According to the International Recording Media Association (IRMA), the number of DVDs replicated in North America will surpass the 1 billion mark later this year, making the fastest time in which a recording media format went from introduction to 1 billion units per year.
Just two months after DVD’s introduction in 1997, more than 1 million units had been produced. By the end of that first year, more than 12 million units were replicated. By 2001, the number of DVDs produced neared the half-billion mark. This year, IRMA projects DVD production to increase 120% over last year, pushing it over the 1-billion-units-per-year milestone faster than any other format.
“This unprecedented growth in DVD replication is attributed to a number of factors,” said IRMA president Charles Van Horn. “The growth in households capable of viewing DVD programming is the most significant factor. Add to that the strong support of major retailers in promoting DVDs, the continued decline in the price of DVD players and DVD-Videos, and the success of DVD-based game consoles, and it’s easy to see why the replication industry is at this significant point.”
IRMA will publish detailed statistical analysis and projections for the entire recording media industry in its soon-to-be-published 2002 Worldwide Optical Media Market Intelligence Report. This report covers every pre-recorded and recordable-media format, from DVD-Video to DVD-R and DVD-RW, CD-Audio to CD-RW, SuperAudio CD, High-Capacity M-O, MiniDisc, Optical Tape and more.
For more information on this report, contact IRMA at 609/279-1700 or visit them online at www.recordingmedia.com.
