Hellbender Vinyl is now pressing records in Philadelphia. The Pittsburgh-based independent plant — built from the ground up by musicians, label veterans, and DIY lifers who shipped their first finished order in January 2023 — has acquired Softwax Record Pressing in Northeast Philadelphia and opened a second facility that is accepting orders today. For artists and labels on the East Coast, Hellbender now offers fast turnaround times and the option of local pickup, a convenience that reflects the company’s core commitment to being genuinely accessible. The expansion positions Hellbender as a proudly American-made alternative in an industry that has long leaned on overseas manufacturing.
How Hellbender Vinyl Built a Client List on Trust
What separates Hellbender Vinyl from the rest of the pressing industry is not just the quality of the records — though that speaks for itself — but the experience of getting there. At Hellbender Vinyl, no one is left wondering where their order stands. The team checks in proactively, keeps clients updated throughout the process, and treats every project with the same level of care whether it is a debut EP or a major label reissue.
The result is a client list that reads like a testament to trust: Guster, Dizzy Reed of Guns N’ Roses, The Ataris, Wiz Khalifa, Victoria Monét, Castle Rat, Apes of the State, and hundreds more have all pressed with Hellbender and keep coming back. Philadelphia’s music community has always supported independent infrastructure, and Hellbender Vinyl’s arrival adds a pressing plant to the city’s growing creative manufacturing base.
The Softwax Acquisition and Hellbender Vinyl’s Philadelphia Facility
Hellbender Vinyl acquired Softwax Record Pressing, an up-and-coming indie plant founded in 2018 by Kiko Casanova in Northeast Philadelphia. Casanova joined Hellbender in early 2025 to spearhead client development. He connected with Hellbender Vinyl co-founder Matt Dowling through mutual friends in late 2024 and found their vision for serving indie artists aligned from the start.
The Philadelphia facility marks a significant milestone in the company’s growth — East Coast artists and labels can now work with Hellbender Vinyl without the logistics of shipping across the state, and the local pickup option eliminates freight costs and wait times entirely. Hellbender Vinyl now operates presses in both cities, giving artists across the Northeast corridor a local partner with national reach and a reputation for doing it right.
Travis Whitlock Joins Hellbender Vinyl as Head of Business Development
Alongside the expansion, Hellbender Vinyl welcomes Travis Whitlock as Head of Business Development. Whitlock’s career spans decades and disciplines — musician, tour manager, record label owner, fine art framer and conservator, venue manager, and founder of Actually Pressing, a manufacturing company celebrated for pushing vinyl’s creative limits with liquid-filled and object-filled records. His deep industry relationships and hands-on expertise make him a natural fit for a company that has always believed the best work comes from people who are truly invested in the craft. Whitlock said he joined Hellbender Vinyl largely because he was struck by how genuinely the team cares about their customers.
Hellbender offers flexible service to fit every kind of client — order entirely online at your own pace, or work hand-in-hand with the team from concept to delivery. Payment plan options are available. Either way, you will never be left in the dark. Hellbender Vinyl was co-founded by Matt Dowling and Jeff Betten and operates plants in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh and in Northeast Philadelphia. Whether pressing a limited-edition color variant for a Bandcamp release or a full run for a national distributor, Hellbender treats every project like it matters — because to the artist making it, it does. For more information, visit hellbendervinyl.com.
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