As the industry continues to feel the strain of long production times and frustrations with quality control, could this be a sign of more things to come?
In a recent major statement, the leading vinyl record subscription service, VMP (Vinyl Me, Please), announced plans to open its own pressing plant in Denver, Colorado.
In the statement, VMP CEO, Cameron Schaefer expressed the company’s continued commitment to the vinyl format and a desire to ensure a high-quality and speedy output in the following quote:
“Quality, control & availability are critical to maintaining and expanding our leadership position in the vinyl industry. With this in mind, we’ve decided to press records in a way that provides an incredible experience for our customers and visitors to our plant.”
The news comes just weeks after Third Man Records owner Jack White called on major labels to build their own pressing plants once again.
Major labels, such as Universal, Sony, and Warner Brothers have a huge amount of material to release compared with independent artists or the likes of VMP.
Huge production lead times of up to nine months, and various quality control issues have long plagued the resurgence of vinyl as production facilities struggle to keep up with the unprecedented consumer demand for new vinyl records.
Given the production bottleneck, it’s perhaps no surprise that the likes of VMP and Third Man Records are taking matters into their own hands by investing in purpose-built new pressing plants.
VMP’s new plant is described as an “audiophile-grade” facility and is scheduled to open for production, tours, and special events by the end of 2022.
As long as bloated production schedules and quality control remain a challenge for the record industry, it stands to reason we should see more companies and labels follow the same path as VMP and Third Man Records.
For the broader industry as a whole, any business willing to open a new pressing facility aids in taking the strain away from the limited amount of pressing plants. This can only be a good thing for the future of vinyl.
Over ten years since record sales began to increase, it’s clear the vinyl revival is not a fad. Vinyl is here to stay.
VMP’s new record plant makes a bold statement about its commitment to the future of vinyl and represents a bold strategic move as they seek to solidify their position as one of the leading record subscription services.
All eyes are now on the major labels and broader industry. Who will be the next to open their own pressing plant?
What do you think about VMP’s recent announcement? Let us know in the comments below.
This is slightly off topic,I would like you all to go to wally tools.com click on wally school and see how stylus assembly manufacturers are attaching stylus to cantilever off center. So when you think you line up the cantilever straight using your protractor the stylus is twisted not straight
That is great news. I would love to see more hi quality reissues of classic albums that at this point are unavailable. There is so much good music out there that you just can’t get anymore. Perhaps this is a sign of better days to come for vinyl lovers. Please keep us posted as to developments. Thanks!
With supply chain, production and logistics issues that may be with us for some years, perhaps this can be a return to more manufacturing in the US; both with music and audio/stereo related products. Who knows, if greater volume could be produced then perhaps prices could come down a bit and make vinyl more financially accessible for younger people too. Schiit audio achieved this with high quality audio and have a built customer loyalty with Musicheads.
I’m all for it…as long as the pressing plants commit to smaller numbers runs and very frequent cleaning of the presses. I ran redord stores fro 1973-1987 and toured several pressing plants during that time. They would do huge runs without cleaning the presses which caused almost all of the returns…pops, clicks excetra. I carried Japanese and German imports, which very rarely had the problems. At todays retail prices customers should demand presses worthy of the prices.
You are absolutely right about dirty albums. Recently I bought a new album and was astounded at the crap that was on it. Totally unacceptable.