Hellbender Vinyl

Hellbender Vinyl is a vinyl record manufacturing company headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company operates from Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood and, following its 2025 acquisition of Softwax Record Pressing, also has a facility in Philadelphia’s Lawncrest neighborhood. It is described as the only record pressing plant currently operating in Western Pennsylvania and became the largest vinyl record manufacturer in Pennsylvania after acquiring Softwax out of bankruptcy. The company was founded by Jeff Betten, a manager associated with Misra Records, and Matt Dowling, a member of the band Paperhaus. The founders attributed the business opportunity to the vinyl revival of the 2010s, when demand for physical records increased among independent artists, established performers, record labels, retailers, and marketing agencies. Hellbender was established to provide regional pressing capacity at a time when the resurgence of vinyl was placing pressure on the limited number of plants able to manufacture records at scale. Hellbender’s business is centered on pressing vinyl records for third parties rather than releasing music under a conventional label model. Its client work has included projects connected with artists such as Brian Wilson, Wiz Khalifa, Victoria Monét, Sixpence None the Richer, Guster, Travis Scott, Caroline Rose, The Juliana Theory, Zao, Sparta, and others. Its customer base has also included independent and specialty labels, including DFTBA Records, Get Hip Records, and MCG Jazz, as well as commercial organizations such as Urban Outfitters and PepsiCo. The company’s production capability supports several thousand records per day. Its equipment includes LiteTone and WarmTone vinyl presses engineered by Viryl Technologies, along with a Hamilton M-231 and an SMT Model 1500. In addition to conventional record manufacturing, Hellbender has worked on unusual and promotional formats. Projects cited in connection with the company include a 7-inch record containing the ashes of William Roe, father of The Ataris singer Kristopher Roe; a record used in Mountain Dew Baja Blast’s Super Bowl LIX advertising campaign; a pancake-shaped record made with Pereira O’Dell for an IHOP campaign featuring Loverboy; and a collaboration with Munnycat described as the first three-dimensional vinyl record, using the disc as 3D glasses for stereoscopic album artwork. The acquisition of Softwax expanded Hellbender’s geographic reach and production footprint in Pennsylvania. The company has also received recognition in Business Intelligence Group’s Excellence in Customer Service Awards in 2025 and 2026, and won a 2026 Quality Business Award for service quality and industry standards. These recognitions position Hellbender as a specialist manufacturing partner emphasizing customer service, technical flexibility, and custom physical-media projects.

Hellbender Vinyl emerged from the renewed interest in physical music formats that characterized the vinyl revival of the 2010s. Jeff Betten, a manager associated with Misra Records, and Matt Dowling, a member of the band Paperhaus, founded the company after identifying a need for additional pressing capacity. Their concept was not primarily a conventional record label, but a manufacturing business serving artists, labels, retailers, companies, and agencies that required physical records. The company established its main operation in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood. Its location gave Hellbender a role in the Western Pennsylvania music ecosystem and made it the region’s only currently operating vinyl pressing plant, according to the company’s reference coverage. Its work has extended across independent music, major artist projects, jazz, alternative rock, hip-hop, pop, and branded entertainment. Reported clients include Brian Wilson, Wiz Khalifa, Victoria Monét, Sixpence None the Richer, Guster, Travis Scott, Caroline Rose, The Juliana Theory, and many other artists, along with labels and commercial customers such as DFTBA Records, Get Hip Records, MCG Jazz, Urban Outfitters, and PepsiCo. Hellbender’s production system uses multiple types of pressing equipment. Its Viryl Technologies LiteTone and WarmTone presses are supplemented by a Hamilton M-231 and an SMT Model 1500. Together, the equipment allows the company to produce several thousand records per day while supporting different project requirements. The company has also developed a profile around unusual projects rather than limiting itself to standard black or colored records. Its work has included shaped promotional products, advertising tie-ins, and records incorporating unusual physical or visual concepts. In October 2024, Hellbender collaborated with Pereira O’Dell on a pancake-shaped record for IHOP’s “Working for the Weekday” advertising campaign featuring Loverboy. The project illustrated how record pressing could be used as a physical extension of a brand campaign. Hellbender later participated in Mountain Dew Baja Blast’s Super Bowl LIX campaign by pressing a record of Seal’s “Kiss from a Lime,” the song used in the commercial. In May 2025, the company attracted attention for pressing a 7-inch record for The Ataris that contained the ashes of William Roe, father of singer Kristopher Roe. The company has also been associated with a collaboration with Munnycat that produced a record described as the world’s first three-dimensional vinyl record. In that concept, the record functioned as 3D glasses for stereoscopic artwork on an album cover, demonstrating Hellbender’s willingness to treat the physical record as both an audio carrier and a designed object. A major expansion occurred in 2025, when Hellbender purchased Softwax Record Pressing out of bankruptcy. The transaction added a Philadelphia facility in the Lawncrest neighborhood and made Hellbender the largest vinyl record manufacturing company in Pennsylvania. The acquisition increased the company’s production footprint beyond Pittsburgh while preserving its focus on specialist and client-driven record manufacturing. Hellbender’s later recognition has focused on service and quality. Business Intelligence Group announced the company as a winner of its Excellence in Customer Service Awards in 2025 and 2026. In 2026, Hellbender also won a Quality Business Award recognizing its reported service record and commitment to industry standards. Available reference material does not establish a precise founding year, ownership structure, revenue, employee count, or named current executive roster.

