After months of preparation, Sonopress, a leading storage media producer, has produced and delivered the first EcoRecord order for its client Warner Music Group (WMG). It has manufactured sustainable LPs in orange for an exclusive release of the eponymous joint album from two of rock’s greatest icons, Liam Gallagher & John Squire. The new album is out now, released by WMG’s Warner Records label. The EcoRecord is available exclusively at Amazon worldwide as well as JB Hi-Fi in Australia.
The EcoRecord is a revolutionary new form of long-playing record that uses recyclable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) instead of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as base material. No natural gas or steam is used in the production process, meaning that the environmental impact of the manufacturing process is reduced by up to 85% compared to the conventional method.
Sven Deutschmann, Managing Director of Sonopress, is very glad with the successful launch: “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. 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.”
Miriam Lessar, VP, Global Release Management, Warner Music International, adds: “We’re proud to launch this stunning sounding, vibrant EcoRecord alongside Warner Records, Liam and John, and Sonopress. 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 world’s first EcoRecords were produced on a new injection molding machine with nozzle contact pressures 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, which were 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 at a time when the global vinyl market continues to grow. According to the IFPI, revenues rose by 17.1% in 2022, the third consecutive year of double-digit growth.
