In 2023, vinyl records offered an example of what happens when rising demand meets constrained production. Material shortages and pressure on pressing plants contributed to manufacturing delays of 9 to 12 months, leaving some artists releasing music without physical editions available to accompany it.
Three years later, there are signs of progress. Manufacturers are offering shorter turnaround options, while investment is addressing specialist production stages and alternative materials. These developments suggest that the conversation should move beyond pandemic-era shortages towards a broader question: how can the industry build a supply chain that is responsive, commercially sustainable and resilient?
Like most things today, the operating environment can and does change, and sometimes changes very fast. Vinyl remains a useful case study for risk managers. The objective is not simply to manufacture more records to meet rising demand: it is to produce the right quantity, protect the quality of the product, and coordinate delivery as optimally as possible.
Strong demand
The latest market figures demonstrate continued demand for the format. The Recording Industry Association of America reported sales of 26.5 million US vinyl units in the first half of 2026, up 20.9% year on year. In the UK, figures published by the BPI in March showed that vinyl revenue reached £174.7 million during 2025, an increase of 19.9%. These measures cover different markets and periods, but both indicate continuing growth. For individual labels and artists, market growth should not be treated as proof of demand for every release. The decision to manufacture a record still requires a judgement about likely sales, timing and the audience for each edition, just like any other consumer good. Pre-orders, retailer commitments and previous release performance should inform the decision on production volumes. Smaller initial batches may help limit exposure and therefore manage the risk where demand is uncertain, but should also be assessed against unit costs and the lead time required to replenish stock. Achieving an appropriate balance will differ between a major release with established orders and an independent artist testing demand.
It is often the case that in managing risk, we might create new risks and therefore need to be aware that, in mitigating one risk, we are creating another: in this case, moving from insufficient stock to unsold inventory. Production flexibility is most valuable when it supports better decisions about quantities, rather than simply making larger orders easier to place.
Beyond the pressing
Investment in vinyl production is extending beyond the final pressing stage. In April 2026, GZ Media reported that its group had produced close to 75 million records worldwide during 2025. It also said it was completing a galvanic operation in Memphis to manufacture the metal pressing tools previously imported from its Czech operation. The announcement described work in progress, rather than confirming that the new operation had entered service.
For risk managers, this example highlights the importance of examining where specialist inputs originate. A locally pressed record should not automatically be assumed to have a fully local supply chain; the challenges associated with having enough raw materials and inputs in the right place and at the right time don’t simply disappear. Procurement teams should establish which production stages are performed at the contracted site, and those which are dependent on other facilities.
Supplier relationships also deserve closer scrutiny. GZ North America, for example, brings together multiple pressing businesses, including Precision Record Pressing and Memphis Record Pressing. Different trading names and locations should therefore not be mistaken for entirely independent supplier networks. That does not make a shared network inherently less resilient. Having a back-up plan and ensuring continuity in the supply chain remains a priority for risk managers. Contingency planning should establish whether an alternative plant can accept the work, obtain the necessary tools, and meet the required specification within the available time, along with ongoing monitoring and oversight to provide the levels of assurance needed to retain risk within acceptable limits.
A lesson in resilience
Vinyl’s supply chain offers a lesson that extends well beyond the music industry: improving one stage of production does not remove the need to manage the whole system. For labels, artists and distributors, a stronger approach would connect demand forecasts with manufacturing commitments, release schedules and contingency plans. Supplier reviews should examine specialist dependencies as well as headline capacity. Performance monitoring should consider approval delays, quality exceptions, delivery reliability and unsold inventory together. Scenario planning can make those arrangements more practical. What happens when test copies require revision? How will a release proceed when packaging is late? Can another supplier take over without restarting critical production stages? Who decides whether to delay a launch, change the specification, or reduce the initial quantity?
Answering those questions before a disruption occurs is more useful than relying on a reassuring turnaround estimate. The measure of success is not simply whether a factory can press more records. It is whether the right records reach the right audience, at the right time, with quality, cost and environmental impact understood.
Written by Andrew Demetriou, IRM Content Manager and ER Lead. Edited and reviewed by Grant Griffiths, IRM Energy Group.
The following sources are referenced in this article.
- Institute of Risk Management How have supply chain delays affected household goods across the globe?
- Precision Record Pressing Vinyl Pressing Without Limits.
- CONECTIV and Sonopress CONECTIV and SONOPRESS Sign Strategic Agreement to Expand Sustainable EcoRecord Manufacturing in North America.
- Recording Industry Association of America 2026 Mid-Year Recorded Music Revenue Report — PDF.
- BPI New generation of British artists helped UK recorded music market in 2025 surpass £1.5 billion in annual revenue for the first time.
- GZ Media GZ Media Expands Its Presence in the United States and Targets New Markets. A Major Innovation to Be Unveiled Soon.
- GZ North America GZ North America — About GZNA.
