GZ Media
| Founded | 1951 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Czech Republic |
| Revenue | 3,836,420,000 Czech koruna (2020) |
| 451,456,000 Czech koruna (2020) | |
| 555,938,000 Czech koruna (2020) | |
| Total assets | 2,971,099,000 Czech koruna (2020) |
Number of employees | 1,147 (2020) |
GZ Media, named for the Czech Gramofonové Závody, which translates to Gramophone Record Factory, employs nearly 2,000 people,[1] and runs its major operations in Loděnice[2] in the Czech Republic.[3][4] GZ Media is known as the world's largest vinyl manufacturer. Since its founding in 1951,[5] it has supplied records across the Eastern Bloc.[6]
Winslow Partners, a U.S. Private Equity Fund, briefly acquired GZ Media in 1998, only to sell it a few years later.[7] Current GZ Media owner and president Zdenek Pelc[8][9] is the longest reigning CEO in the history of the Czech Republic.[10]
Supported by American investments, GZ Media has developed into a modern business enterprise, accounting for approximately 60% of total vinyl records produced globally.[11] According to The Guardian, GZ Media was valued at £76 million ($100 million) in 2016 and was forecast to press just over 25 million records a year.[12] In 2015 it produced about 65,000 records per day.[13]
GZ Media is often criticized for inconsistent and poor vinyl pressing quality, with users reporting high rates of defects like warping, non-fill, scratches, and surface noise, though some experience good pressings, suggesting variability linked to high demand, rushed processes, and older equipment, despite GZ's status as a massive, historically significant plant. Complaints highlight issues with quality control (QC), soft vinyl that blisters, and a perception that GZ presses lower-tier pressings as brands avoid mentioning them in marketing for premium releases, contrasting with better QC at smaller plants.[14][15]
Vinyl record manufacturing companies affiliated with GZ Media
- Precision Record Pressing (Canada)[14]
- Memphis Record Pressing (United States)[14]
- Nashville Record Pressing (United States)[16]
- Pirates Press (United States)
- A to Z Media (United States)[17]
- SNA (France)[14]
References
- ^ Mary Teresa Bitti (14 July 2016). "Can a vinyl comeback sustain two players in the Canadian market?". Financial Post.
- ^ "Putting a Czech Spin on Vinyl" – via www.bloomberg.com.
- ^ "The vinyl comeback - All media content - DW - 09.05.2016". Archived from the original on 2017-08-02. Retrieved 2017-05-26.
- ^ "Back to black: Vinyl discs enjoy renaissance". Financial Times.
- ^ Jana Mlcochova (19 August 2013). "Czech firm hits right tune with vinyl records in fashion". Reuters.
- ^ Lidz-Ama Appiah and Francesca Street (16 September 2016). "The home of vinyl records is... the Czech Republic". CNNMoney.
- ^ "Czechs the spin kingpins in global LP revival". 11 February 2015.
- ^ Lyman, Rick. "Czech Company, Pressing Hits for Years on Vinyl, Finds It Has Become One".
- ^ "About GZ". GZ Media. Retrieved 2017-06-28.
- ^ Vu, Lan Anh (25 March 2016). "CEO Talk: Zdenek Pelc, GZ Media".
- ^ "Hunger for vinyl means a chronic shortage of pressing machines". The Economist. 18 May 2017.
- ^ Tait, Robert (18 August 2016). "In the groove: Czech firm tops list of world's vinyl record producers" – via The Guardian.
- ^ Holden, Steve (15 April 2016). "Record Store Day: This is what happens inside a vinyl factory". BBC Newsbeat.
- ^ a b c d Toh, Colin (2025-12-14). "Audiophiles Are Warning Everyone to Avoid the World's Biggest Vinyl Pressing Plant". Headphonesty. Retrieved 2026-01-18.
- ^ Plesa, Alexandra (2025-07-22). "New Vinyl Pressings Are Getting Worse as Labels Cut Corners to Meet Demand, According to Industry Insiders". Headphonesty. Retrieved 2026-01-19.
- ^ Barney, Justin (2024-11-29). "Music Citizens: Nashville propels the vinyl record boom. Now manufacturers face competition from abroad". WPLN News. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
- ^ "Contacts - GZ Media". 2025-01-16. Retrieved 2026-02-02.