Sony opens China's first Blu-ray factory

January 20, 2009 The factory, which will employ 200 full-time, was launched to serve the perceived growing number of Chinese willing to spend up to $30 for a high-definition new release title in a market flooded with $1 bootleg DVDs and pirated Internet downloads. With 32 Blu-ray titles in the market now and plans to have 100 out by the end of the year, SPHE this week will release the catalog titles "Broken Trail" and "Daddy Day Camp" and follow up with BD versions of the new releases "21" and "Vantage Point" after the Lunar New Year ending Feb. 2. Sony vp for China Tim Meade said that the Blu-ray format represented 20% of SPHE's royalties business in such territories as Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia by the end of 2008.

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