Independent vinyl plant, Press On Vinyl, celebrates its millionth production
As sales of vinyl records continue to steadily rise in the UK, one independent producer is celebrating a major milestone. Press On Vinyl in Teesside has officially produced its millionth record, marking a huge achievement after only two years of business.
In 2022, UK vinyl record sales grew for the 15th consecutive year with sales rising to the highest level since 1990. Since then, the growth has continued to rise. In 2023, 5.9 million units were sold across the UK, beating the previous year’s total by 400,000. With an 11.7 per cent increase in sales, interest in physical formats continues to hit a new peak each year.
However, an issue that has plagued artists is major delays. It especially affects new or emerging acts, as major recording artists end up dominating production plants with huge orders and plenty of cash flow to be able to jump the queue. Causing delays or halts in production for smaller artists, it’s led to people having to push back their release date.
Thankfully, this is where Press On Vinyl comes into the picture. Based in Middlesbrough, the vinyl plant is an independent operation dedicated to supporting the scene as they prioritise indie and DIY productions.
They opened their doors and produced their first record only two years ago in 2022. Within a year, they were doubling their capacity, with a team of over 20 full-time employees working around the clock to fulfil their orders. Now, they’re celebrating their millionth disc as a major achievement and a win for physical media as a whole.
“It’s been a wild few years since we first set out to create Press On and we’ve learnt a huge amount about every aspect of our business since then,” Press On’s co-founder David Todd said. “Pressing one million records feels like an incredible achievement and I’m so proud of everybody at the plant for pulling together and making this possible.”
In the last two years, they’ve worked with a huge array of emerging acts such as Nell Mescal, Amelia Coburn, Melanie Baker, Opus Kink, The Howl and the Hum and more. As operations continue to expand and the plant becomes a vital and thriving part of the UK’s physical format landscape, that list is set to grow exponentially.
“One million is just the start and it’s so exciting to think about all the wonderful records we’ll be able to press in the next two years,” Todd added, alluding to major plans in the pipeline.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.