Draft:Diggers Factory
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| Type | Société par actions simplifiée |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music industry |
| Founded | September 23, 2015 |
| Founders | Alexis Castiel Victor Périn |
| Website | diggersfactory |
Diggers Factory is a French company founded in Paris in 2015 that operates an online platform for the production and distribution of physical music formats, primarily vinyl records. The platform enables artists, labels, and brands to release vinyl through a pre-order model.
History
[edit]Diggers Factory was founded on September 23, 2015, by Alexis Castiel and Victor Périn.[1] Castiel, a graduate of EDHEC Business School and Paris Dauphine University, developed the concept in response to the financial and logistical barriers that prevent independent artists from releasing music on vinyl.[2]
In 2017, the company raised €300,000 in a seed funding round and joined the French Tech Grand Paris ecosystem.
That same year, Diggers Factory established a partnership with the Institut national de l'audiovisuel (INA) to produce vinyl records from INA's broadcast archives, including previously unreleased live recordings by Serge Gainsbourg, Ray Charles, and Dalida. A Gainsbourg live maxi single produced through this partnership was the best-selling release on Record Store Day France in 2020.[3]
The company subsequently expanded its manufacturing offer to include CDs, cassettes, and merchandise, and developed direct-to-fan storefronts and international distribution. In a 2025 interview with the Music Business Association, co-founder and CEO Alexis Castiel described this evolution: "While we initially focused on supporting independent and smaller labels, we've grown to become a valuable partner for some of the biggest names in the industry."[4]
Business model
[edit]Diggers Factory's primary service is a pre-order model in which an artist or label sets a minimum production threshold, typically 100 copies. If that threshold is reached within the campaign period, manufacturing begins; if not, buyers receive a full refund.[2] This approach allows for production runs smaller than the minimums typically required by conventional vinyl manufacturers.
The company also offers direct pressing, in which clients purchase a fixed quantity upfront without a pre-order campaign. A community wishlist feature allows registered users to request reissues of out-of-print titles; when sufficient demand is recorded, the company contacts the relevant rights holders.
The company works primarily with French pressing plants.[5]
Clients and releases
[edit]Diggers Factory has worked with major and independent labels including RCA Records, Parlophone, Roc Nation, Ed Banger Records, Universal Music Group, and Sony Music Entertainment, as well as with brands including Netflix, Ubisoft, Hermès, and Nike.[2]
The platform has been used for releases including a limited-edition vinyl by Tommy Guerrero[2] and the Essential Games Music Collection Vol. 1 by London Music Works.[6]
In 2026, Joji's album Piss in the Wind, which debuted at number five on the Billboard 200, used a Diggers Factory storefront for its direct-to-fan physical sales.[7] James Blake's album Trying Times was distributed through a similar storefront. The company has also distributed official soundtracks for the Assassin's Creed franchise and the Netflix live-action series One Piece.[8]
Industry context
[edit]The company's development coincides with a resurgence in vinyl record sales. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), vinyl generated $1.4 billion in revenue in the United States in 2023, representing 71% of physical music sales.[9] In France, vinyl sales grew 4.5-fold between 2016 and 2020, according to the Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique (SNEP).
In 2025, Diggers Factory co-published a white paper with Ctrl+Reach, a music marketing consultancy, on the distribution of physical music across international markets.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ "Broke? This French Company Will Press Vinyl for Anyone's Budget". Vice. 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
- ^ a b c d "Breaking the vinyl mould with Diggers Factory". Attack Magazine. January 25, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
- ^ "Diggers Factory, la start-up qui distribue des vinyles édités par l'INA". Institut national de l'audiovisuel. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
- ^ "Super-Serving Vinyl Buyers & Artists Alike: Interview with Alexis Castiel of Diggers Factory". Music Business Association. January 22, 2025. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
- ^ "Diggers Factory, la start-up qui distribue des vinyles édités par l'INA". Institut national de l'audiovisuel. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
- ^ "Diggers Factory Digs Deep to Deliver Limited-Run Vinyl Pressings". Analog Planet. 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
- ^ "Piss in the Wind". Wikipedia. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
- ^ "One Piece: Into the Grand Line – 2LP Liquid-Filled Vinyl". Diggers Factory. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
- ^ "On-demand vinyl: How Diggers Factory is changing the game". Bridge.audio. 2025. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
- ^ "D2C international: un seul store pour vendre la musique physique dans le monde entier". Ctrl+Reach. 2025. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
External links
[edit]Category:Companies established in 2015 Category:Companies based in Paris Category:Music industry Category:Vinyl records Category:Crowdfunding Category:French music companies Category:Direct-to-consumer companies