• 2026

  Quality Business Award

  [1]Hellbender Vinylen.wikipedia.org

  Hellbender won a Quality Business Award for service quality and adherence to industry standards.

• 2025

  Softwax Record Pressing acquisition

  [1]Hellbender Vinylen.wikipedia.org

  Hellbender purchased Softwax Record Pressing out of bankruptcy, adding a Philadelphia location and becoming Pennsylvania’s largest vinyl record manufacturer.

• 2025

  The Ataris ashes-containing record

  [1]Hellbender Vinylen.wikipedia.org

  Hellbender pressed a 7-inch record for The Ataris containing the ashes of William Roe.

• 2025

  Excellence in Customer Service Awards recognition

  [1]Hellbender Vinylen.wikipedia.org

  Hellbender was announced as a winner of Business Intelligence Group’s Excellence in Customer Service Awards.

• 2024

  Pancake-shaped IHOP campaign record

  [1]Hellbender Vinylen.wikipedia.org

  Hellbender collaborated with Pereira O’Dell to produce a pancake-shaped record for IHOP’s “Working for the Weekday” campaign featuring Loverboy.

• Company founded

  [1]Hellbender Vinylen.wikipedia.org

  Jeff Betten and Matt Dowling founded Hellbender Vinyl in response to the increased demand for vinyl manufacturing associated with the 2010s vinyl revival.

A regional, technically flexible vinyl record manufacturing partner combining conventional pressing capacity with custom formats and promotional production.

• Record manufacturing

  Standard vinyl records

  Hellbender presses conventional vinyl records for artists, record labels, retailers, and other customers. Its reported client list spans independent releases, established performers, jazz projects, alternative music, pop, hip-hop, and commercial catalog work. The company’s equipment enables production at a scale of several thousand records per day.

• Branded entertainment

  Custom promotional records

  The company produces records for advertising campaigns and branded projects, where the physical format is part of the creative idea rather than simply a standard music release. Examples include work for Mountain Dew Baja Blast and IHOP, demonstrating applications in experiential marketing, publicity, and collectible promotional merchandise.

• Custom record manufacturing

  Special-format vinyl records

  Hellbender has participated in projects involving unusual record shapes, commemorative materials, and visual effects. Documented examples include a pancake-shaped record, a 7-inch record containing cremated ashes, and a record designed to work with stereoscopic artwork as 3D glasses.

• 2025Mountain Dew Baja Blast Super Bowl LIX campaign

  United States

  Hellbender pressed a vinyl record of Seal’s “Kiss from a Lime,” used in Mountain Dew Baja Blast’s Super Bowl LIX commercial.

  Outcome. The work connected vinyl manufacturing with a national Super Bowl advertising activation.

  Source
• 2024Working for the Weekday

  United States

  Hellbender worked with Pereira O’Dell to manufacture a pancake-shaped record for IHOP’s advertising campaign featuring Loverboy.

  Outcome. The project highlighted Hellbender’s ability to manufacture novelty formats for brand marketing.

  Source

• 2025

  Acquire Softwax Record PressingM&A

  Background

  Softwax Record Pressing was available out of bankruptcy, creating an opportunity to expand Hellbender’s production capacity and geographic presence.

  Action taken

  Hellbender purchased Softwax Record Pressing and added its Philadelphia operation to the company’s network.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition made Hellbender the largest vinyl record manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania.

  Source

1. 1Hellbender Vinylen.wikipedia.org