Dicentia acquires ODS Dassow plant

Dicentia acquires ODS Dassow plant – end of the story?

In what may be the final chapter in the search for a buyer, Dicentia has acquired ODS’s Dassow plant in Germany. The administrators have chosen the Danish optical disc group – associated for the occasion with former ODS boss Wilhelm Mittrich’s UK-based Spin Group – over Spanish bidder Iberdisc Optical Storage Solutions.

The decision taken at a meeting of the creditors in Hamburg last week reportedly angered Christian Spychala, CEO of Iberdisc, given that the company proposed the resumption of production with 170 employees in early June, expanding to 240 by the end of year. He said Spanish banks were ready to invest and the order book was filling up. In February, Iberdisc had acquired the ODS manufacturing plant in Goleniow, Poland.

Dicentia apparently won the contest on the strength of its commitment to research and development activities, which the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Schwerin estimated could re-ignite the region’s industrial development. Operations will resume in Dassow’s so-called Plant 1.

Dicentia has plans to relocate its three Scandinavian plants to Dassow. There are reports that the company’s financial situation is under severe pressure. The Danish group may have pressed some 200 million DVDs without paying patent pool MPEG LA royalties worth $6 million. As long as the arrears are not paid, MPEG-LA may not grant the manufacturing license, according to these reports.

Story filed 19 May 2008

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