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Pressing plants are expensive to build. I don't think there are any companies left who make new high volume vinyl presses any more, which leaves only a limited supply of already highly sought after old presses around, which are also probably expensive to recommission given there are few specialists left.
Prole.-
Oh, absolutely. All that is quite clear. It's not easy to build good machines, and there is a reason why these old ones have been in service for so long. I suppose what I'm wondering about is a way back in, some area where one might start in re-increasing capacity. Perhaps older machines can be reconditioned and the resulting profits be re-invested in creating new ones. The few plants that are still around must be reasonably profitable and be able to train new staff, perhaps introducing night shifts to keep the presses running 24/7 to cope with demand? Just brainstorming, I don't really want to wish night shifts on anyone, and perhaps they're already doing them. Hopefully, it wouldn't make the old presses break sooner. :) There may well be much better ways forward.
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Prole. in reply to @Oliver Schick
Pressing plants are expensive to build. I don't think there are any companies left who make new high volume vinyl presses any more, which leaves only a limited supply of already highly sought after old presses around, which are also probably expensive to recommission given there are few specialists left.It's shit the big companies that deserted vinyl are now muscling in on the few pressing plants and causing huge backlogs for the smaller/indie labels that have kept the plants alive.
RSD doesn't help matters at all....speckled spice girls vinyl anyone?
Oliver Schick
MultiGrooves
Here's another view.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/dec/07/vinyl-sales-tesco-lps-labels
The author seems to assume that more demand will not generate more new pressing plants, but surely it can be expected that these will increase in number again? Why wouldn't they?