Technicolor SA (2010-2022), formerly Thomson SARL (1893–1914) and Thomson Multimedia (1910–2010), is a multi-faceted manufacturing, communication, media and entertainment industries company, which has owned and operated optical disc manufacturing in various countries. In 2010, it re-branded its entire businesses after its American subsidiary (Technicolor Film) to become Technicolor.
Renamed Vantiva in September 2022, after filing for bankruptcy in 2020 and restructuring its activities. (See Vantiva, Piaseczno, Poland.)
Technicolor Video Services, a video cassette manufacturer active since at least 1981, moved its manufacturing operations to Camarillo, CA, USA in October 1993. CD and CD-ROM manufacturing equipment was added to this facility under the company Technicolor Optical Media Services the next year, having its official start in April of 1994.
In 1998, Nimbus CD International Inc. (Nimbus), which ran manufacturing plants in Wales, Luxembourg, and the USA (Ruckersville, VA and Provo, UT), was taken over by Carlton Communications PLC, then-parent company of Technicolor. Please note that Nimbus branding continued to be used in the matrix of discs manufactured at these plants until around 2001, at which time the Technicolor name replaced Nimbus. For discs manufactured between 1998 and 2001, Technicolor should not be credited when the Nimbus name or logo is present, unless Technicolor is also present in the matrix.
In 1999, the disc manufacturing plant in Provo, UT, USA inherited from Nimbus was closed. Technicolor also ran packaging and distribution warehouses in Memphis, TN and in Michigan around this time.
In 2002, Technicolor purchased Panasonic Disc Services Corp. (PDSC) from Japanese parent company Matsushita Electric Ind. Co., Ltd. PDSC interests included Matsushita Universal Media Services, an optical disc manufacturing plant located in Pinckneyville, IL, USA, which was renamed Technicolor Universal Media Services, as well as Matsushita Manufacturing LLC of America, a former joint venture with Eastman Kodak Co. which included manufacturing plants in Guadalajara, Mexico and Youghal, Cork, Ireland.
In the same year, a facility was purchased in Piaseczno, Poland, and was converted to a DVD manufacturing plant that began production in or after September 2002. Then in 2003, Technicolor announced the acquisition and opening of a second DVD manufacturing plant, also in Piaseczno.
It was announced in late 2002 that Technicolor's former Nimbus CD/DVD manufacturing plant Ruckersville, VA, USA would be closed by June 2003, with an intention to centralise North American manufacturing operations in Guadalajara, Mexico. In early 2003 the further closure of the manufacturing plant in Youghal, Ireland was announced; operations and equipment were to be transferred to Cwmbran, Wales, and Piaseczno.
In 2007, Technicolor announced the closure of the former Nimbus plants in Wales and Luxembourg, and the Pinckneyville plant. CD and DVD replication for Europe was to continue at Technicolor's facility in Piaseczno, Poland. At the same time, manufacturing at the plant in Camarillo, CA began to wind down as Technicolor intended to centralise North American manufacturing operations at the plant in Guadalajara, Mexico.
In November 2015, Technicolor announced that they had purchased the optical disc manufacturing and distribution assets of Cinram Group, Inc. (Cinram). This included a manufacturing plant in Olyphant, PA (Cinram, Olyphant, PA), which Technicolor closed on May 1, 2018, and a plant in Huntsville, AL (sold off in 2021 to a commercial real estate firm).
Matrix numbers
The following letter/number strings can be found in matrix of discs manufactured by Technicolor, and may be entered in LCCN:
• xxxxxx, in the matrix pattern Cx.x xxxxxx-nn [release ID] Technicolor
This pattern is found in the matrix of discs mastered at Technicolor's Camarillo plant from 1994, accompanied by mastering SID code IFPI L89*. Please credit Technicolor, Camarillo, CA as instructed on that profile in such cases.
• xxxx, Axxxx, Bxxxx, Cxxxx, Dxxxx, Exxxx, Mxxxx, Xxxxx
• LUxxxxxx
Enter in LCCN as: Glass Mastered At – Technicolor – Cxxxx/Dxxxx/Exxxx/LUxxxxxx
These schemes were inherited from Nimbus. The LUxxxxxx numbering scheme fell out of use in 2006, shortly before the plants in Wales and Luxembourg were closed.
After rebranding, Technicolor repressed many CDs originally manufactured by Nimbus, using the original matrix number in the new glass master. For example:
Martin Orford - Classical Music And Popular Songs
Matrix / Runout: D8225 GEPCD 1026 . 1:1 [Nimbus logo]
Martin Orford - Classical Music And Popular Songs
Matrix / Runout: D8225 GEPCD 1026 02 Technicolor
In these cases, the CD showing Nimbus is the earlier pressing, while the one showing Technicolor is a repress manufactured sometime after the rebranding. The matrix number may be assigned to both Nimbus and Technicolor on each respective release page.
· 720xxxx - used in 2007
· CAPxxxxx - used from 2008-present
· DVxxxxxx / DVPxxxxx / DTPxxxxx - used for DVDs (if the string appears twice followed by L1 and L0 layer indicators then both full strings including L1 and L0 should be entered)
· BVPxxxxx - used for Blu-rays
Mastering SID codes:
· IFPI L12* - inherited from Nimbus
· IFPI LJ71, LJ72, LJ73, LJ74 - likely located at the Welsh plant
· IFPI LR76, LR77, LR78, LR79, LR80 - used in the Polish plant(s); later used by Vantiva, Piaseczno, Poland
· IFPI L805, LY01, LZ13, LZ14 - used for Blu-Rays in the Polish plant(s); later used by Vantiva, Piaseczno, Poland
Mould SID codes:
· IFPI 23** - inherited from Nimbus
· IFPI 7Q** - inherited from Nimbus
· IFPI UG** - used in the Polish plant(s); later used by Vantiva, Piaseczno, Poland
When credited as an artist, please use Technicolor (2).
