Corporate | 13 December 2006 08:20
Singulus Technologies AG:Suppler of HD DVD Machines since 2005 – HD DVD starts
Corporate News transmitted by DGAP – a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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SINGULUS: Suppler of HD DVD Machines since 2005
HD DVD Discs to Be Retailed For the First Time at Christmas
Kahl am Main, December 13, 2006 – The high-definition entertainment era has
finally started in Germany on time for Christmas: since the boom of
HD-ready flat screen TVs has steadily continued since 2005, now the first
movies are available in high-definition quality on optical discs (Blu-ray
and HD DVD). The large retail stores offer the new HD DVD (High-Definition
DVD). The first HD DVD players have also been launched. For the competing
format Blu-ray the market introduction has also been announced for Germany.
A lot of the movies available are produced on SPACELINE II production
machines of the SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG (SINGULUS). The Kahl am Main-based
company is the leading equipment supplier for the preceding format DVD with
a global market share of more than 65 %.
The first HD DVD production systems on the basis of the SINGULUS SPACELINE
II have already been launched in the summer of 2005. These machines are
able to produce DVD 9 as well as the new HD DVD. Therefore, SINGULUS
enables its customers to respond flexibly with respect to the new format
development.
With a storage capacity of up to 30 GB, a resolution of up to 1920×1080
pixels and 7.1 channel surround sound HD DVDs offer a previously unknown
home cinema experience. Cineastes are able to enjoy ‘Peter Jackson’s King
Kong’, ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’, ‘Firewall’, ‘The Fugitive’, ‘Full Metal
Jacket’, ‘Rumor Has It’ as well as the ‘Mission: Impossible’ trilogy with
brilliantly sharp quality on the plasma or LCD sets. Additional Hollywood
blockbusters will be available at MediaMarkt, Saturn & Co. very soon.
More and more viewers switch to the new television experience. According to
GfK, the market for flat screen television sets is sharply increasing.
Accordingly, in the first eight months of 2006 alone, nearly one million
LCD and plasma displays equipped with the ‘HD-ready’ logo necessary for
displaying high-definition content have been sold. Until the end of the
year GfK forecasts more than two million HDTV sets in the German market.
Moreover, market researchers expect a steady growth not only for
traditional DVDs but in particular for the new high-definition formats HD
DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Experts from Understanding & Solutions forecast a
rise of the global DVD volumes from nearly 8 billion in 2006 to 8.5 billion
in 2007 and even up to 9 billion by 2008. For Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD a
rise is expected from 248 million discs in the next year to 623 million
(2008) and 1.2 billion in 2009.
Company profile:
With a consistent focus on its core competencies, since the management
buyout SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES has transformed itself into the global leader
of machines and equipment for optical storage media within a time span of
ten years.
SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES is the only equipment producer in the world offering
the entire value-added chain for the manufacturing of optical disc:
The machines range from mastering and injection molding to replication
lines. With the set-up of a very deep value-added chain in the past couple
of years, SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES was successful in expanding the product
range for its customers. Thus, the position of SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES in the
optical disc sector remains unique in the world.
It is our declared goal to include the new formats HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc
in this structure as well. Due to the acquisition of STEAG HamaTech in
January 2006, SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES is also excellently positioned
worldwide for machines of once-recordable formats. SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES
still regards the market for machines to produce optical discs as its core
competence. This segment will also continue to safeguard the cash flow of
the company in the future and will be further developed technologically.
In addition, new business areas are intended to contribute to sales and
earnings in the future.
SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG, Hanauer Landstrasse 103,
D-63796 Kahl/Main, ISIN: DE0007238909, WKN: 723890
For further information please contact:
Maren Schuster, Head of Investor Relations, Tel.: + 49 (0) 6188 440 612
Bernhard Krause, Corporate Communications, Tel.: + 49 (0) 6181 98280 20
SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG, Hanauer Landstrasse 103,
D-63796 Kahl/Main, ISIN: DE0007238909, WKN: 723890
For further information please contact:
Maren Schuster, Head of Investor Relations, Tel.: + 49 (0) 6188 440 612
Bernhard Krause, Corporate Communications, Tel.: + 49 (0) 6181 98280 20
(c)DGAP 13.12.2006
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Language: English
Issuer: SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG
Hanauer Landstrasse 103
63796 Kahl am Main Deutschland
Phone: +49 (0)6188 440-105
Fax: +49 (0)6188 440-110
E-mail: maren.schuster@singulus.de
WWW: www.singulus.de
ISIN: DE0007238909
WKN: 723890
Indices:
Listed: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
in Berlin-Bremen, Stuttgart, München, Hamburg, Düsseldorf
End of News DGAP News-Service
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