New vinyl pressing plant in Detroit launches with Derrick May and Carl Craig releases

Third Man Records’ pressing plant opened over the weekend (25th February) with an opening party selling releases by Derrick May and Carl Craig.

The new operation was founded by Jack White (of The White Stripes) and is the first new vinyl pressing plant in Detroit since Archer Record Pressing opened in 1965.

The 10,000 square-foot Third Man Records factory will be taking outside orders, is able to press up to 15,000 records a day and has 16 full-time members of staff recruited from the Detroit scene.

Despite Third Man being primarily a rock-focused label, the inclusion of releases from Derrick May and Carl Craig as part of the pressing plant’s opening signals that the team are keen to work with electronic musicians.

Ben Blackwell, who oversees Third Man Records operationally, told Detroit Free Press the pressing plant aims to help artists avoid the long delays created by the recent vinyl resurgence.

“We’re not trying to take anyone’s business” he added. “We’re just trying to make sure artists have multiple options.”

Vinyl is set to become a billion-dollar industry for the first time since the ‘80s this year, according to new research by Deloitte.

Bob Marley's vinyl factory Tuff Gong is also set to start pressing wax again thanks to a new investment from American company, Sunpress Vinyl.

Watch the teaser video for Third Man Records’ new vinyl pressing plant below.

Rob McCallum is DJ Mag’s deputy digital editor. Follow him on Twitter here.