PolyGram Record Service GmbH. Operating under this name from February 1978 (registered June 1978) until December 1985, and again, from September 1991 (registered November 1991) until December 1992.
German manufacturing and distribution company with two vinyl pressing plants, a tape duplication plant, and a CD plant. One plant ("Werk I") was located in Hannover (Podbielskistrasse) and one plant ("Werk II") was located in Langenhagen (Klusriede). The manufacturing department was responsible for galvanization, pressing, label and cover printing, as well as the cassette and CD manufacturing.
A separate division called "PolyGram Recording Centre" was also located in Hannover. They were responsible for the recording, mastering and cutting of lacquers until 1990, then they relocated to Langenhagen.
Werk I was pressing all 10" and 12" records and did the tape duplication until 1990, while Werk II did all the mastering and also pressing of injection molded 7"s, as well as the pressing of CDs. Also done in Langenhagen was all labels and cover printing, as well as the record and cassette assembly. After Werk I was closed, all activities (recording and manufacturing) were relocated to Langenhagen. All vinyl pressing ended by the end of 1990 (only lacquer cutting continued).
How to identify vinyl cuttings:
PRS Hannover lacquer cuts have a 320 (or 3 20) in the matrix. Please use Lacquer Cut At - PRS Hannover in these cases (1978 - Dec. 1985 and Sept. 1991 - Dec. 1992).
Another unique characteristic for this plant are the sideways arranged stamper letters, e.g. ᴒ. Usually, one or two letters, rotated 90°: A=1, B=2, C=3, ..., Z=26, AA=27, ..., AG=34, etc.
Not to be confused:
S1 and S2 are side identifiers, but
S1=1 or S1=2 etc. stand for the number of transfers to tape, so S1=1 means original master tape, and S1=2 stands for a tape copy.
How to identify vinyl pressings (until the end of 1990):
LPs pressed by PRS Hannover have a single narrow pressing ring of 20mm in diameter. The labels usually have GEMA and Made in West Germany or Made in Germany.
Contract LP pressings for Metronome (incl. sub-labels), MPS, MCA, etc. between 1979 and 1981 can be identified by the code string 0703.###.
These codes shall not be added as LCCN numbers.
PRS was a full service provider for the German market, i.e. the records were usually also pressed in Hannover ("Made in West Germany", German copyright text, GEMA). However, exceptions exist and therefore the plant should not be credited when one of the three characteristics is missing.
All injection moulded 7"s from the Polydor and Philips families of labels, and carrying a Made in Germany, were manufactured in Langenhagen.
Note: "G15" (which may appear as 615 though) in the runouts stands for pressings made by Polygram Industries Messageries on behalf of / for the PRS Hannover plant.
PRS vinyl releases often carry a colourless debossed "PRS Hannover" stamp on the back cover. That does not necessarily mean the cover was also printed or pressed in Hannover, but at least it was assembled there. Some covers were printed previously by Gerhard Kaiser GmbH. This stamp is not a PPID.
The very first CD was pressed in August 1982 and commercial CD manufacturing commenced on August 17, 1982 in the Langenhagen plant. However, CDs are usually credited as "Made by Polygram, Hanover, West Germany" (1982 - 1986).
In January 1986 (legally effective May 1986), PRS Hannover, with the Recording Centre, both plants, and all respective vinyl and CD manufacturing and distribution activities, are transferred to PDO, Germany (Philips And DuPont Optical GmbH). This lasted until September 1991 when the Recording Centre and plant in Langenhagen were transferred back to PRS GmbH.
Renamed to PMDC, Germany, effective January 1993.
Previously operating as Phonodisc GmbH.
"In January 1986 (legally effective May 1986), PRS Hannover, with both plants and all respective vinyl and CD manufacturing and distribution activities, are transferred to PDO, Germany (Philips And DuPont Optical GmbH). This lasted until September 1991 when the plants were transferred back to PRS GmbH.