CONCORD, NC - July 1, 2008
DNP IMS America Corporation

DNP IMS America Corporation Assumes Thermal Transfer Ink Ribbon (TTR) Business of Sony Chemicals Corporation of America

      DNP IMS America Corporation (DNP IMSA) celebrated the grand opening of its Pittsburgh-region facility today with approximately 150 people in attendance. DNP IMSA is entering into a new phase of growth with the assumption of the thermal transfer ink ribbon business of Sony Chemicals Corporation of America (SCCA).
      Several executives from Dai Nippon Printing Co., LTD (DNP) were in attendance including Shigeru Kashiwabara, Managing Director of IMS Operations, Masato Koike, General Manager of IMS Operations, Satoshi Kondo, Deputy General Manager of IMS, Keiichi Mizoguchi, President of DNP America, Masaru Suzuki, President of DNP Electronics America, and Keigo Hayakawa, President of DNP IMS America Corporation. Representing Sony Electronics and Sony Chemical & Information Device Corporation were Chuck Gregory, President of the Sony Technology Center-Pittsburgh (STC-P) and Vice President of Sony Electronics Inc's Television Operations of America (TVOA) unit, Michael Koff, Senior Manager of Corporate Communications and External Affairs for Sony Electronics (SEL), and Eiji Imagawa, President of Sony Chemicals Corporation of America.
      The ceremony began with a speech by Mr. Kashiwabara who emphasized the strong relationship between Sony and DNP in diversified business arenas as well as the relationship being more than just customer and supplier. Kashiwabara stated, "Our vision for the Information Media Supply Division is to be the leading company in the global print media market. This specifically means that DNP is to become the number one global company in bar code markets for thermal transfer ribbons and digital photographic print for dye-sublimation media." He introduced Mr. Kondo as the deputy General Manager of IMS Operations who will be Senior Vice President of DNP IMSA and applauded his leadership abilities. Under Kondo's former leadership, SCCA achieved strategic positioning and significant growth within the TTR market.
      Immediately following his speech, Kashiwabara presented Chuck Gregory with a large hand-blown glass sculpture by North Carolina artist, Kenny Pieper. Gregory accepted the gift on behalf of DNP and thanked all former members of the Sony Chemicals' family for their hard work and efforts over the years. Gregory stated, "I also want to assure you that the family you have now joined is as strong as the family you have been with.  It is a family with a lot of history, a lot of pride, and an outstanding growth opportunity for each of you." 
      Noted government officials attending the grand opening ceremony included former State Senator Alan Kukovich, now serving as the Governor's Representative for southwestern Pennsylvania, Ms. Kim Ward, Westmoreland County Commissioner, and John Skiavo, President and CEO of the Economic Growth Connection of Greensburg, PA.
      The official ceremony concluded with a toast provided by Masato Koike that reflected the true spirit of the union between the companies. Immediately following the toast, a luncheon was provided to all in attendance; and to conclude the day's celebration, Keigo Hayakawa personally made a gift presentation to each employee. He summarized the day's activities by saying, "Bar code ribbon is the core business of DNP. I would like to state that the Pittsburgh site of DNP is now the global headquarters for our bar code ribbon business. We can expect many synergies from the merger of the two companies." Hayakawa further said, "We will have many opportunities for key employees from Pittsburgh and Concord, NC to interact with each other. I believe such dialogue will maximize the synergy of this transaction. There are many opportunities in the market place to grow our business in the future. I am excited to have all of you on board at our DNP Pittsburgh plant and am pleased for us to be working  together to accomplish the goal."

About DNP

      DNP IMS America Corp. is a 100% US subsidiary of Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.- the world's largest manufacturer of thermal transfer ribbons for bar code printers and dye-sublimation media. DNP is also the world's largest diversified printing/coating technologies company with $15 billion in annual revenue. For more information of DNP thermal transfer ribbons, visit our website at www.dnpribbons.com or call 1.800.814.4672.

Media Contacts:

Beth Freeman
DNP IMS America Corporation
4524 Enterprise Drive NW
Concord, NC 28027
bfreeman@dnpribbons.com
TEL 704.784.7183

Juli Noel
DNP IMS America Corporation
1001 Technology Dr.
Mt. Pleasant,PA 15666
jnoel@dnpribbons.com
TEL 724.696.7550

 

March 14, 2008
Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
Sony Chemical & Information Device Corporation

Dai Nippon Printing and Sony Chemical & Information Device Start Discussion on the Transfer of Thermal Transfer Ink Ribbon Business to Dai Nippon Printing

      Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP) and Sony Chemical & Information Device Corporation (SonyCID) have signed a legally non-binding letter of intent regarding the transfer of SonyCID’s global thermal transfer ink ribbon* business to DNP*². The two companies will start to study various issues, including suitable transfer methods which comply with the laws and regulations of relevant jurisdictions, along with other concrete matters, aiming for the early conclusion of a legally binding definitive contract with a view to complete the transfer by July 2008.
      DNP began manufacturing and marketing thermal transfer ink ribbons used in facsimile machines in the early 1980s, and has steadily expanded applications to include bar codes which it developed in the early 1990s. DNP has successfully developed this business on a global scale, and maintains manufacturing and sales bases in the United States, France and Japan.
      Bar codes are used in a variety of different industries, including product traceability and components management at manufacturing sites.  Demand for thermal transfer ink ribbons for bar code systems continues to grow steadily. DNP expects to expand this business in response to the increased demand in a timely manner, following the transfer of the relevant manufacturing facilities from SonyCID. With this transfer, DNP anticipates increasing its competitiveness and its ability to move toward common sourcing of materials, as well as increased production and operating efficiencies through the strengthening of existing manufacturing and sales bases.
      SonyCID will invest the capital gained from this transaction to focus on the growing optical film and electronic device business and reallocate its resources to facilitate more rapid expansion in that area.
      DNP plans to offer employment at DNP to the employees at SonyCID's thermal transfer ink ribbon manufacturing facilities in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (the United States) and Amsterdam (the Netherlands), in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
Head office: 1-1-1 Ichigaya Kagacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Representative Director and President: Yoshitoshi Kitajima
Capital: ¥114.46476 billion

Sony Chemical & Information Device Corporation
Head office: Gate City Osaki, East Tower 8th Floor, 1-11-2 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
Representative Director and President: Masayoshi Sugiyama
Capital: ¥5.48 billion

*Thermal transfer ink ribbon
Materials used when printing fax, word processor and bar codes in a thermal transfer printing format. Thermal transfer ink ribbons are manufactured using ink made of carbon and colored pigments for printing which are mixed with wax and then attached at a thickness of several microns to the surface of a film which acts as the base material. When heat is transferred to this film from the thermal head, only the heated portion melts and is attached to the paper.

*² Some of (i) the assets and (ii) the existing business relationships with customers, etc. are not expected to be transferred.

Media inquiries to:
Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
Press and Public Relations
TEL: 03-5225-8220 Fax: 03-5225-8239

Sony Chemical & Information Device Corporation
Corporate Communications Section
TEL: 03-5435-3943 Fax: 03-5435-3079