Canadian Pressing Plants
Beatles records were pressed in Canada from 1963 up until the late 1980s (and up to the present day in CDs). Although the band's core catalogue was distributed by Capitol Records, the company did not always press its own records; they often subcontracted other companies to press their records from imported metal parts (pressing plates) sent directly, and almost exclusively, from Capitol USA's Scranton facility in the 60s and 70s (or glass masters sent from Jacksonville for CD production in the 1990s).
When metal parts were not sent to Canada, RCA Victor Studios in Toronto would prepare the metal master themselves from master tapes sent from the USA (often New York) --a lacquer master, a matrix, a mother and a stamper--this last part being sent to pressing plants.
**Interesting fact**
Early Beatles singles from the 72000 series and the three early unique Canadian albums from the 6000 series ("Beatlemania!, "Twist and Shout" and "Long Tall Sally") were a product of Capitol of Canada; completely designed and prepared in Toronto from UK master tapes, while subsequent releases were either made from master tapes or metal parts sent from the USA.
As a rule of thumb, when matrix numbers are stamped, these were made from US metal parts sent from Scranton, while hand-written matrix numbers refer to Canadian-made pressing plates made from USA master tapes. Beatles '65 is a good example since early copies are made from Scranton parts (stamped numbers -- as seen on the left image below -- as well as the Scranton triangle "International Association of Machinists" logo), while later copies were prepared by Graham Newton in Toronto (hand-written matrices with GN initials). Please note that Compo has also prepared some masters (for the Help! album, for example), and although these also have stamped numbers (as seen on the right image below), the master is Canadian-made; notice the typeface differences between Compo and Scranton discs: Scranton has a slightly more condensed font, while Compo has a rounder font.
Finally, each pressing plant had its own equipment that left different "tool marks" on the pressed disc, namely by its gripper that left a pressing ring, like a signature that is unique to every plant. These markers are the main identifier of where a particular record was pressed (along with matrix information). Below is a list of the different pressing plants contracted by Capitol for Beatles records, with photo examples of their distinctive features to allow proper identification of Canadian pressed discs.
1. RCA Victor
RCA in Smiths Falls has pressed Beatles records between 1963 and mid 1976 (their pressing duties ended when Capitol opened up its own pressing plant in Mississauga). RCA pressed both albums and singles for Capitol. RCA discs are recognized by their 70 mm deep groove (for LPs - left image) and by the closed "L" loop in the Capitol logo on the singles (right image). RCA also prepared lacquer discs in Toronto for pressings in other non-RCA plants (e.g., Capitol's Mississauga plant, Compo and Cinram).
Some RCA pressed LPs have what looks like a single 70 mm ring (a recessed centre instead of a deep groove), and these have been raising questions amongst collectors who some claimed might even not be RCA pressings. After deeper research, the authors consider them as a "pressing default" or inconsistencies (where pressure or a trapped air bubble probably affected the shape of the label area where the deep groove is found) rather than a different pressing variation. There is no indication that these originated from different machines at a different time, so these do not warrant a special entry in this archive - some records even have a single ring on one side and a deep groove on the other, proving these are simply "regular RCA pressings". Below is an example showing both (different) sides of the same first pressing from 1970:
In the early 1970s, RCA was experimenting with a new vinyl compound called "Dynaflex" that was meant to be more flexible, resulting in really floppy records that were at times much thinner. These had a different pressing ring that was considerably smaller and almost identical to Compo pressing rings (24 mm instead of 25 mm). Unless a specific album was originally pressed by both factories (Rubber Soul or Apple albums, for example), masters were usually not sent back and forth between companies; smaller ring reissue pressings are therefore usually either "still Compo" for "traditionally Compo albums" (like Revolver or Pepper), or Dynaflex pressings for "traditionally RCA albums" (like Beatles '65 who has a Dynaflex reissue on the orange label).
For more details on RCA Victor and pressing information, please visit
Capitol6000.com, and read Piers Hemmingsen's
The Beatles in Canada, The Origins of Beatlemania.
2. Compo
Compo has pressed Beatles records between 1962 and circa 1973 (then MCA), after which Columbia (CBS) took over and in turn, was replaced by Capitol in-house pressings in 1976. Compo pressed both albums and singles for Capitol. Compo discs are recognized by their small 25 mm pressing ring (for LPs - left image), and by the open "L" loop in the Capitol logo on the singles (right image). Compo was mostly used in support of RCA with high demand orders (like the Beatles), but seem to have become the main subcontractor for Apple albums between 1968 and 1975 (where RCA would have come in support during high demand periods).
Compo's pressing plant in Lachine, Québec (near Montreal) pressed the rare My Bonnie single on Decca in 1962, but operations quickly moved to their new Cornwall, Ontario plant in 1963. It is not known if the change was completed by 1963, but it seems that all copies of A Hard Day's Night (and later albums) were pressed exclusively at the new Cornwall facility, although the back cover of all copies up until the tan label state the Lachine plant. Finally, Compo also pressed Beatles records for Polydor and ATCO.
