Sonopress announced a new form of long-playing record, which the company suggests is more environmentally friendly to manufacture.
For more information visit: www.sonopress.de
Translated press release follows:
Sonopress brings the EcoRecord onto the market
A new type of vinyl record with drastically reduced environmental impact
September 29, 2023 — Leading storage media manufacturer Sonopress has developed a revolutionary new form of long-playing record that dramatically reduces the environmental impact of the manufacturing process. The product is being launched in collaboration with long-time Sonopress customer Warner Music.
For the production of the new LP, instead of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), recyclable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is used as the base material, which can also consist of 100% recycled PET. Neither natural gas nor steam is required to press the discs, and in test operation the energy savings were up to 85% compared to the conventional process.
After a series of tests last year, Sonopress is today putting the first production line for the innovative LPs called EcoRecord into operation at its factory in Gütersloh (Germany).
Sven Deutschmann, Managing Director of Sonopress, explains: “The test series were so encouraging that we gave the green light for comprehensive investments in the construction of a pilot line in the twelve-inch LP format. Life cycle analyzes from external laboratories have shown that we are with our “New processes can significantly reduce emissions of climate-damaging CO2.”
“We have used the last few weeks to check every production detail hundreds of times, to comprehensively refine all production parameters and to optimize the quality of the manufactured products so that we now want to move on to regular production operations with full conviction,” explains the manager.
“Since the beginning of development, we have set out with the aim that the quality of the EcoRecord should correspond to that of a conventionally produced vinyl LP in terms of sound quality. It should not only convince the experts, but above all offer music lovers an excellent feel and a great listening experience.”
Salvatore Monteleone, Executive Vice President of Global Operations at Warner Music, added: “We are pleased to partner closely with Sonopress to develop this sustainable vinyl format. It is one of several innovative green initiatives we are developing with partners to reduce our industry’s environmental impact. Our goal with this project is to offer fans the high-quality sound of vinyl while minimizing carbon emissions during production and eliminating the use of PVC.”
EcoRecord-LP is produced on a new injection molding machine with a contact pressure of up to 300 tons. Together with other necessary special tools and additional equipment, which were also completely developed by Sonopress, the production line was completed in just a few months. It uses the same injection molding process that has been used for decades to produce LaserDiscs, CDs, DVDs and other digital storage media.
The development of EcoRecord shows once again that Sonopress is one of the most innovative providers in the replication industry. The company’s experts, who also developed the replication technology for the high-resolution 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in Gütersloh, have spent the last two years working intensively on new production methods for records and the use of alternative materials.
The launch of EcoRecord comes at a time when the global vinyl market continues to grow. According to IFPI, sales rose 17.1% in 2022, the third consecutive year of double-digit growth.