News From Super Jewel Box

UNIVERSAL MUSIC OFFERS CONSUMERS

MORE CHOICE IN CD PACKAGING, PRICING

Scissor Sisters, Killers launch Europe-wide Super Jewel Box©
Improved CD packaging at no extra cost to music buyers
We’ve listened to consumers,” says Universal Music Group International chairman
Market leader unveils three-tier pricing across range of releases

LONDON, July 5, 2006 – To offer European consumers improved choice and value in their purchase of music, Universal Music Group International will introduce a fresh, three-tier system of packaging and pricing CDs – the physical discs which still account for more than 90% of recording industry sales.

For all new album releases as they roll out in future, Universal Music will use Super Jewel Box© packaging – a stronger, more durable replacement for the traditional “jewel box” CD case, at no additional cost to music buyers.

On Sep. 18, the first three titles to be released across Europe in the upgraded Super Jewel Box© packaging will be two highly anticipated follow-up albums, Ta-Dah! by Scissor Sisters and the Killers’ as-yet untitled set, plus the first solo album by Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas.

The upgrade means that UMG will ship more than 100 million albums in the superior-quality Super Jewel Box packaging during the first 12 months of the switchover. The extra manufacturing costs will be absorbed by the company.

Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group International, says, “As our digital business continues to accelerate, as we anticipated, this is also an exciting time to improve our physical CD offer – and at no extra cost to the fans. We’ve listened to their views about value and choice, and we’re giving them more music-buying options than ever.”

Validated by extensive market research, the new Universal Music approach will enable music fans to make CD purchases in the following physical configurations:

DeLuxe – for major artist album releases, packaged with a bonus CD or DVD offering additional audio or video content by the featured artist(s), in an exclusive limited edition.
Standard – for all new album releases, featuring Super Jewel Box© packaging instead of the traditional CD jewel box case, with no accompanying price increase.
Basic – for older albums, offered in a new, streamlined slide-pack CD case, designed for “just the music” with minimum packaging – comparable to paperback books.

The three formats, which UMGI has successfully tested in select European markets over the past nine months, will begin to roll out across the region in September. Consumer reaction to the Super Jewel Box© was highly favourable during the test phase. Results from the earlier trials also proved the DeLuxe format to be highly popular as a gift item, as well as with the featured artists’ core fans.

Moreover, music fans responded positively to the Basic version, appreciating the new format’s value – particularly those buying music from non-specialist retail outlets. During one week last August, six Universal Music titles in the Basic configuration were in France ’s top 20 album chart, including three in the top 10. More than 3 million slide-pack CDs were sold during the European market tests.

Universal Music Group International does not set retail prices for its products, but it is recommending the three formats be priced at, on average, €19.99 (DeLuxe), €14.99 (Standard) and €9.99 (Basic).

For further information, contact:

Adam White

Universal Music Group International

+44 (020) 7747 4217 (office)

+44 (0) 7808 924 030 (mobile)

adam.white@umusic.com

About Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is the world's largest music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 75 countries. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, one of the industry's largest global music publishing operations.

Universal Music Group consists of record labels Decca Music Group, Deutsche Grammophon, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Geffen Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Philips, Polydor Records, Universal Music Latino, Universal Motown Records Group, and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry, which is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S. ) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S. ). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, a new media and technologies division, and Universal Music Mobile.

Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and communications company.

SJB UK will be participating at this year's London Calling exhibition 29th-30th June 2006 at Earls Court - a new event for artists, managers, labels, service providers and much more.

Visit us at stand 726 or for further information click banner for more details.

International Trade Shows 2006

SJB International will participate at this year's Mediatech show held in Frankfurt, Germany, 30th May - 1st June. Mediatech is the meeting place for the international multimedia industry.

For more information see www.mediatech-expo.net

SJB USA are considering participating at the Entertainment Media Expo (EMX) later this year (8th - 9th August) in Universal City, California. The premier event for entertainment packaged media serving the needs of video, audio and game professionals.

