Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Terre Haute

Columbia Records' vinyl record pressing plant in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States. It opened in 1953 and closed in December 1982.

History
In June 1953, Columbia Records bought the 36,000 square foot Eaton O'Neill Furniture factory on North Fruitridge Avenue in Terre Haute, Indiana. The first record pressed was "Christmas with Arthur Godfrey" on December 7, 1953. In December 1957, the first 12" LP records were produced alongside 7" singles. In 1961, the facility was expanded. In 1966, a former supermarket on Lafayette Avenue became the tape duplication facility for Columbia Records, where 4-track and then 8-tracks were duplicated. By 1969, with the demand of prerecorded tape growing, the tape plant expands to the Fruitridge complex as well as cassette duplication added into the facility. The plant closed in late 1982 with final paychecks delivered to employees December 17. Operations were moved elsewhere within the Columbia system. In 1983, most manufacturing and distribution was moved from Terre Haute to Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Carrollton, GA. In 1984, a new facility was built by CBS Inc. and the Sony Corporation Of America in Terre Haute to produce compact discs: Sony DADC.

This plant is known to have pressed for ABC Records, ATCO Records, Bearsville, Warner Bros. Records, Circa Records Ltd., Epic, Capitol Records, Mercury Records, MCA Records, A&M Records, and Original Sound, among others.

Customatrix, a division of CBS Inc.'s Columbia record manufacturing operations, handled the making of metal parts (e.g., mothers, stampers) for many pressings by Columbia's plants, including Terre Haute.

Pressing identification
Runout identifiers include:
- "CT" or "CTH" stamped in runouts (e.g., [r8485973], [r4303842]).
- Small or large "T" stamped in runouts (e.g., [r14526832]).
- Large "T" etched in runouts. May include a plating number (e.g., "T1," "T2" or "1T," "2T," etc.).
- On Capitol Records contract pressings, "53" in runouts (with 69mm pressing ring; e.g., [r23812586], [r12336109]).

Printed identifier codes include:
- "CT" or "CTH" on labels (on Atlantic Records and related; e.g., [r2914490]).
- "Y" or "y" on labels (on U.S. A&M Records and related; e.g., [r1469004], [r8014871]).
- "73" on labels (on PolyGram and related labels such as Mercury, Polydor, RSO, and Casablanca, circa 1979-1981; e.g., [r4003569]).
- "CRP" or "RP" on labels (U.S. K-Tel releases between 1972 and 1974; e.g., 11638722).
- "19" on labels (U.S. K-Tel releases after 1974; e.g., 2970627).
- "TH" on labels (U.S. London Records circa 1960s-1970s; e.g., [r637683]).
- On black-and-white printed back covers of releases made circa late 1960s to late 1970s, an "A" fabrication code may appear around the lower right-hand corner.

Other runout indicators:
TX: Plated At and Pressed By Terre Haute (e.g., [r15832357]).
TXG: Plated At Terre Haute and Pressed By Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Carrollton, GA (e.g., [r11334385]).
TXS: Plated At Terre Haute and Pressed By Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Santa Maria (e.g., [r8082322]).
SXT: Plated At Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Santa Maria, and Pressed By Terre Haute (e.g., [r1445113]).
PXT: Plated At Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Pitman, and Pressed By Terre Haute (e.g., [r3093096]).
XTMR: Plated At Monarch Record Mfg. Co. and Pressed By Terre Haute (e.g., [r11454471]).

Pressing ring diameter:
Until circa 1961: ~69-71mm deep groove.
After 1961: 69mm non-deep groove.
Note that Columbia's pressing plants (Pitman, Terre Haute, Santa Maria) used a common 69mm pressing ring.

Data entry
For pressings, please use "Pressed By" in LCCN, with catalog number field left blank.