Sony DADC
TH facility is
company's largest North American plant
By John Chambers
In 22 years, Sony
DADC has evolved from making CD-ROMs to PlayStation Portables
and has added millions of dollars in assets to its plant in northeastern
Terre Haute.
The facility began with 73,000 square feet and underwent its
first addition six years later. Now, with 875,000 square feet
that includes a distribution center, it is DADC's largest North
American plant.
"The company was established in 1983 and we had our grand
opening on Sept. 31, 1984. At that time, we employed 200 people,"
said Keith Moenter, area director of human resources, by e-mail.
Earlier this year, the Terre Haute plant had almost 1,100 employees
with an annual payroll of more than $45 million. It will have
about 1,225 by the end of this year, on top of recent expansion
and retooling of facilities to fit Terre Haute's resources, Moenter
said.
"In 1983, Digital Audio Disc Corporation, now Sony DADC,
was half-owned by CBS and the tape manufacturing facility and
land was available next door to Columbia House Corporation. A
skilled labor force was available in the area, and Terre Haute
was logistically centered in the United States," he said.
The company is vital to the community, said Rod Henry, president
of the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce.
"They're a significant employer. That's important all by
itself," he said. Beyond its payroll, however, is the name.
"Sony is a worldwide name. I think it's very significant
that their major U.S. facility is right here," Henry said.
That presence attracts favorable attention to Terre Haute from
other businesses.
In April 2004, Sony Disc Manufacturing and Sony Digital Audio
Disc Corp. unified worldwide production outside Japan under the
name Sony DADC. It is the world's largest manufacturer of audio
disc media with facilities in Canada, the United States, Mexico,
Brazil, India, Austria, Australia and China.
The area plant's CD production hit 1 billion with Celine Dion's
1996 release "Falling into You." About 75.9 million
products are produced monthly, including CDs, DVDs and new technology
such as universal media discs for Playstation Portables and DualDisc,
a combination of CD and DVD technology.
Vigo County has granted the plant more than 15 tax abatements,
illustrating the company's importance to the community.
"Since we began operation in 1983, over $600 million in
plant assets have been added," Moenter said. Recent adjustments
have been more than $18.7 million.
"The 45,000-square-feet packaging and warehouse expansion
will be completed by the end of the month," Moenter said.
"Also complete is the 8,000-square-foot [disc] replication
expansion. Our 12 new packaging and 20 new replication lines
are operational."
New lines include data compression technology for the UMDs in
Playstation Portables, a product Sony unveiled in March.
"UMD capacity will be 500,000 per day by the end of September,"
Moenter said.
"Demand is projected at just slightly below that,"
said area marketing manager Shelley Klingerman. "As far
as brick and mortar, I think we've outgrown our footprint."
John Chambers can be reached at (812) 231-4254 or john.chambers@tribstar.com.
|
Photo courtesy of Sony DADC |
| On DVD: A DVD machine performs the critical bonding resin application. |
MORE PHOTOS>>
SONY DADC GROWTH CHART
Sony DADC's Terre Haute facility was established at 1800 N. Fruitridge
Ave. in 1983. Since then, it has added
--802,000 square feet
--More than $600 million in plant assets
--1,000 employees
The manufacturer is online at www.sonydadc.com.