News

Nashville's United Record Pressing Expanding With Sixteen New Presses

Michael Fremer  |  May 8, 2014

On Wednesday, May 7th, Nashville's United Record Pressing announced a major plant expansion with the planned addition of 16 additional presses. To meet demand the company currently operated 24/6 snd has been doing so for the past two years.

The plant currently can press 30-40,000 records daily with 22 presses running. The 16 new presses will just about double capacity. URP purchased new buildings to house the facility and will have to install new infrastructure (boilers, etc.) to support the presses.

Some of the "new" presses were already at URP but not being used (URP bought the presses at the old UNI Gloversville, NY plant that Universal foolishly closed a decade ago even though the plant was in the black (literally and financially).

According to Jay Millar, director of Marketing (who never returns my emails), the 16 new presses are made by Lened. I have never heard of this brand and a web search turned up nothing. So further research is required.

In any case, for those doubting the reality of the "vinyl resurgence" this news should quell any such doubts.

COMMENTS
torturegarden's picture
Submitted by torturegarden on Thu, 2014-05-08 09:01

Perhaps with this expansion they will hire some quality assurance people. One can only hope.

missouricatman's picture
Submitted by missouricatman on Thu, 2014-05-08 12:39

http://www.alphavinylrecordpressinginc.com/index.php/album-manufacturing...

http://www.vinylives.com/recordpresses.html

Michael Fremer's picture
Submitted by Michael Fremer on Thu, 2014-05-08 14:16
Of that I had no doubt!
Jim Tavegia's picture
Submitted by Jim Tavegia on Thu, 2014-05-08 14:10

The ones and zeros take another hit.

Jim Tavegia's picture
Submitted by Jim Tavegia on Thu, 2014-05-08 14:13

I would bet that there would be a number of us in and around Atlanta that would be up for that on a Saturday if it could be worked out.

labjr's picture
Submitted by labjr on Thu, 2014-05-08 15:39

I appears Lened was a U.S. company which made hydraulic presses right in your back yard.

https://flic.kr/p/e5mzZj

Jim Tavegia's picture
Submitted by Jim Tavegia on Fri, 2014-05-09 11:28

I look at those photos and think....Cleanroom....forgeedavoudit! Clicks and pops seem well earned in what looks to be the likes of a "widget factory". It is amazing lps sound as good as they do.

Michael Fremer's picture
Submitted by Michael Fremer on Fri, 2014-05-09 14:37
Chad's is the cleanest I've seen because the air is filtered but even there, this is not a clean process, which is why even new records are best cleaned before first play.
Cassius's picture
Submitted by Cassius on Sat, 2014-05-10 22:22

I am sure that United will continue to have all the business it can handle. Unless a company markets quality as a selling point, why would you pay more to make a record when the majority of new vinyl consumers can't discern the difference?

Jim Tavegia's picture
Submitted by Jim Tavegia on Sun, 2014-05-11 04:24

From their website:

Tours of United Record Pressing are available for $10 per person on Fridays at 11am. We do NOT accept cash. Due to limited space in our lobby, we ask that you not arrive more than 15 minutes before your tour’s start time. Other times can be scheduled for large groups by emailing united@urpressing.com or calling 866.407.3165. Tour space is limited and is first come first served. Groups of 10 or more must be pre-scheduled as they require extra planning for us to accommodate.

islandman's picture
Submitted by islandman on Wed, 2014-05-14 16:10

Thanks for posting this Jim! Me, my daughter, and a number of our friends are into vinyl. Nashville is only 55mi away. After reading your post, we are all excited to plan a tour at United as soon as school is out.

Also, I think it would be prudent for United, and other vinyl pressing companies to offer "educational" field trips for school age kids. This for the vinyl industry would be analogous to a farmer planting seeds.

Jim Tavegia's picture
Submitted by Jim Tavegia on Sun, 2014-05-11 04:42

http://www.453music.com/upstairs.php/upstairs.php

labjr's picture
Submitted by labjr on Sun, 2014-05-11 06:52

Do we get an Analog Planet discount?

Jim Tavegia's picture
Submitted by Jim Tavegia on Sun, 2014-05-11 09:45

I am heading up early on a Friday and take the tour. Maybe on May 30th.

Jim Tavegia's picture
Submitted by Jim Tavegia on Tue, 2014-05-13 08:28

Looks like May 30. Can't wait. My post teaching school present to myself.

mobileholmes's picture
Submitted by mobileholmes on Wed, 2014-05-14 15:55

Holy shit! As in thousands? That's crazy! 24/7, right? I always liked their product, though you couldn't strictly call it "audiophile". Now I respect them for their work ethic. Anyone that can crank out 40,000 of anything, in a day, is on full-tilt-boogie. The rebirth of American manufacturing!

dobyblue's picture
Submitted by dobyblue on Thu, 2014-05-15 11:04

Absolutely no offense meant to Michael, but were this my article I would have written "The plant currently can press off center 30-40,000 records daily with 22 presses running"

lol

BillK's picture
Submitted by BillK on Sun, 2014-06-22 12:19

In the same vein as above, "The 16 new presses will just about double capacity" - so they can flood the market with twice as many noisy, scratchy releases and hasten the retreat back to digital as people are reminded of why they abandoned vinyl in the first place.

X