Durium

Durium was an Italian record company and record-label brand founded in Milan in 1935. Initially established as Durium La Voce dell'Impero, it began by producing spoken-word material, children's stories, language and technical courses, propaganda recordings, and releases intended for emigrants and troops overseas. During periods when conventional record manufacturing materials were difficult to obtain, the company also issued recordings on cardboard supports. Its offices and some recording activities were moved from Milan to Erba during the Second World War, while the company's manufacturing base later became concentrated at an important plant in Erba, near Milan. After the war, Durium returned to Milan and gradually built a broad operating structure. The company maintained administrative and representative offices in central Milan, recording facilities in the city, and a manufacturing plant in Erba capable of pressing records and producing music cassettes. This gave Durium control over much of the chain from recording and repertoire selection through manufacturing, distribution, promotion and sales. The Erba factory also performed contract manufacturing for other Italian companies, making Durium an important industrial supplier as well as a consumer-facing label. The company's finances and artistic direction stabilized after the entry of Armenian-born entrepreneur Krikor Mintanjan in 1948. His wife Elisabel became managing director, while Aurelio Airoldi, related to co-founder Alberto Airoldi, took a leading artistic role. Pianist, arranger and composer Franco Cassano also became a central creative and managerial figure. Durium's recovery depended heavily on discovering performers, improving promotional methods and developing a repertoire suited to Italy's expanding post-war popular-music market. In the 1950s it released or promoted performers including Aurelio Fierro, Flo Sandon's, Roberto Murolo and Marino Marini. Durium became especially visible in the 1960s, when its roster included Little Tony, Los Marcellos Ferial, Rocky Roberts, Bruno Venturini, Wess, Dori Ghezzi, Fausto Papetti, Nini Rosso, the Camaleonti and I Vianella. It also licensed and distributed foreign recordings, bringing music associated with artists such as James Brown, Paul Anka, Donna Summer, Shirley Bassey, Don McLean, Plastic Bertrand and Telex to the Italian market. The label's activities extended beyond its own releases: it distributed or later absorbed smaller imprints including Circus, Adventure and Royal, and distributed labels such as Sprint, Titanus, Karim and PDU. Durium also operated the Targa imprint, which became associated with releases by Vasco Rossi. By the late 1970s, Durium was one of the more substantial Italian recording businesses. Its factory was regarded as technologically modern, and the company reached a reported peak in 1977, when net sales were described as rising 35 percent over the previous year to approximately US$6.25 million in contemporary terms. The wider recording industry then entered a period of structural disruption. Recordable cassettes, free radio, the transition from vinyl to compact discs and the financial pressure affecting many independent labels reduced sales and increased operating costs. Ownership and management changed during the 1980s. Krikor Mintanjan left in 1986; the company was subsequently taken over by Luca Rinaldi and then sold to Enrico Rovelli, who also acquired Ariston Records. Rovelli attempted to reduce costs by closing or abandoning Durium's manufacturing and recording infrastructure and outsourcing production and mixing. A proposed Kono Records combination of the Durium and Ariston catalogues did not succeed because of the liabilities accumulated by the two companies. Kono instead operated independently with some artists from the two labels. Durium and Ariston ended their operations in 1989. The Durium and Ariston catalogues later passed through Ricordi and into the assets of Ricordi's purchaser, BMG, amid legal and ownership disputes. The Durium name has subsequently appeared occasionally on reissues, but the original company is defunct and no longer functions as an active record label.

Durium was established in Milan in 1935 as Durium La Voce dell'Impero by Milanese entrepreneurs including Martinengo and Alberto Airoldi. The company initially supplied spoken recordings, children's stories, instructional material, propaganda and releases for emigrants and military personnel. Manufacturing constraints led it to use cardboard recording supports for some educational and propaganda issues. During the war, parts of the business moved from Milan to Erba. Following the war, Durium returned its administrative activities to Milan and developed Erba into its principal pressing and manufacturing center. The business stabilized in 1948 after Krikor Mintanjan joined the company. Elisabel Mintanjan became managing director, Aurelio Airoldi assumed a major artistic role, and Franco Cassano contributed as pianist, arranger, composer and artistic director. Durium's growth was driven by the discovery of Italian performers, coordinated promotion and increasingly sophisticated sales and distribution practices. In the 1950s, the label expanded its light-music catalogue with artists such as Aurelio Fierro, Flo Sandon's, Roberto Murolo and Marino Marini. The 1960s brought a larger pop roster, including Little Tony, Los Marcellos Ferial, Rocky Roberts, Wess, Dori Ghezzi, Fausto Papetti, Nini Rosso, the Camaleonti and I Vianella. Durium also used its manufacturing capacity to distribute and produce licensed foreign repertoire. Its integrated structure included Milan recording facilities, the Erba pressing and cassette plant, promotional operations and third-party manufacturing for other labels. Durium created or absorbed several smaller labels and series. These included Circus, Adventure, Royal and Durium Marche Estere, while the company also distributed Sprint, Titanus, Karim and PDU. Targa became one of its better-known associated imprints and issued material connected with Vasco Rossi. The company therefore operated not only as a label but also as a distributor, manufacturer and catalogue administrator. The business reached a reported high point in 1977, but the market environment deteriorated soon afterward. Recordable cassettes, free radio, the arrival of compact discs and the broader financial problems of independent record companies undermined the traditional vinyl business. Ownership changes followed in the second half of the 1980s. Enrico Rovelli attempted to lower fixed costs by ending in-house manufacturing and abandoning Durium's principal production and recording facilities. A proposed Kono Records structure intended to combine Durium and Ariston catalogues was not completed because of the companies' accumulated liabilities. Both Durium and Ariston ceased their original operations in 1989. Their catalogues later moved through Ricordi and BMG, while the Durium trademark survived mainly through occasional reissues.

