Canada's Last Vinyl (Record) Plant Could Be Closing

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Canada's Last Vinyl (Record) Plant Could Be Closing

Postby jon » Wed Jan 04, 2017 2:19 pm

Calgary vinyl pressing plant appears to be closing
Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
Published Wednesday, January 4, 2017 3:38PM EST

CALGARY -- It appears one of the only vinyl record pressing plants in Canada has shut down its operations.

Canada Boy Vinyl opened in Calgary in September 2015 expecting to take advantage of a surge in record sales -- a Nielsen music report at the time said sales jumped by 52 per cent in 2014.

Its machines, purchased from a pressing plant in Britain, were capable of processing up to 70,000 records per week.

But things have not gone according to plan for Dean Reid, the founder and chief operating officer of Canada Boy Vinyl.

"This New Year brings bad news. It is with great sadness that I must report that we do not expect CBV to be able to continue operations," said Reid in an automatic email response.

The news follows a Facebook post in early December which announced it was ceasing operations until the new year. The shutdown now appears to be more permanent.

"I know you are all looking for updates and answers and my intention is to give everyone an official report by January 9th and hopefully sooner," Reid wrote in the email.

"I promise you that I will be updating everyone with the information as soon as it comes in to me. I am moving as fast as possible as I know you all have deadlines to meet and records to sell. You are all extremely important to me."

He thanked the public for its patience as Canada Boy Vinyl constructs a "plan that is in everyone's best interest."

Reid spent 20 years in construction, playing bass guitar in his spare time, before he decided to take the plunge into a music industry that has become anything but a safe bet.

He sought out investors to help finance his dream in August 2013 and got in touch with someone in England with some aging record-pressing equipment for sale.

At the time Canada Boy opened for business in 2015, there were only about 40 pressing plants in the world. Canada Boy was believed to be the only pressing plant in Canada after Montreal-based Rip-V ceased operations earlier that year.

In a November 2015 interview with The Canadian Press he said he understood the risks involved.

"I wanted to try and get involved in a career that was way more in line with what I love and am passionate about -- and that is music," Reid said.

"One of the things I was interested in was starting up a record label and I started doing some research into it. I quickly found out it can be one of the arguably worst businesses a guy could ever get into. I'll try and enjoy it while it lasts."
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jon
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Re: Canada's Last Vinyl (Record) Plant Could Be Closing

Postby jon » Wed Jan 04, 2017 2:25 pm

Surprising, given the number of great sales on decent consumer turntables over Christmas.

I picked up the Sony PS-LX300USB for an 89 year old family member whose 30 year old turntable just gave up the ghost. Automatic, with built-in pre-amp, has both RCA jack and USB interfaces, phono cartridge and diamond needle, and is dual speed (33 1/3 and 45 rpm). $119 delivered to my door. Ordered on-line late in the evening on Christmas Day and arrived first thing on Canada Post's first working day after, the 28th.

The family member had expected to pay at least $400 for a replacement, so was more than pleasantly surprised.
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