PBI Media LLC and The International Recording Media Association (IRMA) announced the formation of a cooperative venture to serve the media manufacturing industry, and a re-branding of the REPLItech events to M3 REPLItech. The alliance will provide a responsive, coordinated and broadly supported series of industry directed events under PBI's M3 product group. PBI Media and IRMA have a long history of cooperating and co-sponsoring industry events for specific sectors such as forums on the production of DVD and media manufacturing. Cost efficient and effective, the partners' new events will provide cutting-edge technological information to both suppliers of equipment and their clients who manufacture media products. The events are designed to deliver forum, marketplace and networking opportunities for all segments involved in the content delivery market.

The next event the partnership will produce will be M3 REPLItech in Los Angeles, February 12-14. Previously known as just "REPLItech," this event will now include the M3 branding to reinforce its evolution into an industry event serving the entirety of the media manufacturing, delivery and storage segments. The calendar will follow with M3 REPLItech Europe June 24-26, 2002 at the RAI Centre in Amsterdam.