Ritek, the second largest Taiwan-based maker of optical discs, has secured certification for blank 2x HD DVD-R (recordable, write once) discs, according to industry sources in Taiwan.

The company had already achieved certification for its 1x HD DVD-R and 1x HD DVD-RW (rewritable) discs in May 2007.

In addition to the HD DVD format, Ritek has obtained certification for blank BD (Blu-ray Disc)-R discs, while CMC Magnetics, the largest Taiwan-based maker, received the same certification earlier in late April of this year, the sources indicated. Japan-based Mitsubishi Kagaku Media (MKM), Matsushita Electric Industrial (with Panasonic as brand name) and TDK were the first three recipients of such BD-R disc certification, the sources noted.

Although India-based Moser Baer India (MBI) has announced it expects to start volume production of HD DVD-R discs in September 2007, the company has not yet obtained certification, the sources pointed out.

The global production value of blank HD DVD-R/-RW and BD-R/RE (rewritable) discs together will reach more than US$134 in 2008 and exceed US$300 million in 2009, the sources quoted a forecast released in April 2007 by the Japan-based consulting firm BOC.

Source: DigiTimes