• 1989

  Original operations end

  [1]Durium Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Durium ceases its original record-company operations after the unsuccessful Kono restructuring initiative.

• 1986

  Ownership transition and cost restructuring

  [1]Durium Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Krikor Mintanjan leaves, and ownership passes through Luca Rinaldi to Enrico Rovelli as in-house production is reconsidered.

• 1977

  Reported commercial peak

  [1]Durium Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The company reports a 35 percent net-sales increase over the preceding year and contemporary sales of approximately US$6.25 million.

• 1960

  Durium broadens its pop roster and international distribution

  [1]Durium Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The company promotes a large group of Italian pop artists while distributing licensed international repertoire through its manufacturing and sales network.

• 1950

  Expansion into Italian light music

  [1]Durium Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Durium strengthens its popular-music activities and develops a roster of Italian singers and instrumental performers.

• 1948

  Mintanjan joins and stabilizes the company

  [1]Durium Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Krikor Mintanjan enters the business, with Elisabel Mintanjan, Aurelio Airoldi and Franco Cassano taking important management and artistic roles.

• 1935

  Durium is founded in Milan

  [1]Durium Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Durium La Voce dell'Impero is established by Milanese entrepreneurs, including Alberto Airoldi.

A vertically integrated Italian independent record company combining artist discovery, recording, manufacturing, distribution and promotion, with a particularly strong presence in post-war Italian popular music and licensed international repertoire.

• Record label · 1935

  Durium Records

  The core Durium label issued Italian popular music, albums, singles, extended plays and selected spoken-word material. Its catalogue covered post-war light music, pop, instrumental recordings and later rock and heavy metal, including releases by performers such as Little Tony, Fausto Papetti, the Camaleonti, Vanadium and Fiordaliso.

• International and soundtrack imprint

  Durium Marche Estere

  Durium Marche Estere was intended for recordings of foreign origin, although its releases also included some soundtrack material. It used a distinct label design and catalogue prefix within the broader Durium release system.

• Sub-label

  Targa

  Targa was an associated Durium imprint that issued albums and singles, including releases connected with Vasco Rossi. It formed part of Durium's strategy of organizing different repertoires under specialist labels.

• Sub-label

  Circus

  Circus began as a smaller label distributed by Durium and was later taken over by the company. Durium continued issuing Circus-related singles under the imprint's catalogue sequence.

• Sub-label and jazz catalogue

  Adventure

  Adventure was a Roman label focused on introducing new artists and releasing jazz albums. Durium first distributed it and later incorporated it into its wider label structure.

• Sub-label

  Royal Series

  The Royal imprint specialized in launching new performers. Early issues carried the Royal name alone, while later releases used the Durium–Royal Series designation and continued the existing catalogue numbering.

• 1989

  Attempted Durium–Ariston catalogue combination through KonoM&A

  Background

  Rovelli sought to combine the Durium and Ariston catalogues while both companies faced substantial accumulated liabilities.

  Action taken

  Kono Records was created as an intended consolidation vehicle, but the planned combination was not completed.

  Aftermath

  Kono continued independently with some artists from the two companies, while Durium and Ariston ceased their original activities.

  Source

• 1986

  Outsource manufacturing and recordingStrategy

  Background

  Declining physical-record sales and the cost of maintaining the Erba plant and Milan recording facilities put pressure on Durium's integrated operating model.

  Action taken

  Under Enrico Rovelli, the company abandoned in-house pressing and printing, closed or relinquished major facilities and outsourced recording and mixing.

  Aftermath

  The restructuring reduced the company's industrial footprint but did not prevent Durium from ending its original operations in 1989.

  Source

1. 1Durium Recordsen.wikipedia.org