CD-R production for
general data applications worldwide increased again in 2003, and by an
impressive 17 percent, to 7,150 million discs. This demonstrates that
demand continues stronger than ever for these versatile media. MMIS had
thought that the output in 2002 (6,100 million units) might have proven to
be the peak, but we were wrong. The low cost and ease of use of CD-R media
account for their continuing popularity, even as interest in DVD-R grows.
The AUP for these discs was slightly higher in 2003 than in 2002, due to
stronger than expected demands. That AUP is tentatively estimated at $
0.21, generating ex-factory revenues of $ 1,500 million.
Demand for DVD-R
write-once media was much stronger than expected in 2003, due largely to
their use by small-scale pirates, operating mostly in China and
India, for copying DVD movies.
DVD-R media are expected to grow rapidly as the digital video disc
recorder becomes generally accepted as the replacement for the video
cassette tape recorder. Many industry observers expect demand to soar into
the billions as early as next year (2005), but MMIS remains skeptical. In
2003, available data show shipments of about 375 million discs, with an
AUP of $ 0.48, and ex-factory revenues of about $ 180 million. This is
still tiny by comparison with the CD-R, but growth in 2004 and 2005 will
be impressive, whatever it turns out to be. The data here include both
DVD-R and DVD+R media, with the latter showing very impressive gains in
demand during the
year. |
