The interest in LPs is so great that even the largest vinyl pressing plant in the world, in Haarlem, can barely keep up with the demand. As a result, artists sometimes have to wait months for their album. With the purchase of new, modern vinyl presses, production will soon be increased from 11 million records to 15 million per year.
That number is nothing compared to the heyday of the LPs in the eighties, when 50 million records were pressed in Haarlem a year.
The highlight was Michael Jackson’s album Thriller, of which 30,000 rolled off the band daily. Since the advent of the CD, no new vinyl presses have ever been made, so there are machines in Haarlem that are decades old, which require a lot of maintenance. With the arrival of the new, modern presses, an additional 4 million plates can be pressed annually.
Missed opportunity
Commercial manager Anouk Rijnders of Record Industry hopes that artists will soon no longer have to wait months for their new album. “Many artists like to sell their product when they are on tour, because that is also income. A tour is often linked to the promotion of your album, so if there is not that, it is really a missed opportunity,” according to Rijnders.
Due to the expansion of the company in Haarlem, there is a great need for extra staff. Especially to quality controllers and the packaging department.