Sonopress Produces the World’s First EcoRecord

Photo Credit: Sonopress / WMG

Sonopress produced the world’s first EcoRecord for Warner Music Group for an exclusive release of Liam Gallagher and John Squire’s new joint album.Storage media producer Sonopress has produced and delivered the first EcoRecord order for Warner Music Group (WMG) — sustainable LPs in orange manufactured for an exclusive release of the eponymous joint album from Liam Gallagher and John Squire. The EcoRecord is available now through Amazon worldwide, and as JB Hi-Fi in Australia.

The EcoRecord is a new long-playing record that uses recyclable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) rather than polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as its base material. The production process involves no natural gas or steam, meaning the environmental impact of the manufacturing process is reduced by up to 85% compared to conventional vinyl.“We’re delighted that rock legends Liam Gallagher and John Squire have chosen to release an edition of their first joint album as an environmentally friendly EcoRecord.”

“We’ve used the past few weeks to meticulously check every production detail, refine all production parameters, and optimize the quality of the finished product, so we could go into regular production at the beginning of the year with complete confidence,” says Sven Deutschmann, Managing Director of Sonopress. “It’s great to be able to finally talk about the project after many months of hard work; the team at Sonopress have smashed it.”

“We’re proud to launch this stunning sounding, vibrant EcoRecord alongside Warner Records, Liam and John, and Sonopress,” adds Miriam Lessar, VP of Global Release Management at Warner Music International. “We’re huge advocates of sustainability at Warner Music Group — it’s vitally important for its artists and employees, and we hope to continue to lead by example in the industry. This is just the beginning of our journey, with exciting innovations to come as we advance more climate conscious products aligned with our climate goals.”

The first EcoRecords were produced on a new injection molding machine with nozzle contact pressure of up to 300 tons. The production line was completed at the end of last year, along with other required special tools and additional equipment, also developed entirely by Sonopress. It used the same injection molding process that has been used for decades to produce laser discs, CDs, DVDs, and other digital storage media.

The EcoRecord’s launch comes as the global vinyl market continues to experience growth; the IFPI reports revenues rose by over 17% in 2022, the third consecutive year of double-digit growth.