 | |
| Company type | GmbH |
|---|---|
| Industry | Media manufacturing |
| Founded | April 22, 1958; 67 years ago (1958-04-22) |
| Headquarters | Gütersloh,Germany |
Key people | Sven Deutschmann, Jörg Dickenhorst |
| Parent | Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA |
| Website | www.sonopress.de |
Sonopress GmbH is an internationally active media service provider headquartered inGütersloh,Germany. The company specializes in the production and distribution of physical and digital storage media and is part of theBertelsmann Marketing Services division of theBertelsmann Group.
Sonopress was founded on April 22, 1958, to meet the demand for vinyl records from the Bertelsmann Record Club. Initial production began with six pressing machines in a small facility in Gütersloh. Over the decades, the company developed into one of the world’s leading providers of digital media manufacturing services, working with major clients such as Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures International.[1]
In 1984, Sonopress began manufacturing Compact Discs (CDs) and quickly became one of Europe’s largest CD producers. As of 2022, the company had produced more than eight billion CDs.[2]
Between 2008 and 2015, Sonopress operated under the nameArvato Entertainment. Since 2016, it has been part of the Bertelsmann Marketing Services division.[3][circular reference]
Sonopress offers a wide range of services to the entertainment industry, including:
The company manufactures up to 1.5 million data carriers per day.[4]
As part of its sustainability strategy, Sonopress developed theEcoRecord, an environmentally friendly vinyl record made from recycled PET instead of conventional PVC. The EcoRecord was first used in 2025 for the albumLiam Gallagher John Squire.[5]
In 2022, the company resumed vinyl record production, initially in collaboration with French partner Media Industries.[6]
Sonopress is a wholly owned subsidiary ofBertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and part of theBertelsmann Marketing Services division. It is led by managing directors Sven Deutschmann and Jörg Dickenhorst.[4]
In addition to its headquarters in Gütersloh, the company operates manufacturing and replication sites in Europe, Asia, and North America. A significant portion of production still takes place in Germany.[7]