot of no-name CD-Rs are manufactured by MBIL too, but not so much in North America.

[dodecahedron]

Verbatim did sell made in India CDRs, presumably made by MBI.
i had some 40x such CDRs.
i don't know if this is still so.

[Ian]

Yes, it does, actually I thought Imation/Mmore was kinda MBI's own brand.. I can be plain wrong.

No, Imation has been around a lot longer than MBI.

[MediumRare]

I was wondering if, for example, part of Mitsubishi's CDR production was maufactured in MBI plants, like part of their DVDR production is...

Most of their printable CDR's I've seen in Germany are "Made in India" (which means MBI, I guess). The quality is not noticeably different than "Made in EU" or "Made in Taiwan".

There is also some Verbatim media "Made in China", but I've stayed clear of that to now (I pretty well stick to inkjet printables now).

G

[dolphinius_rex]

There is also some Verbatim media "Made in China", but I've stayed clear of that to now (I pretty well stick to inkjet printables now).

G

Wow... I didn't see that ever happening!

[Francksoy]

Wow... I didn't see that ever happening!

Me neither!

[RJW]

Old news verbatim china.
Verbatim china is made by CMC chinese devision.

MBIL has as customers for there cd-r's a part from home brands:
Intenso, Verbatim (MCC specs/code),MMORE, Imation, EMTEC, Platinum, Silvercircle,TDK(!) hmm let me think any more


MMORE is not MBIL home brand but MBIL is the most important supplier for MMORE. But they have some more.

Imation is also not a MBIL home brand. Imation was allready selling media when MBIL was not a important player on the market. (Most old imation is TY or CMC !)

CMC's number one position has only been there for short time periods. Each time taken over by ritek again untill last year were MBIL overtook them both.

The largest optical media manufacturer credit belongs to ritek.

[Francksoy]

Thanks RJW