Hellbender Vinyl

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Hellbender Vinyl is a vinyl record manufacturing company located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Opened in 2023, it is notable as the only record pressing plant currently operating in Western Pennsylvania[1][2] and, due to its acquisition of Softwax Record Pressing in Philadelphia, is now the largest record manufacturer in Pennsylvania.[3]

Company history

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Hellbender Vinyl was founded by Misra Records manager Jeff Betten and Paperhaus band member Matt Dowling. Betten cited the vinyl revival of the 2010s as the reason that the two men felt Hellbender Vinyl would be a necessary addition to the music industry.[4]

The company is located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh.[5] To date, Hellbender Vinyl has pressed records for clients such as Victoria Monét, Urban Outfitters, DFTBA Records, MCG Jazz, Get Hip Records, Guster, Wheatus, Donora, Camping in Alaska, Dizzy Reed, Raymond Watts, Zao, Sparta, Beauty Pill, Ollabelle, Cello Fury, The Juliana Theory, Caroline Rose, and more.[6][7]

Innovations, notable projects

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In May 2025, Hellbender Vinyl made news when it was announced that the company had pressed a 7-inch record for The Ataris containing the ashes of singer Kristopher Roe's father, William.[8][9][10]

Hellbender Vinyl participated in the Super Bowl LIX ad campaign by Mountain Dew Baja Blast, in which it pressed 7-inch records of the song "Kiss from a Lime" by Seal featured in the commercial.[7][11]

Technology

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Hellbender Vinyl uses several LiteTone and WarmTone vinyl presses engineered by Canada's Viryl Technologies[12] as well as a Hamilton M-231 and a SMT Model 1500.[13]

Before the introduction of the WarmTone, all current record pressing facilities used machines exclusively resurfaced from the 20th century. The WarmTone press averages three records per minute with a smaller percentage for error.[14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "How is a vinyl record made? We visited Pittsburgh's Hellbender Vinyl to find out!". 91.3 WYEP. 2024-09-20. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  2. ^ "Pressing Vinyl in Pittsburgh: How Hellbender Vinyl is Bringing Records to Life". Other Record Labels. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  3. ^ "At Hellbender's pressing plant in Lawrenceville, 'vinyl makes an album real'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  4. ^ "Inside Hellbender Vinyl's Mission to Support Independent Artists". Digs. 2025-04-01. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  5. ^ Bailey, Pony. "Lawrenceville's Hellbender Vinyl is filling a music-industry need while building community". Pittsburgh City Paper. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  6. ^ Hundley, Dylan (2025-03-21). "TVD Radar: The Podcast with Dylan Hundley, Episode 175: Hellbender Vinyl". The Vinyl District. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  7. ^ a b King, Ashley (2025-02-20). "Pittsburgh Has A New Vinyl Pressing Plant—Hellbender Vinyl". Digital Music News. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  8. ^ saxelrod@siadvance.com, Scott R. Axelrod | (2025-05-07). "Punk band returns with vinyl record infused with ashes of frontman's father". silive. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  9. ^ Alper, Eric (2025-05-05). "The Ataris Release "Car Song" and Reimagined "In This Diary" Ahead Of First Album Since 2007". That Eric Alper. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  10. ^ Herbert, Geoff (2025-05-06). "Pop-punk band returns with semi-illegal tribute, first new album in 18 years". syracuse. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  11. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  12. ^ "Hellbender Vinyl Pressing Plant - Pittsburgh". Buzzsonic. 2024-12-05. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  13. ^ "The Latest Startups in Music Are Banking on Analog Technology". Bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on 2022-03-23. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  14. ^ Ediriwira, Amar (2016-02-08). "New machines developed to speed up vinyl pressing". The Vinyl Factory. Archived from the original on 2025-03-28. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
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