Nashville’s United Record Pressing Celebrates 75 Years

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United Record Pressing

United Record Pressing, America’s oldest vinyl record pressing plant, is celebrating 75 years in business.

Five days a week for the last 75 years, over 120 employees cut, silver, electroplate, press, inspect and package vinyl records to be sent to every corner of the globe, all from their operation on Allied Drive in Nashville.

From Francis Craig Band’s Red Rose / Near You, which spurred the construction of United Record Pressing’s first plant as an offshoot of one of Nashville’s first independent labels, Bullet Records, to the first U.S. 7-inch of The Beatles’ Please Please Me / From Me To You to offering what is now referred to as the “Motown Suite,” an on-site place for Black artists and professionals to stay while pressing their albums during segregation to producing quantities of vinyl for Minor Threat, Kendrick Lamar, Thom Yorke, Taylor Swift, Paramore and David Byrne, United Record Pressing has worked to refine the pressing process.

Over seven decades of experience has translated into modern-day integration, such as exploring how AI-powered technologies can detect plating issues before they affect production or through collaborations with Sibert Instruments to apply optical disc technology to vinyl as well as the plant’s installation of 24 new Pheenix Alpha pressing machines in addition to the restoration of 40 historic Lened and SMT machines. United Record Pressing has also made significant strides in sustainability, becoming the first North American plant to earn a Sony Green Partner Certification in 2023.

Vinyl has seen  17 consecutive years of revenue growth, reaching $1.4 billion in 2023​​, and United Record Pressing has sought to be a significant contributor to this resurgence.

“Our ability to scale up to the size of our major label partners while staying accessible to independent artists and labels is something we take a lot of pride in,” says Cam Sarrett, Director of Sales & Marketing, United Record Pressing. “The market demands on vinyl are at an all time high, but United has kept the doors open through downturns too, operating with as few as 12 employees in the ‘90s. I believe that’s in large part because of creativity from independent artists and labels and the support of their fans.”

Lorie Hollabaugh
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