Toss Records founders built Jõhvi vinyl plant from scratch

Toss Records co-founder Toomas Talts told ERR’s Radio 2 that the company built a vinyl record factory in Jõhvi after its founders’ love of music led them to seek an alternative for domestic artists. The entire technical infrastructure had to be developed from scratch.

Designing the factory’s technical solutions, including its steam and cooling systems and record press, took about a year and a half. “We had to invent quite a lot of things ourselves,” Talts said.

The founders financed the factory themselves and took on the financial risk without sponsors. Talts said this reflected their commitment to domestic music.

Following a start-up-style approach, the company began operating before its production facilities were complete. It pressed its first records under the Toss Records brand before having a factory of its own.

The factory is now operating at full capacity and produces physical audio releases for several artists, including Reket and Liis Lemsalu.

Talts said vinyl offers a more focused way of listening to music because changing a record requires getting up and placing the needle again. He added that vinyl remains the right format for people who engage deeply with and genuinely love music.

Vinyl records are also heavy, making it impractical to press smaller runs in Estonia for the US market. Large runs are therefore often divided among different pressing plants, Talts said.

August 12 is Vinyl Record Day.