EMI Hayes Production Plant *

Came across this EMI LP that was presented to visitors touring their new production and distribution centre at Hayes in the 1970's, and thought it might be worth sharing with members as it contains some great photos and information on the gatefold cover.

It gives a good indication of the scale of the Hayes complex on the western outskirts of London, known as "EMI Village", which at it's height had more than 12,000 employees making everything from radios to stereograms and television picture tubes, as well as production and distribution of recorded music.

Their Uxbridge Road record plant was closed down in the late 1990's and since that time vinyl pressing has been subcontracted to other companies.

It's not my album; these images were unashamedly pilfered from another forum some years ago, and have been enhanced as much as possible.

First up, the front cover...

 

Detail of front cover text at top right, some serious numbers there..

 

The inner left gatefold; look at those silos that supply the raw materials for the presses and the rows of the old individually operated manual presses along side of the fully automatic EMI designed and manufactured 1400 machines.

 

The inner right gatefold; massive warehousing capability...

 

Finally, the rear cover dated September 1972; gotta love those rows of Austin Morris vans, I'm sure they're the same ones used in episodes of The Sweeney

 

Very cool!

 

How things used to be *sigh*

 

If anyone else has historical photos from Hayes, particularly the production plant, please feel free to post them here.

 

Oh to fill my boots in that warehouse!!

 

Found this on http://www.theoldvinylfactory.com/the-history-of-old-vinyl-factory/



The Beatles’ album Rubber Soul in the final stages of production, November 1965.

 

That is so cool! Thank you for sharing.

 

Thanks for sharing indeed!

 

Thank you op for sharing those pictures. I have never seen a record of a record company. I wonder if it was common for other manufacturers to do the same back then? Was there an actual record and what was on it?

 

Yes, that one's a goody, it's done the rounds here before

 

Apparently they included any old LP of the day inside.
This particular person must have been blessed to have received a copy of the exotic sounds of Manuel & His Music of the Mountains

 

I go past the site every day on my way to work. Most of it seems unused. The Vinyl Factory bought part of it, and the presses, and still makes bespoke vinyl on one corner of the site:

http://www.thevinylfactory.com

 

Awesome pic! I wonder if those employees were realizing at the time that they were producing some groundbreaking albums that are still collected and cherished by millions of people long after they deceased.

Also thanks to the OP for the info and pictures of the 'Hayes record'. Of course the line 'Manufactured by EMI Ltd, Hayes, Middlesex' is so familiar to us all, but I never truly realised how big those pressing plants were. "EMI Village" - I guess that says it all...

BTW, I came across this slideshow as well:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/audioslideshow/2010/jun/29/work-and-careers-heritage

 

Very nice, thanks for posting. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think Marc Bolan of T.Rex opened the plant in 1972. There are photos and video available

 

I think they were just looking forward to a nice cup of tea.

 

Wonder how many printing companies EMI used over the years to do the typesetting on their centre labels . . . ?

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

Thanks for sharing indeed. I just bought the one available for sale on discogs. Pretty stoked. Thanks again.

 

A modern CD/DVD/Blu-Ray replication plant can produce that many discs per DAY!!!

 

So what is there now? What's left?

 

This is now... http://www.theoldvinylfactory.com/