Our Roots

We pressed our first vinyl record in our home town Loděnice in the Czech Republic back in 1951. Since then, we’ve come a long way—growing into one of the leading brands in the music industry. Today, GZ is the world’s largest producer of vinyl records. We’ve already pressed over 800 million records—for music icons, rising artists, and indie bands alike. But we don’t stop at music. We also specialize on high-end printing and premium packaging solutions for various brands across industries.

At GZ, we blend traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology, innovations and automated production. To be even closer to our customers, we’ve expanded to the USA, Canada, and France. This step isn’t just about business—it’s also part of our sustainability commitment. But what truly sets us apart? Our people. Talented, passionate professionals with deep knowledge, expertise, fresh ideas, and a love for music and packaging.

84 million

vinyl records produced per year

production plants

10 000+

types of printing products per year

“The success of GZ is driven by our talented employees, who share a deep passion for music and printing. They have always been—and always will be—the foundation of our company.

Looking ahead, we remain committed to what we do best: giving shape and sound to the emotions of our customers. At the same time, we are dedicated to building a more sustainable and prosperous future.”

Zdeněk Pelc

OWNER AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

“Innovation, competitiveness, and talented people have always been at the centre of our vision for a successful future. We work hard and constantly seek new ways to exceed our customers’ expectations in both the music and print and packaging industries.

At the same time, we are committed to finding more sustainable ways to source materials and manufacture our products while reducing our carbon footprint and minimizing our impact on the environment. And we do it all without compromising on delivering exceptional products and services to customers around the world.”

Michal Štěrba

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Passionate People

We are a company with a family-like atmosphere, where people are close to each other. That’s why we often and lovingly refer to our company as “Gramofonka”. So we truly love what we do. We also take great pride in our home and region. The character of Loděnice and the Beroun region, along with many generations of employees and local people, have shaped our values, who we are, how we do things, and what we stand for.

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Sustainable Play

Sustainability is a crucial aspect that influences every part of our business. It’s a complex field, often without clear-cut answers on what is more or less sustainable.

At GZ, we approach this topic with respect and continuous learning. Therefore, we have established the following principles in our sustainability approach.

Cross-Functional Approach

Data-Driven Decisions

Transparency and Clarity

Look What´s in Progress

Calculating CO2 Footprint

We are currently calculating the CO2 footprint of GZ Media across all three scopes according to the GHG Protocol. This data will help us better understand where our biggest impact is and what actions we can take. We expect to have the results by mid-2025.

Engaging Stakeholders

We have opened a continuous dialogue with our customers, suppliers, and co-workers, seeking ideas and synergies on how to make our business—and vinyl record production in general—more sustainable.

Joint Decarbonization Initiative

We are part of a joint initiative between The Music Climate Pact and the Vinyl Alliance, which aims to identify and quantify opportunities for decarbonization across the entire vinyl record supply chain.

Discover What We Already Do

LCA of a Vinyl Record

We have conducted the industry's first Life Cycle Assessment of a vinyl record, along with scenarios for reducing its environmental impact.

FSC Certified Material

All wood-based products come from controlled sources, and upon customer request, we offer FSC-certified material.

Alternatives to Virgin PVC Records

We offer vinyl records pressed from 100% recycled PVC or bio-attributed compounds as substitutes for regular fossil-based compounds.

Efficiency Through Reuse

We continuously reuse most waste materials from our production, such as NOK records and flashes, to minimize the use of new virgin materials and reduce waste production, without compromising on quality.

Charity Fund

We’ve set up a charity fund called GRAMOFOND to support technical education and local communities. We also help people in need, particularly current or former employees facing struggles or difficult life situations.

Verified by Customers

Our customers place high demands on us regarding the environmental and social conditions of our production. Among our certifications, we hold the Sony Green Partner Certificate, an EcoVadis rating, and undergo international SMETA audits.

Certificates

Comments on our current activities or ideas on what we could do in this area? Get in touch—we appreciate your feedback.

