Oregon Gets a Pressing Plant

A reader alerted me to a story by Portland Mercury music editor Ned Lannamann about a new pressing plant recently opened in Milwaukie, Oregon, a short drive from downtown Portland.

The new plant, Cascade Record Pressing, is Oregon's first pressing plant ever, though it has roots in Canada and New Jersey.

The pressing plant is a start-up of Mark Rainey of TKO Records and Steve Lanning (a local CPA). It's always good to have a CPA around when you're building a pressing plant business, right Chad?

Cascade acquired six Hamilton automatic presses from Rip-V, a now closed Canadian pressing plant. Rip-V got the presses from New Jersey-based Hub Servall, which closed in 2004—and not because of a shortage of business. One of the partners, the technician in the plant, decided to retire. Not sure why Rip-V wasn't able to take advantage of the vinyl revival and obvious shortage of presses and press-time wait, but Canada's loss is Oregon's gain!

The company will specialize in 150 to 180g records, which are not the easiest records to press. Next trip to the Northwest guess where I'm heading for a visit?

In other pressing plant news, another new/old start-up will launch soon in Burlington, Vermont. Burlington Record Plant is a start-up of musician Justin Crowther, who found in Germany two Lened manual presses, which once up and running he hopes will turn out daily 700 records.

There's also a rumor of a new pressing plant opening soon in New Jersey. Would be nice if it was located in Rockaway, where RCA had its east coast operation but anywhere in NJ is fine with me.

COMMENTS
teachscience's picture

What I (we) don't need is a plant that presses crappy records. Hopefully this isn't some get in, get rich quick idea to take advantage of the current market conditions. Though you'd have to be really brave, or dumb, to do so.

Michael Fremer's picture
I don't see it as that at all. They are going to press 150-180g.
2_channel_ears's picture

Glad to see this story got picked up. The local PBS station had a short piece on it and plan to do an extended followup, que up at 1:16:
http://www.opb.org/radio/programs/stateofwonder/segment/state-of-wonder-...

Some must see stores here, but there more, many more:
http://www.musicmillennium.com/
http://www.xro.com/
http://www.2ndavenuerecords.com/

Music Millenium (sadly) closed their Classical room a few years ago but doubled down on the vinyl, which takes up about a third of the store. Crossroads is sort of funky, who knows what you'll find their. And 2nd Ave. down by the waterfront is Portland, all Portland.

Tom Miars's picture

Crossroads Records is unique in that it houses merchandise from about 30 dealers, each with their own definition of genre and quality. It's like a record show that never ends.

swansong123's picture

I went to High School in Milwaukie back in the seventies. More power to em'. I also used to work at Music Millennium back in the eighties, what a great store. Terry Currier runs a great indie store that is world class.

vqworks's picture

Michael,

Do you plan to review any pressings?

One of the things I hope they can consistently do is press records that are centered. Off-centered records, including many 180-gram re-issues from mainstream commercial labels, are far too common. The eccentric wow usually ruins the listening experience for me.

2_channel_ears's picture
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