EcoRecord® Marks New Era of Sustainable LP Production, Enabled by Sonopress Innovation and Material Support from Indorama Ventures

Sonopress, a global leader in media manufacturing and entertainment services, has started the production of EcoRecord® — the world’s first long-playing (LP) record made from recyclable PET — for the US market, marking a major advance in sustainable music production. Among the key collaborators supporting this innovation, Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical company, supplied the specialty PET resin that enables high-fidelity audio performance in the EcoRecord® format to Sonopress in Charlotte, North Carolina. The launch follows EcoRecord®’s European debut with albums for Liam Gallagher & John Squire, Ed Sheeran and Marina.

EcoRecord® aligns the music industry with broader climate and sustainability goals. In addition to its recyclability, EcoRecord®, eliminates the need for natural gas and steam in production, cutting CO₂ emissions in the manufacturing process by up to 85% compared to traditional PVC vinyl records. According to the 2024 survey by Key Production, demand for sustainable music formats is rising rapidly. The study found that 69% of vinyl buyers would purchase more if records were sustainably produced, and 77% were willing to pay a premium for eco-conscious formats. As sustainability becomes a growing priority across industries, including entertainment, EcoRecord® presents a scalable, lower-impact alternative for music labels and artists worldwide.

Sustainability and Quality

“We want to lead the music industry in offering sustainable alternatives while preserving the audio quality that listeners expect,” said Sven Deutschmann, CEO of Sonopress. “EcoRecord® is a huge step in that direction — made possible through close collaboration with trusted partners like Indorama Ventures, whose specialty co-polymer materials meet the technical and sustainability standards this format demands.”

As part of this collaboration, Indorama Ventures supplied their innovative specialty PET resin chosen for its clarity, mechanical strength, and moldability, all essential for high-quality audio playback. The material was tailored to work with Sonopress’s advanced high-pressure injection molding systems, originally designed for optical media production.

Local Access, Global Capability

Beyond performance, Sonopress selected Indorama Ventures in part for its strong regional and global presence, enabling local sourcing model which helps to reduce transportation-related emissions. “This collaboration with Sonopress demonstrates the expanding potential of our innovative specialty PET in new applications,” said Marc Potemans, Head of Specialty Chemicals in Indorama Ventures’ Combined PET segment. “We’re proud to support Sonopress in their vision for a more sustainable music industry — aligning with our own commitment to innovation and environmental stewardship.”

With an initial annual production capacity of approximately one million EcoRecords in the U.S., Sonopress lays the foundation for further expansion in the North American market. According to CEO Deutschmann, Sonopress expects demand in the US to grow steadily and is well-positioned to scale production capacities quickly and flexibly as needed.

About Sonopress

Sonopress is a leading international entertainment and media service provider offering a comprehensive range of solutions to companies in the home entertainment, video games, audio, publishing, and TV/broadcasting industries. Sonopress’ service portfolio covers all areas of media asset management: from digital services such as digitization, electronic content distribution, archiving, and asset management to the replication of CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs and 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays – in 66-gigabyte as well as 100-gigabyte versions – to print management and printing services, as well as fulfilment and supply chain management. Fully integrated LP production has lately been added to the portfolio again. All these processes are supported by innovative end-to-end IT systems. With decades of industry experience and intelligent solutions, Sonopress creates added value for customers and ensure that they are well equipped to meet the challenges of the market. As part of Bertelsmann Marketing Services, Sonopress is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA.

About Indorama Ventures

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, listed in Thailand (Bloomberg ticker IVL.TB), is one of the world’s leading petrochemicals producers, with a global manufacturing footprint across Europe, Africa, Americas, and Asia Pacific. The company’s portfolio comprises Combined PET, Indovinya, Indovida, and Fibers. Indorama Ventures’ products serve major FMCG, agricultural, lifestyle, and automotive sectors, including beverages, hygiene, personal care, tire, and safety segments. Indorama Ventures has about 25,000 employees worldwide and reported revenue of $15.4 billion in 2024. The company is listed in the Dow Jones Best-In-Class Indices.