For more information visit www.entertainmentmediaexpo.com

SJB NH Multicase

The SJB NH Multicase is one of the most unique storage cases available today. Capable of storing from 4 to 40 discs, it is truly in a class by itself.

The SJB Multicase has all of the Super Jewel Box features like rounded corners, logo insert possibilities in the hinge areas, a locking clasp for better disc protection, etc.

3RD GENERATION SUPER JEWEL BOX PRODUCTS

The Super Jewel Box UK & Ireland distributor - Sarem Media Packaging - now has the new single and multiple disc versions of the 3rd Generation New Hinge Super Jewel Products in stock. Flip Tray Cases for two discs in all three formats, Standard, Plus and King.

Double Disc Spindles for either one or two discs in all three formats, Standard, Plus and King are now regular stock items. Also now in stock are the slim Standard Case 5.2mm and the slim King Case 6.9mm.

NEW SLIM KING 6.9MM INTRODUCED

Brand New for 2004 a Super Jewel Box King case ultra slim at 6.9mm. The unique design even incorporates a slim J-Lock for added disc protection. The new case successfully marries the Singles format with the DVD format, as well as being particularly striking for data storage and special releases.

MEDIA-TECH 2004

This year's Media-Tech Expo in Frankfurt 25-27th May is expected to attract more than 200 exhibitors and 3,500 visitors from around the globe. Demand has been such that the event has moved to the newest and most striking hall at the Frankfurt Messe, Hall 3. It offers an exhibitor area of 14,000 sq meters.

At the top of the agenda will be the growth in interest in record able DVD-R and the rewritable DVD-RW/DVD RAM formats along with the emergence of next generation products. Other topics will be Blu-Ray technology and HD-DVD, which features a 25Gbyte storage capacity.

PRESS RELEASE

SUPER JEWEL BOX INTERNATIONAL
ANNOUNCES GRAND OPENING OF DEDICATED FACTORY

Eindhoven, The Netherlands (October 2003) - October 28, 2003 Super Jewel Box International celebrates the Grand Opening of the brand new Super Jewel Box-dedicated factory located in Suzhou, China. Based on the latest technology, the factory will produce a whole new family of Super Jewel Box products, including several new designs. One of the new designs is the SJB Multi holding up to 4 discs.

With this 3rd generation SJB products, the rounded hinges are enlarged to make them stronger and suitable to accommodate a double disc FlipTray. The new, larger hinges are equipped with exchangeable logo inserts for engraving customer logos. This feature adds security and anti-piracy benefits. Perhaps the most important benefit of all is that manufacturing has become more efficient which allows for very competitive prices.

As in the past, SJB will be available in 3 main sizes: Standard, Plus and King, in both single and double-disc tray options. But soon all 3 sizes will also be available with a double-disc Flip-Tray, and the SJB Standard and SJB King will have a 'Slim' version for special projects.

For the retail markets and short-run professional applications, SJBI offers the new Super Jewel Box products in pre-assembled 5 and 10-packs, in clear and assorted colours. Several companies are offering offerring pre-cut, blank paper inserts and design templates through retail outlets.

Besides manufacturing Super Jewel Box products, the Suzhou factory will also provide turnkey fulfillment services with the installation of two (2) fully automated SJB packaging machines in combination with shrink and poly wrap machines. The SJB Standard and SJB King products will be automated at 60ppm, including insertion of booklet, tray card, Q-card, EAS tag, and 1 or 2 discs on a single or double-disc hub or 2 discs on a FlipTray. These machines will also auto load Slim versions of the SJB products. Hand assembly lines will take care of the SJB Plus and other special packaging needs.

At full capacity the Suzhou factory will house 35 production lines with a total capacity of over 700 million units per year.

Super Jewel Box is the successor to the most popular and widely used media packaging of all time; the original CD jewel case. Super Jewel Box provides many improvements over the original jewel case, such as a new and patented single or double disc spindle, rounded corners, stronger hinges with exchangeable logo-inserts, a locking clasp and access to artwork on all four spines. For more information, please contact Super Jewel Box International at info@superjewelbox.com or visit the company's web site at www.superjewelbox.com.

