Sonopress Receives IRMA Anti-Piracy Certification; Compliance Program Establishes International Anti-Piracy Standards for Media Replicators and Duplicators.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

ASHEVILLE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 2, 2003

Sonopress LLC, a global leader in media services and turnkey production operations, today announced that it has completed the certification process for enrollment in the Anti-Piracy Compliance Program (APCP), developed by the International Recording Media Association (IRMA).

The program was designed to establish procedures that protect content owners from intellectual property theft throughout the media replication and manufacturing process.

"Working in conjunction with IRMA and the Anti-Piracy Coalition enables Sonopress to sustain customer confidence by illustrating our commitment to combating media content piracy," said Per Save, Sonopress vice president, sales and marketing. "By implementing IRMA's Anti-Piracy Compliance Program in our Weaverville production facility, Sonopress is able to further demonstrate its commitment to content preservation and quality assurance throughout the manufacturing process."

In order to achieve APCP certification status, Sonopress' facility was required to participate in a series of program audits to assess operational procedures and compliance eligibility.

"Having completed the rigorous APCP certification process, Sonopress has aligned itself with a wide-ranging group of industry leaders who recognize the importance of protecting both the property rights of media content owners and the integrity of the manufacturing industry as a whole," stated Tim Gorman, IRMA Worldwide Anti-Piracy Compliance Director.

IRMA is a worldwide trade association encompassing organizations involved in every facet of recording media, from raw materials providers, manufacturers, replicators and duplicators, to copyright holders. IRMA is the advocate for all recording media and is the industry forum on worldwide trends and innovations.

The IRMA Anti-Piracy Compliance Program was developed with input and support from the IRMA Anti-Piracy Coalition, comprised of optical media replicators, and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Motion Picture Association (MPA), the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the Software Information Industry Association (SIIA), the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA) and the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).

About Sonopress

Sonopress LLC, part of arvato, a Bertelsmann company, is a global leader in media replication and turnkey services. Sonopress possesses the technological expertise to produce the widest variety of analog and digital media formats currently on the market (cassettes, CD, DVD, DVD Hybrid). The company's services include pre-mastering, optical mastering and replication, graphics sourcing, packaging, assembling, warehousing and distribution. The Sonopress global network, with more than 3,900 employees, places customer service and product quality as its top priorities. For further information visit: www.sonopress.com.