Update: New California Disc Replication Law Takes Effect January 1

A new California law that toughens existing anti-piracy regulations for the state’s CD, DVD, and Blu-ray replicators is set to take effect January 1, 2012, M&E Daily has confirmed.

California State Senator Alex Padilla, who introduced the legislation earlier this year, commented in a press release that the new law was aimed at protecting entertainment industry jobs in the state. “Those who illegally replicate CDs and DVDs undermine our economy and California’s role as a global leader in music and film,” Padilla said. “Illegal replication of CDs and DVDs steals revenue from everyone in the entertainment industry, from blue collar workers to those who walk the red carpet.”

Under the new measures (full text available here), law enforcement officers can conduct inspections of replication facilities without a warrant, and seize noncompliant discs or production parts. Replicators in the state also face stiffer criminal penalties for noncompliance than under the previous laws.

California Raises Anti-Piracy Requirements for Disc Replicators [Updated]

California Governor Jerry Brown on Sunday signed into law a new set of anti-piracy measures for the state’s optical disc manufacturing business, strengthening existing laws that require CD, DVD, and Blu-ray replicators to include source identification information on every disc they manufacture.

The new law enables enforcement officers to conduct inspections of replication facilities without a warrant, and to seize noncompliant discs or production parts. Replicators in the state also face stiffer criminal penalties for noncompliance than under the previous laws.

Full text of the new measures is available here. The legislation was introduced earlier this year by California State Senator Alex Padilla with support from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Update: The new law takes effect January 1, 2012. “This new law is about protecting California jobs,” Sen. Padilla commented in a press release. “Those who illegally replicate CDs and DVDs undermine our economy and California’s role as a global leader in music and film.  Illegal replication of CDs and DVDs steals revenue from everyone in the entertainment industry, from blue collar workers to those who walk the red carpet.”

Taiyo Yuden Downsizes Recordable Media Operations

Japan-based Taiyo Yuden announced last week that it would be downsizing its optical disc production capacity by roughly 40%, as it seeks to restore profitability to the recordable media business it pioneered more than two decades ago.

Taiyo Yuden plans to streamline its production of optical media products to 65 million units per month, down from its current level of 110 million units per month. The company also says it will cut staffing its optical media business by 45%, and reduce its inventory levels by 40% by the end of its fiscal year (March 31, 2011).

The measures will put optical media products unit, which includes recordable CD, DVD and Blu-ray discs, on track to return to profitability by in the next fiscal year, Taiyo Yuden says.

Taiyo Yuden was a key technology contributor to the CD-R format in 1988, when Sony and Philips first published a specification for the format. Today it stands as one of the last remaining optical disc manufacturers in Japan.

More at China Economic News Service, which speculates that Taiyo Yuden’s restructuring could be an outsourcing boon for Taiwan-based optical media producers such as Ritek and CMC Magnetics.

MAM-A Expands ‘Made In USA’ Recordable Media Line

Colorado-based MAM-A says it now offers “Made in USA” versions of its Silver CD-R and DVD-R/+R products, as well as its 24kt Gold Archival CD-R and DVD-R/+R media. The company, which claims to be the last recordable optical disc manufacturer in the U.S., recently completed capacity expansion of its facility in Colorado Springs.

Report: CMC Continues To Raise Prices On Optical Media

Taiwan-based CMC Magnetics will raise its price quotes for optical media in July, according to Digitimes, as the disc manufacturer continues to grapple with increased polycarbonate plastic costs. Company chairman Robert Wong tells the publication that CMC’s cumulative price hike for 2010 could top 50 percent. By Digitimes

Ritek Purchases Replication Equipment Of Rival

Optical disc manufacturer Ritek has reportedly agreed to purchase replication equipment from fellow Taiwan-based Daxon, in a deal valued at up to $15.6 million. Ritek will use the equipment to boost its Blu-ray Disc production capacity. Daxon, meanwhile, is exiting the disc business to focus on the manufacture of optical thin-films and other products. By DigiTimes

Chatter: PlayStation 4 Would Be Disc-Based

Rumors abounded last year of Sony’s plans for a successor to the PlayStation 3 console. We are multiple sources removed from the latest (German language) report, which apparently quotes a Sony Computer Entertainment of America executive as saying that the still-unannounced PlayStation 4 system would continue to employ optical media for delivering “blockbuster” games. Via PlayStation Lifestyle

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