A vinyl record pressing plant in Memphis, Tennessee, plans to open its $30 million expanded production facility this week, another sign of vinyl's unexpected comeback in the digital age.
Memphis Record Pressing built a 33,000-square-foot pressing facility at 3015 Brother Blvd. MRP also added new record presses, packaging equipment and an industrial-scale printer to produce 125,000 vinyl records per day. The company is also renovating a warehouse at 7625 Appling Center Drive to handle packaging.
Another Tennessee vinyl record manufacturer, United Record Pressing in Nashville, this week unveiled its planned $10.8 million expansion. Both MRP and United are trying to keep up with surging demand for vinyl, which passed CDs in sales for the first time in 35 years, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Revenue from vinyl sales reached $1.2 billion last year.
About 43% of album sales in 2022 in the United States were vinyl, according to Billboard magazine. The twice-yearly Record Store Day, which has become an industry phenomenon since its launch in 2007, is scheduled for April 22.
Musical artists ranging from top global stars such as Taylor Swift and Blackpink to underground cult acts such as Cate Le Bon and Lambchop have released vinyl albums to cater to fans hungry for physical objects instead of digital files. New technologies allow companies including MRP to press colored vinyl records, sometimes with elaborate designs.
MRP opened in 2014 as vinyl was rapidly regaining its lost popularity. It received $2.8 million in tax incentives from the cities of Memphis and Bartlett, Tennessee, for its expansion project.
Nashville may have more name recognition because of its ties to country music, but Memphis has a music history that’s just as significant. B.B. King and Louis Armstrong packed music venues on Beale Street. Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash began their careers in Memphis. The influential rock band Big Star was based in Memphis.
For the Record
The Memphis and Bartlett industrial development boards provided tax incentives to Memphis Record Pressing. The Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh law firm and the Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston firm served as legal counsel.