The days of making a decent profit off manufacturing an optical disc are long gone, as replication veterans well know.

Shrinking margins, intense price competition and substantially higher raw material costs have led replicators—those who have survived—to search for new sources of revenue. Servicing customers’ complete supply chain needs is absolutely required in this day and age.

The Entertainment Supply Chain Academy (ESCA) was formed with such challenges in mind. ESCA’s inaugural event June 20-21 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza will provide attendees with the latest developments in maximizing the efficiency of physical media manufacturing and distribution – and for leading replicators it is an overview of a new business model.

Sponsoring and participating replicators in ESCA include Sonopress, Technicolor, Inoveris, and JVC Disc America.

The comprehensive two-day program covers all the basics of how media manufacturers can get up to speed in understanding the intricacies of RFID integration, for example, and meeting retailer compliance mandates.

Among the news stories for disc manufacturers at the event is the introduction of an alpha test of a combination RFID and EAS tag for DVDs that is being introduced by OatSystems and ADT; the tag can be applied using current automation systems.

According to Inoveris President Melodie Gee, the company’s robust supply chain management infrastructure has given it a significant competitive advantage in landing jobs from video game publishers.

“Companies serious about getting into this market can’t even play unless they have an IT capability,” said Gee. She added that retailers can be very demanding about their supply chain needs and supplier compliance.  

According to Sonopress Vice President, IT and Customer Service Michael Dohle, making its supply chain as efficient as possible has also returned dividends in being able to better forecast the company’s future raw material needs.   Sonopress, along with its distribution partner, Ditan is a Platinum Sponsor of ESCA.

“MEDIA-TECH’s members and their customers—the replicators—recognize that the future of physical media is dependent on delivering it as efficiently as possible to the consumer,” said Bryan Ekus, Managing Director of the MEDIA-TECH Association, one of ESCA’s organizers.

“It behooves replicators to service the entire supply chain needs of its customers,” Charles Van Horn, President of the International Recording Media Association, urged his organization’s members at the IRMA Recording Media Forum in March.