Sony open Blu-ray plant in NSW, Australia – tonight !!

Tonight, Sony are opening a multi-million dollar Blu-ray manufacturing plant. Apparently us Aussies love our Blu-ray (I can vouch for that). Question is, are we going to see cheaper blu-ray costs if they don’t have to pay for international shipping ? Also I’m pretty much going to stop buying blu-ray once Microsoft’s 1080p on demand streaming arrives via the Xbox 360 later this year, so for me, Blu-ray is short-lived.

Anyway, check out the Sony Press Release for yourself below.

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Sony companies celebrate ongoing success of Blu-ray Disc format, as local production commences

NSW-based Sony DADC Blu-ray Disc plant, the only one in the southern hemisphere, set to support the continued growth in Australia’s demand for Blu-ray content

Sydney – 10 June, 2009 – The opening of a new, multi-million dollar Sony DADC Blu-ray Disc plant in Huntingwood, New South Wales, will be collectively celebrated tonight by the Managing Directors of Sony companies; Michael Ephraim, Sony Computer Entertainment Australia, Carl Rose, Sony Australia and Kim Overall, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Set to be joined by Senator Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and Peter Colby, Managing Director of Sony DADC Australia, the occasion will mark a significant milestone in the adoption of the storage format, reflecting the continued growth in consumer confidence and demand for Blu-ray content, with disc production beginning in Australia for the very first time.

Launched in Australia in February 2007, Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium that is able to store up to 50GB of data on each disc, the equivalent of six standard DVD movies. This storage capacity allows more information to fit onto a single disc, enabling far greater picture and sound quality to deliver high definition entertainment in the home.

The new Blu-ray Disc plant is the only one of its kind in the southern hemisphere and includes three Blu-ray lines; one dedicated solely to the production of PLAYSTATION_®3 (PS3™) games and two for movie and other content, with a production capacity between them of 12 million discs per year.

Michael Ephraim, Managing Director of Sony Computer Entertainment Australia and New Zealand, speaking on behalf of the Sony group of companies, commented, “Australian consumers are already adopting Blu-ray faster than DVD, pushing Australia forward as one of the global leaders of the format growth, with the third highest per capita attachment rate behind the USA and UK. Research shows that as a brand, Sony is by far the most associated with Blu-ray technology, leading the market. The opening of this local production plant should send a clear message to consumers that Blu-ray is now a permanent fixture on the format landscape and that their investment in Blu-ray hardware will be relevant for many years to come.”

Ephraim continued, “From a Sony Computer Entertainment perspective, PLAYSTATION 3 has played a critical part in the success of the format, both locally and globally, and has demonstrated its value in over half a million Australian living rooms as a true entertainment hub offering. Blu-ray games, only available on PS3, have shown consumers what an amazing experience the larger storage format can deliver and to date over 3.5 million have been sold in Australia. In addition, PS3 hardware has enjoyed numerous accolades for its capability as a Blu-ray movie player.”

Kim Overall, Managing Director of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE), said, “From a movie perspective, consumers are continuing to discover the benefits that the Blu-ray format brings to their home entertainment experience. SPHE is the number one distributor in the Blu-ray market, having enjoyed some great successes with recent titles like Twilight. In addition, once consumers understand that a Blu-ray player will not only play their current DVD collection, but will also upscale the picture quality, their investment in Blu-ray technology delivers some clear benefits.”

Carl Rose, Managing Director of Sony Australia, commented, “One in every three households now owns a high definition LCD TV and this growth has really helped drive Blu-ray player uptake.  After investing in a high definition TV, consumers should make the most of this by enjoying the best possible content on their TV.  Blu-ray delivers this rich experience.”