# Equipment Needs and Supplier Map

Working list of everything the factory needs per production step, with the
suppliers identified so far. Compiled 2026-07-17 from vendor research and the
Newbilt planning documents. All pricing is quote-on-request unless a figure
is given; figures are snapshots, not commitments.

## 1. Mastering and Lathe Cutting

What we need:

- Disk mastering lathe
- Stereo cutter head
- Cutting (drive) amplifiers matched to the head
- Mastering / transfer console and mastering chain (EQ, limiting, elliptical
  EQ)
- Preview / pitch-and-depth automation solution
- Vacuum system for platter hold-down and swarf (chip) suction
- Groove inspection microscope and reference playback chain for QC
- Low-vibration, temperature-controlled room
- Consumables: lacquer blanks, cutting styli

Suppliers identified:

| Supplier | Location | Offering | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agnew Analog | Chalkis, Greece | Type 612 lathe, Type 602 cutter head, Type 607 stylus machine, tube electronics | Bespoke, long build times; turnkey or components; info@agnewanalog.com |

Open: cutter amps, console, preview automation, lacquer blank supply
(e.g. MDC/Public Record type), styli supply.

## 2. Silvering and Electroforming (Galvanics)

What we need:

- Lacquer cleaning / degrease station
- Silvering station (conductive silver layer)
- Nickel pre-plate station (low-stress strike)
- Electroforming cells (father, mother, stamper generations)
- Electro-clean / passivation station
- Clean room with controlled access, ventilation, fume extraction/scrubbing
- Closed-loop rinse water treatment and metal recovery (zero-discharge
  requirement; e.g. wastewater evaporator, reference: Gotta Groove Records
  model)
- Decontamination procedures and PPE program (nickel salts and silver
  nitrate hazards)

Suppliers identified:

| Supplier | Location | Offering | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plating Power / Digital Matrix Corp. | Farmingdale, NY, USA | VLSS silvering, VLPP pre-plate, VLFP 2/4/6-cell electroforming, EC-1000 passivation, control rings | No water treatment or metal recovery in their scope; no SE-Asia distributor; alex.greenspan@digmatrix.com |

Open: industrial water-treatment vendor for the zero-discharge system;
clean-room design/build contractor; fume scrubbing.

## 3. Stamper Preparation

What we need:

- Stamper center punch
- Stamper back-finishing machine
- Stamper trimming/forming (coining) machine

Suppliers identified:

| Supplier | Location | Offering | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sibert Instruments | Hampshire, UK | VSP punch, VSF back-finisher, VSC coiner | Spec PDFs on request; confirm no overlap with press-integrated forming before buying the VSC; sales@sibert.co.uk, Ian Locke |

## 4. Stamper Service (bridge / overflow, until in-house galvanics runs)

| Supplier | Location | Offering | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stamper Discs | Sheffield, UK | 1-step and 3-step stampers from lacquer/DMM, 7"/10"/12", fits Newbilt/Toolex/Viryl molds; brokers lacquer cutting via EU partners | Ships 30+ countries, no documented Asia customers yet; get written turnaround SLA; peter@stamperdiscs.com |

## 5. Pressing

What we need (target fleet: 50% fully automated, 50% semi-automatic):

- Semi-automatic press line: extruder, presses, hydraulic aggregate, molds
  (12" 140/180 g, 7" and 10" insert sets), trimmer
- Fully automated press line: automatic presses incl. extruders, molds
- Steam generator (~400 kg/h for the semi-auto Duplex alone; grows with the
  automated line), local sourcing planned
- Cooling water system (~250 kW for the semi-auto Duplex alone; closed loop),
  local sourcing planned
- Workshop compressor / compressed air supply
- PVC grinder (recycling loop)
- Record separator plates, buffer spindles

Suppliers identified:

| Supplier | Location | Offering | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newbilt machinery GmbH | Alsdorf, Germany | Single 2.1 system (VEX 50 extruder, HRP 12 press ~150 t, semi-auto), Duplex expansion, molds, Vario trimmer, grinder, label punch | 2024 quote 200,549.50 EUR incl. freight, expired, needs re-quote; contact via Hans-Juergen Helm |
| Pheenix Alpha | Solna, Sweden | AD12 fully automatic press (24-26 s cycle, ~140 records/h, 1 operator per 4 presses); AD12 Manual semi-auto | Direct Toolex Alpha successor; possible single-vendor option for both fleet halves; andreas.runsten@pheenixalpha.com |

Open: decision between Newbilt semi-auto + Pheenix automatic vs. single
vendor; local steam-generator and chiller suppliers in Thailand.

