Australia's first vinyl factory in 30 years will open next year

Thanks to new production technology and the support of big companies like Sony, vinyl is hot these days. Trent Reznor is releasing his Quake score for LP, the Contra soundtrack is available as a record at Comic-Con this year, and Blu-ray versions of Deadpool and Logan come with their own vinyl counterparts. Now there's a new pressing plant set to open in Melbourne, making it the first modern record press in Australia in 30 years.

Program Records plans to open in early 2018 with "state of the art WarmTone presses made by Viryltech in Toronto, along with a new plating / stamper making system and experienced mastering and lacquer cutting." Basically, that's all the latest pressing technology to make vinyl records faster and more accurately than before. According to Mixdown, the Australian plant will start with 12-inch releases in both 140gm and 180gm weights, with plans to produce 7- and 10-inch discs later in 2018.