Let's get in touch

Our Story

On May 2, 1951, Gramofonové Závody (GZ) in Loděnice, Czechoslovakia, pressed their first vinyl records. Among the initial releases were compositions by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by the renowned Václav Talich.

In 1973, following a successful two-year trial run, GZ began mass production of cassette tapes. This expansion further diversified our product portfolio and strengthened GZ’s market position.

During the 1970s and 1980s, GZ undertook extensive modernization of its production technologies, introducing state-of-the-art transcription equipment and advanced production lines. These strategic investments ensured sustained growth in both production capacity and product quality.

In 1988, GZ embraced new technological trends and market demands, beginning the production of compact discs. This pivotal move marked a significant milestone in the company’s evolution and modernization.

After the 1989 revolution, GZ gained independence and strategically pivoted towards Western markets, marking the beginning of a dynamic and prosperous new era for the company.

In the early 2000s, GZ expanded into the printing and packaging sector, quickly becoming its business’s cornerstone. Offering a full range of services for leading global brands, GZ leveraged modern technology and continuous innovation to deliver high-quality products at scale.

The resurgence of vinyl records presented GZ with new business opportunities and significant production growth. By 2015, GZ had produced a staggering 500 million vinyl records, cementing its status as a global leader in the industry.

In 2016 and 2017, GZ expanded its operations to North America, acquiring a 60% stake in the Memphis Record Pressing plant in Memphis, Tennessee, and establishing the Precision Record Pressing plant in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. These strategic expansions solidified GZ’s position as the world’s largest vinyl record manufacturer and enhanced its footprint in the North American market.

In 2018, the French company SNA in Tourouvre became part of the GZ family. That same year, we achieved a new milestone by processing more than 100,000 records in a single day. Additionally, GZ expanded its portfolio by acquiring PBtisk, a leading Czech producer of books and bookbinding based in Příbram.

In 2019, we made significant strides in developing robotics and automation within our manufacturing processes. By 2020, we had constructed a new printing hall fully equipped with the latest technology to meet the evolving needs of our clients.

In 2021, we expanded our pressing plant and increased our production capacity for vinyl records, coinciding with the celebration of the 70th anniversary of our first pressed record and the founding of GZ.

In 2022, GZ continued its expansion in the United States by opening a new pressing plant in Nashville, Music City, under the name Nashville Record Pressing. The same year, we began producing vinyl compounds in Hohenwald, Tennessee.

In 2024, GZ established GZ Printpak, specializing in premium paper packaging solutions tailored to the high standards of luxury retail brands, with a commitment to production excellence, sustainable manufacturing, and long-term client partnerships.

A Sky Full of Stars

Products in Spotlights

Our products regularly receive recognition from experts around the world. For example, three of our products won the GRAMMY Award in the last four years. We are very proud of this. It is a great reward for all of us for the effort, work, and care we put into their production. At the same time, it is the best proof of our ability to execute even the most complex projects at a truly world-class level.

Among Top Brands

We are pleased that our activities are making a positive difference. At the same time, we are happy that our company is seen as a trustworthy and responsible brand. For example, in 2023, we received the TOP Responsible Company of the Year award for our project supporting technical education of children. Our customers regularly recognize us with quality certificates, which means a lot to us as well.

Successes of Our Colleagues

There are people and their daily work, ideas, enthusiasm, and skills behind our success. Many of our colleagues’ achievements are based on their engagement in local communities, associations, and organizations – organizing children’s events, supporting orphanages, or getting involved in voluntary firefighter associations – who appreciate their selfless help, and so do we. That is why we aaounce the GRAMOFOND Awards specifically for helping communities. At the same time, our leaders are also recognized by the business community. The company owner, Zdeněk Pelc, for example, received the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award and the award from the Governor of the Central Bohemian Region. The CEO Michal Štěrba was awarded as CEO of the Year in the Czech Republic.