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March 1st, 2006

MAXELL GEARS UP FOR DLTtape®S4 COMPUTER TAPE LAUNCH JUNE 2006

FAIR LAWN, NJ (May 1, 2006) – Maxell Corporation of America, the technology and marketing leader in advanced data storage media, announced today that the company will begin offering branded DLTtape S4 media product in June 2006. Maxell jointly developed the media with Quantum to support the data recording requirements of Quantum's DLT-S4 tape drives, making Maxell the world's first qualified manufacturer and supplier of DLTtape S4 media with the broadest line of DLT® tape media offerings. The DLTtape S4 media product offers customers increased reliability, industry-leading capacity and high performance. Building on the success of previous Super DLTtape® media, the DLTtape S4 media product is specifically designed for managing ever-increasing and complex data storage environments.

The Maxell DLTtape S4 delivers twice the capacity of the nearest alternative offering and optimizes the performance of the Quantum DLT-S4 tape drive with a native capacity of 800GB (1.6TB with compression) and a native transfer rate of 60MB/s (120MB/s with compression). Maxell's DLTtape S4 leverages Quantum's DLTSage™ WORM (write-once, read-many) for meeting legal & regulatory compliance, and DLTSage Tape Security features for preventing unauthorized access to data. The DLT-S4 will be available from resellers and distributors throughout North and South America.
br>"Maxell continues to be a leading innovator in the storage media industry due to our investment in research and development which produces the best data storage technology available for critical business data," said Steven Pofcher, Senior Marketing Manager, Maxell Corporation of America. "As a technology leader, we continue to lead the industry by being the world's first qualified DLTtape S4 media manufacturer and supplier, and offering a branded DLTtape S4 with NeoSMART technology that delivers unparalleled value, performance and capacity."

"Maxell's DLTtape S4 media is based on the company's technology platform known as Neo Super Maximum capacity Advanced Reliability Tape (NeoSMART™). NeoSMART is a convergence of advanced tape and manufacturing technologies that support higher reliability recording and data recovery at the extreme track and bit densities demanded by DLT-S4 technology drives and beyond. The improved magnetic particles, new coating and dispersion technologies of the NeoSMART platform are designed to support future tape cartridge capacities of one Terabyte and beyond. A key component of NeoSMART is Maxell's Nano Composite Advanced Particles (NanoCAP) technology that combines an innovative particle structure with state-of-the-art magnetic performance. This technology produces a breakthrough magnetic particle that will drive future development of tape drives and media products with native capacities of 10 Terabytes.

"With the continued exponential growth of data, the new Maxell DLTtape S4 media is poised to successfully help customers meet their most critical data protection needs," said Phil Ritti, Vice President and General Manager, Quantum media business unit. "Through a valuable and long-lasting relationship, Quantum and Maxell continue to deliver leading performance and value to customers."

The new Maxell DLTtape S4 incorporates a series of advancements, including:

• Unique Ceramic Armor and High-Coercivity Metal Particle Technologies: A core component that provides superior remanence for long-term magnetic stability during archival applications for an archival life of more than 30 years. The new, high output, metal particle enables high recording densities with improved magnetic energy performance and a higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
• High-Performance Dual Binder System: Specialized binders create an extremely strong metal particle chemical welding resulting in superior durability and excellent data life stability during long-term storage.
• Advanced Calendering Technology: An ultra smooth and thin, sub-micron magnetic layer that creates extremely high output and enhanced stability for superior signal reading and writing.
• New PET Base Film: A smooth, high-rigid tape that provides strength, improves SNR and delivers increased durability.
• Precision Optical Servo Tracking: The advanced optical servo tracking on the back of the tape saves the magnetic surface for data, increasing the number of recording tracks and overall capacity.
• New High-Performance Cartridge: The heavy-duty cartridge is tested at 5,000 load / unload / calibrates cycles and provides greater strength and improved tape running stability. The easily identifiable black cartridge is perfect for large-scale media management.

About Maxell
Maxell Corporation of America, a Hitachi-Maxell, Ltd. Company, is a leading full-line manufacturer of professional digital and analog audio and video media; computer data storage media; media products for consumer audio, video and camcorder applications; and batteries. Maxell also markets a full line of care and maintenance accessories and headphones.

For more information, please visit the Maxell Web site at www.maxell.com.

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