## 6. Finishing and Packaging

What we need:

- Label dry oven (Newbilt quote lists France Etuves XU 112 as example)
- Shrink wrap machine (example: Minipack-Torre Replay 55)
- 7" center label punch / dinker
- Folded paper cartons: jackets and sleeves
- Printing for labels and packaging

Suppliers identified:

| Supplier | Location | Offering | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local packaging manufacturers | Chiang Mai region, Thailand | Folded paper cartons (jackets, sleeves) | Collaboration planned, partners not yet identified |

## 7. PVC Compound

Preference: local (Thai/regional) sourcing if quality meets record
specifications; European suppliers as fallback. Feed mix runs 80% virgin,
20% recycled in-house regrind.

Suppliers identified (2021 contact list, needs refresh; full contacts in
`210519_Suppliers of PVC for vinyl record production.pdf`):

| Supplier | Country |
|---|---|
| P.A.T. Engineering B.V. | Netherlands |
| Dugdale Limited | UK |
| CAF srl | Italy |
| INEOS Compounds Aycliffe | UK |
| RESINOPLAST | France |
| TPC Plastics | USA |
| Polymer-Chemie GmbH | Germany |
| PCW GmbH | Germany |

Open: identify and qualify Thai/regional PVC compound producers.

## 8. Utilities and Site (customer-supplied around the machines)

- Solar PV installation (large; panel and array sizing open until site
  selection)
- Solar inverters: multiple Deye three-phase HV hybrid units. Verified
  series SUN-29.9/30/35/40/50K-SG01HP3 (battery window 160-800 V, up to 10
  in parallel, IEC 61727/62116/62109 certified); larger SUN-60/70/75/80K
  SG02HP3 series to be confirmed via datasheet. Thai distribution exists
  (Solar Nicolo, solaris.co.th)
- Battery storage: Gobel Power (Shenzhen, est. 2012) GP-SRA-HV314 HV rack
  BESS, 271 kWh = 15 stacked 18 kWh packs (LFP 314 Ah, 1P18S), DC 225-985 V,
  8000+ cycles, ~135 kW continuous discharge at 0.5P, CAN/RS485 with "Deye
  CAN HV" protocol support. Listed USD 39,900-58,000, 50-60 day lead from
  China. Open checks: rack voltage vs. chosen Deye model's battery window
  (full 15-pack rack can exceed 800 V), safety certifications
  (UN38.3, IEC 62619, CE) not published, no performance warranty published,
  no Thai distributor
- Steam generation (electric, biomass, or solar-thermal assist under
  evaluation; Deepgrooves NL runs presses on wood-fired biomass boilers as a
  precedent)
- Water treatment for boiler feed and closed-loop cooling
- Compressed air generation
- Hydraulic oil (~200 L, ISO VG 32/46 HLP per DIN 51524-2, per Newbilt spec)
- Whole-factory HVAC: continuous temperature (20-26 °C), humidity (35-60%
  RH), and PM control with zoned filtration tiers, sized for northern
  Thailand burning-season PM2.5 peaks; a major load for PV/battery sizing
- Clean rooms, ventilation, decontamination infrastructure for galvanics
- Fire protection, exhaust work benches, PPE stock

Suppliers: all open, to be sourced locally in Thailand where possible.

## 9. Services and Expertise

| Supplier | Location | Offering | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Da Costa | UK | Vinyl manufacturing consultancy: factory layout, installation, training, process optimization | GBP 10k-20k packages / GBP 450 per day; credentials self-stated, references needed |
| Newbilt service | Germany | Installation, commissioning, training beyond the included 5 days | 2024 rate card: 84 EUR/h on-site plus surcharges and travel |
| buildfor.life | Thailand | Project consulting | Supporting |

Open: mastering/cutting engineer training, galvanics process expertise
(hardest skill to hire), local contractors for building and utilities.