3. Columbia / CBS
Columbia (or CBS) has pressed Beatles records as early as 1973, following a worker strike at Compo/MCA, and pressed records for Capitol until 1976. The strike was apparently never resolved and CBS was therefore used again as the main pressing plant for Capitol, between late 1983-1984 (when Capitol's Mississauga plant was decommissioned) and 1987 (possibly even in the early 1990s, when Capitol of Canada stopped producing Beatles vinyl records). Columbia pressed both LPs and singles. Columbia discs are recognized by a very thin 68 mm pressing ring (for LPs), and by their etched matrix numbers that follow typical Columbia numbering. Both subcontracting periods display similar characteristics, but 1970s records on the orange label (left image) are usually much thicker than their later retro rainbow counterparts (right image). Columbia also took over pressing Apple records between 1973 and 1975 (centre image).
4. Keel
Keel was used briefly during the early 1970s. Keel was pressing records for budget labels like Pickwick, which had in turn been distributed by Capitol starting in 1967. It is no surprise that Capitol explored its options with one of its close subcontractors. Keel pressed only albums (when it comes to Beatles) for Capitol, and Keel discs are recognized by their 70 mm thin pressing ring (similar in size to RCA, but similar in style to Columbia). Another tell is the overall quality of Keel pressings that usually appears to be substandard (the ring and labels are not as cleanly pressed). Keel pressings can be found with green target labels (left image), orange labels (centre image) and purple labels (right image). Orange labels Keel pressings often (but not always) have a small "K" stamped on the label (see centre image).
5. Capitol
Capitol of Canada opened its own pressing facility in 1976. While singles were pressed early on that year, the first albums produced at the new plant appeared only in October. Capitol pressed both LPs and singles at the Mississauga plant. Capitol discs are recognized by their 39 mm pressing ring (for LPs - left and centre images), and by their bumpy ridge and smaller labels on the singles (right image). The last Bealtes discs produced at the plant were on the retro rainbow label in 1983, after which operations were transferred to Columbia (CBS).
**Important note**: Capitol also produced its own tapes and 8-tracks at some point in the late 70s and early 80s, up until it closed its Mississauga facility.
6. Cinram
Cinram was another subcontractor chosen by Capitol. Cinram pressed LPs during the late 1970s (1977-1983) and then later around 1987 at the very end of Beatles LP production in Canada, where CDs became the standards. Unlike Keel, Cinram pressings were of very good quality and their last retro rainbow pressings are amongst the best sounding of all Beatles Canadian pressings. Cinram discs are recognized by their smaller 29 mm pressing ring (for early LPs - left images), and by their added 70 mm recessed plate on their later pressings (right image). Cinram pressing can also often be identified by trail-off markings (stamped CR in a circle, or cursive hand etched stylized CR), although some Cinram discs were pressed from Capitol-made masters and bear only Capitol markings.
7. Quality
Some non Capitol albums and singles were not distributed by Capitol and were therefore commissioned by other companies who also subcontracted external pressing plants. One of these "other players" was Quality, who pressed records for Metro and MGM. Quality discs are recognized by their 70 mm pressing ring similar to RCA, (deep groove not as sharp as RCA pressings for early LPs - left images) and a thin 70 mm ring for later pressings (centre image). Singles, on the other hand, are quite similar to RCA or Compo discs, but are overall thicker and sturdier (right image) and possibly not made from the same vinyl compound. Quality usually identifies records that they pressed ("Manufactured by Quality Records Limited").
8. Ampex and Lear Jet (Tapes)
Capitol of Canada was not equipped to produced tapes in the late 1960s, so the company subcontracted other manufacturers, like Ampex's Canadian subsidiary, who produced both reel tapes, early cassettes (sometimes with USA moulds identifying the tapes as "Made in USA") and 8-tracks (under its Datapack format - left and centre images). In 1973, 8-Track tape production was moved to The Lear Jet Corporation who produced Canadian 8-Tracks until 1976 (often with USA slicks on the Canadian shell -- right image).
9. Disque Americ (CDs)
Disque Americ (or Americ Disc) was founded in Montreal and operated from Drummondville (Québec) between February 19, 1987 to February 2011. Beatles CDs were pressed by Disque Americ between circa 1989-2009. This company was originally created as an affiliate company to MPO. The legal ownership has changed over time, namely in 1993, when a new logo seemingly appeared in the trail off area.
10. Cinram (CDs)
Founded in 1969 in Montreal, Cinram pressed many Beatles LPs in the 1970s and 1980s, but they also provided CD pressing services for EMI, starting around 1989. Early CDs were identified with a plain text company name. Cinram has been pressing Beatles CDs sporadically until present times. The company name changed in 1997 to become "Cinram International", which is possibly when the company name started being featured as a logo in the trail-off area (instead of plain text). Cinram is still pressing Beatles CDs as of today, where the 2009-present remaster CDs have the company markings.
11. EMI (CDs)
EMI opened its own CD pressing plant in 1995, and operated until 2007. It was not until Universal acquired the company in 2012 that "EMI" started producing their own discs again (often subcontracting to Cinram as well). These pressings have a "non-textured" centre area and are identified by the EMI markings in the trail-off area. These Canadian pressings were often made from a glass master sent from Jacksonville, USA.
