PRESS plants which produce records keep going out of service because the plants are old, not easily replaced and sometimes the parts are hard to get.
It's no wonder the operators at Sonic Sounds Recording Company are concerned when the press is having problems.
According to Mr. Jason Lee, managing director of Sonic Sounds, "We have an average breakdown every three weeks... our press plant had a problem once and it had to do with the boiler. We had to pull down the entire press plant to deal with it and we lost thousands of dollars."
Some of the parts, like valves, are usually available locally. Other major problems could, however, send the operators rushing for new parts abroad.
Major problems could involve electrical parts which are very expensive, Lee added.
The 25-year-old press at Dynamic Sounds Recording Company also often goes out of service without any warning. And, even with a maintenance team, the operators must still shop around for parts.
Mr. Carl Brady, factory manager at Dynamic Sounds likened that press to a motorcar.
"Some plants will press for weeks without problems and then something happens and parts are needed."
At Tuff Gong Recording Company, the more than 30-year-old press is facing the same problems as the ones mentioned previously. But, according to a spokesperson, Mr. Herald Hart, they do not have much problem getting spare parts.
"If you look for the parts you will get them. Parts come from various sources," he added.
Not only press operators are annoyed when something goes wrong. So too are the record producers who suffer set-backs of all kinds. Producer Richard Browne, for example, has suffered in recent times.
"The breakdown of a press affected my rhythms twice. When one has seven songs to be released on a rhythm and five are ready then the press breaks down this affects the success of the rhythm and the sales of records," he said.
One question is, why can't these troubled presses be replaced? This is because companies no longer make these types of presses and it is very hard to find a second-hand press that anyone really wants to get rid of, THE STAR understands.