SUPER JEWEL BOX INTRODUCES A 5.2MM CASE

Super Jewel Box have introduced the 5.2mm slim case for CD, DVD and media storage e.g. DVD-R & DVD+RW. The SJB Standard Slim has the same features as all the Super Jewel Box range of products; rounded corners, reinforced hinges and logo insert points. It is the first 5.2mm Case of sufficient quality to be called a Super Jewel Box.

EUROPEAN MEDIA-TECH

Exhibitors and attendees from over 80 countries attended this years Media Tech conference. 1,000 people visited the event over the two-day period attending the conference and visiting the exhibition. The conference streams and workshops attracted large audiences, to hear presentations on a wide range of topics.

Super Jewel Box were amongst the exhibitors generally happy with the numbers attending. The event took place at a very busy time for the replication industry with its pre Christmas production. Amongst the topics discussed were patents and licensing, mastering, packaging and recordable media.

SUPER JEWEL BOX SEES GROWTH VIA AUTOMATION

At the Media-Tech Expo in Las Vegas in May, Super Jewel Box International Managing Director Jan Schuurs revealed that SJB International is expecting by the end of the year to have its first U.S. replicator install automated equipment to package the whole range of Super Jewel Box products.
Super Jewel Box had discussions with all the known DVD/CD automated packaging equipment companies, and although there was some initial interest, they could not find a suitable partner that would accommodate all the specific features for the case. So the company realized it was better to align itself with an experienced company that was looking to break into a new market. That equipment has been designed and built by the Norwegian firm Tronrud Engineering, which previously had no experience in the media packaging area, but is an expert in automation equipment.
Super Jewel Box has had no problem in the past few years supplying content owners with cases that it has moulded itself from its European factory, said Jan Schuurs, citing a recent order from a customer for 35 million pieces in the U.S. Super Jewel Box recently received an order from Platinum Entertainment for 1 million units that will be placed in Wal-Mart. Platinum now has 300 titles, all packed in the Super Jewel Box. "Tronrud's SJB machine is available to meet the automation demand as volume grows"

DVD-AUDIO AND SUPER AUDIO CD FORMATS

One of the latest applications for the DVD format is music. DVD-Audio offers 5.1 Dolby surround sound mixes, extra biography information, picture galleries and album lyrics. The rival 'music-only' format to DVD-Audio is the Super Audio CD (SACD) which can be pressed as a dual format disc so that it is compatible with both SACD and CD players. At the early stages of the SACD format most producers are manufacturing Dual format discs to play on both regular HiFi and Super Audio players.

SACD has taken the initiative over its DVD-Audio rival and there have been some major re-issues in SACD, such as the re-mastered Rolling Stones back catalogue and Peter Gabriel's back catalogue both being released during 2003. Figures released by the IFPI show worldwide sales of both formats have already reached 1 million units each.

Super Jewel Box Standard is the packaging of choice for most SACD releases, whereas the Super Jewel Box Plus has been chosen for 99% of DVD Audio releases.

Sales momentum is expected to increase during 2003, with record companies releasing more titles, increased consumer awareness and prices falling to bring DVD-Audio/SACD titles in line with standard CD titles.

SUPER JEWEL BOX ARRIVES IN HOLLYWOOD

When the British Film Office (BFO) was established in Los Angeles to attract more film production to the UK, government officials wanted to make a big impression that went beyond slick printed materials. It was decided that instead of a CD -ROM that the project would be launched on DVD.

The BFO received support for the DVD project from the British Government, and the resulting DVD serves as an example of how the country is on the cutting edge of the digital age.

Britain - The Big Picture had an initial run of 17,000 copies in Super Jewel Box King One Cases, with a further 5,000 copies given out to the attendees of the American Film Market in Santa Monica, California. The DVD was also designed to be multi- region, so that it would appeal to filmmakers throughout the world.

SUPER AUDIO CD EXCEEDS 1,000 TITLES

The SACD format has been given a boost! A number of companies backing the format include, EMI, Virgin and the Universal Music Group - Most SACD titles are packed in Super Jewel Box Standard packaging.

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