2001 showed a continuation of the rising global production of optical discs. While roughly 21bn of metal plated discs were produced 2000, a recently compiled assessment by Bayer AG (D-51368 Leverkusen; www.bayer.de) illustrates that more than 25bn CDs or DVDs were manufactured in 2001. Of the 430,000 t of polycarbonate consumed, one third were reported to have been supplied by Bayer, with “Makrolon” claimed to be the clear market leader for optical disc applications.

This production record however, was achieved with the help of already existing machines, lines and moulds. Even careful assessments by the industry´s capital goods producers at the beginning of 2001 saw “a stagnation at best” and this turned out to be unfounded optimism. After market slumps, all companies in the industry found themselves struggling with substantial problems. The brand-new market leader Singulus Technologies AG (D-63796 Kahl; www.singulus.de) saw its sales dwindling from EUR 375m to merely EUR 225.5m. That said, the industry´s shooting star nonetheless managed to procure a EUR 42.5m pretax profit.

Competitor Steag Hama Tech AG (D-75447 Sternenfels; www.steag-hamatech.com) was hit a lot harder. Sales took a nosedive from EUR 215.5m to EUR123m, the already hard pressed company´s pretax losses deteriorated from roughly EUR 10m to EUR65m. In September 2001, after reporting its insolvency, the Swedish-Dutch corporation Toolex International, the German companies´ keenest competitor so far, even dropped out of the game altogether. The remaining companies, the traditionalist company Odme (NL-5500 AD Zeldhoven; www.odme.com) and Alpha Sweden (S-172 24 Sundbyberg; www.alphasweden.com) reappeared on the market as two “new” companies.

Sales niche for plastics engineering tightening
It does not come as a surprise that well-known companies of the plastics industry such as special mould-maker Axxicon (NL-5657 EA Eindhoven; www.axxicom.com) are posting scaled down sales figures. The annual report of parent company Mikron AG (CH-2560 Biel; www.mikron.ch) reveals that the troubled market situation for CDs led to sales cuts by at least CHF 6m, leaving a total of only CHF 70m. In spring 2002, a spokesperson for Krauss-Maffei Kunststofftechnik GmbH (D-80997 Munich; www.krauss-maffei.de) reported that “for CDs, the market is still desolate” (PIE 9, 2002) and even the leader in the market for CD and DVD moulds Netstal AG (CH-8752 Näfels; www.netstal.com) identified clear indicators for a weak market in its results for 2002 (PIE 10, 2002).

Nonetheless, Netstal seems to have declined an exclusive supplier contract offer by Singulus for its complete lines. The more reason for Singulus to take over the company emould GmbH (D-52146 Würselen) and acquiring world-wide exclusive rights for the electric injection moulding units manufactured by the Japanese company Fanuc (www.fanuc.com) for the CD/DVD market. Other than in conventional injection moulding, there are no misgivings about electric machines in this particular niche market, they are even favoured. Both Krauss-Maffei and Netstal have picked up on this trend and developed all-electric models of their machines. Netstal´s “e-jet” model, which had been introduced as an advanced pilot project at last year´s K exhibition, will now be introduced to the commercial market.

New MediaTech exhibition successful
This machine also delivered Netstal´s technical and optical highlight at the specialist “MediaTech” exhibition, which took place at the beginning of May in Frankfurt/Germany. The new exhibition was set up by leading capital goods suppliers in this market segment at short notice to curb the highly frequented “Replitech”, which originated in the US. MediaTech is to take place only once a year and the location is to alternate between the US and Europe. Plasteurope.com found that most of the 140 participants were satisfied with this first performance, which welcomed the expected number of 4,000 visitors.

The exhibition revealed that “companies of the niche branche” are hoping for an improvement of the DVD market. According to Bayer, DVDs made up 6% of all optical discs produced. Expecting continuing growth, this figure is predicted to rise to 22% by 2005. Competitors in the material segment such as Röhm (D-64293 Darmstadt; www.roehm.com) and Atoglas (F-92064 Paris la Defense; www.atoglas.com) have identified the potential of the DVD market and are trying to introduce special PMMA formulations (PIE 11, 2002). But so far, the acrylate specialists have only managed to present first practical applications. But market sovereign polycarbonate will be hard to topple and these latest developments leave Bayer specialists quite unperturbed. Encouraged by the positive trend for optical discs (total demand in 2005: roughly 800,000 t), Bayer has been known to stock up on its global polycarbonate capacities (PIE 24, 2002). Even after some changes to its plans, Bayer still intends to build up its current PC output of 650,000 t to more than 1.1m t by 2005.