Teldec-Press GmbH

Former German record, cassette and CD manufacturer, located in Nortorf. See also: TELDEC Press GmbH & Co. KG Once the lacquer cutting in Hamburg was given up in 1984, DMM disc cutting was also performed here. Pressings can be identified by a stamped "Manufactured in Germany" or by "ManuFactured in Germany" in the runouts until approximately early 1981. Teldec Press had certain codes, to identify different plants and/ or clients: Inhouse codes were, e.g.: 6.24, 6.25, 6.26, for LPs, and 6.11, 6.12, 6.13, for 7"s. Contract pressings can be identified by "76.29", e.g. C-76.29 586-01-1. These stamped codes were added during the plating. Do not add these codes as LCCN numbers! History: 1948: The plant starts operations in a former leather factory, pressing shellacs with a converted leather press. First technical director is Alexander Seeland. 1950: 1 million shellacs pressed. 1951: 10" and 12" vinyl production begins. 1953: 7" vinyl production begins. 1959: End of shellac pressing. 1967: Cassette production starts with self-built duplication machines. Later on with more sophisticated digital mastering and high speed duplication machines are used. 1984: Cutting is moved from Hamburg to Nortorf. 1986: CD production starts. 1987: In January, Direct Metal Mastered (DMM) CD production begins, using a Neumann/Teldec DMM CD prototype lathe (which never went into commercial production as planned). 1988: With the acquisition of TELDEC by Warner International, the Nortorf plant and Record Service Alsdorf plants are merged into TELDEC Record Service GmbH, in May 1988. 1989: The cassette manufacturing is centralized in Nortorf and expanded from 8 to 30 million units p.a. 1989: Vinyl production in Nortorf stops in October and is transferred to Alsdorf. Until then, 24 million shellacs, 345 million singles, 425 million LPs were manufactured in Nortorf. 1991: Laserdisc production starts. Until then 183 million music cassettes and 34 million CDs have been manufactured. 1997: Warner Music International decides to divest the plant due to poor market prospects. It becomes independent after a management buy-out and continues as OK Media Disc Service GmbH & Co. KG. 2013: Plant is demolished. Today, there is a museum for the TELDEC record pressing plant in Nortorf, called "Deutsches Schallplattenmuseum" Teldec-Press operated two DMM cutting studios. DMM mastering engineers (and their scribes) since 1984: Klaus-Jürgen Schneider - Chief engineer (Sch) Karl Schick (S) Sönke Bahns (BN) Achim Elsner (EN) Edgar Duchrow (ED) Karin Wiese (KW) Karen Röschmann (KR)