By December 1980, only five major record companies in Australia still operated their own pressing plants: Astor Records, which closed in December 1981; CBS Records Australia; EMI (Australia); Festival Records; and 7 Records, which was renamed Powderworks in September 1981 following a management buy-out led by 7 Records chief Ken Harding. RCA Australia had closed its pressing plant abruptly in November 1980, with approximately 90% of its pressing requirements transferred to EMI (Australia).
Following John Lennon's assassination in December 1980, demand for Lennon and Beatles titles surged dramatically. The pressure was so great that EMI (Australia)'s computer system temporarily failed under the strain. Even with its recently upgraded, fully automated pressing plant, EMI (Australia) was forced to seek additional pressing capacity elsewhere.
Most of the extra demand was met by EMI (New Zealand). However, EMI (Australia) also turned to CBS Records in Sydney and Astor Records in Melbourne for assistance. During the first half of 1981, these companies pressed a number of core Beatles LPs, specifically Please Please Me, With The Beatles, A Hard Day's Night, Beatles For Sale, Help!, Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles, Yellow Submarine, Abbey Road, Let It Be, Rarities (UK), and The Beatles Ballads. CBS Records also pressed copies of A Collection Of Beatles Oldies.
CBS Records pressings can be identified by the plant's distinctive 70mm diameter pressing ring. By comparison, EMI (Australia) pressings typically feature a much smaller ring, averaging around 33mm in diameter. Astor Records pressings are also distinctive, displaying a 38mm diameter pressing ring with a 3mm-wide indentation. Examples of CBS Records and Astor Records pressings, showing their respective pressing ring characteristics, appear below.
The number of copies pressed for each title remains unknown. However, the domestic contract-pressing arrangement appears to have been short-lived, ending by mid-1981.
