Compo Company

Compo Company was a Canadian record company founded in 1918 in Lachine, Quebec, by Herbert Berliner, the eldest son of disc-record inventor Emile Berliner. Herbert Berliner was an executive at Berliner Gramophone of Canada, and Compo initially operated as a pressing and distribution business for independent American record companies seeking access to the Canadian market. One of its early relationships was with Okeh Records, whose recordings Compo pressed in Canada. The company became more independent and commercially ambitious after Herbert Berliner broke with Berliner Gramophone in 1921. Several senior Berliner Gramophone executives joined him, giving Compo the management base to develop from a manufacturing service into a full record company. Compo established and operated labels including Sun and Apex. Apex became the company's most enduring label and continued into the 1970s, making it an important part of Compo's long-term identity and Canadian recorded-music catalogue. Compo occupied a significant position in the development of Canada's recording industry. During the Great Depression, it was one of only two Canadian record companies identified as surviving the downturn; the other was RCA Victor Records of Canada, the successor to Berliner Gramophone. Compo also played an important intermediary role for foreign labels. Warner Bros. Records used Compo as its Canadian distributor before Warner established its own Canadian branch in 1967. That Canadian operation later developed into Warner Music Canada. In 1935, Compo became the Canadian licensee for American Decca Records. The relationship changed the company's scale and strategic importance, and American Decca acquired Compo in 1951. Herbert Berliner remained president after the acquisition and continued in that role until his death in 1966. Following MCA Inc.'s acquisition of American Decca, Compo became part of the MCA corporate structure. In 1970, it was renamed MCA Records (Canada), marking the end of Compo as the company's principal corporate identity. The Compo business ultimately evolved into Universal Music Canada through the later development of the MCA and Universal music businesses. Compo is therefore best understood as a historical Canadian record-company brand rather than an active independent label. Its importance rests on its role in domestic record pressing, the establishment of Canadian label operations, the distribution of international catalogues, and the formation of corporate structures that eventually contributed to a major Canadian music company.

Compo Company emerged during the formative period of Canada's recorded-music industry. It was founded in 1918 at Lachine, Quebec, by Herbert Berliner, who came from the Berliner Gramophone family and had been an executive of Berliner Gramophone of Canada. Rather than beginning primarily as a consumer-facing label, Compo was created to provide Canadian manufacturing and distribution support for independent American record companies. Its early work included pressing records in Canada for labels such as Okeh Records, allowing those companies to serve Canadian customers without establishing their own local manufacturing infrastructure. A major change occurred in 1921, when Herbert Berliner broke with Berliner Gramophone. Several senior Berliner Gramophone executives followed him to Compo, materially increasing the new company's operational capabilities. Compo then developed into a full record company, creating labels such as Sun and Apex in addition to continuing its pressing and distribution activities. Apex became the most durable of Compo's labels and remained active into the 1970s. Through these activities, Compo combined manufacturing, label management, licensing, and market access in a way that helped establish the structure of the Canadian record business. The company survived the severe economic conditions of the Great Depression. Historical accounts identify Compo as one of only two Canadian record companies to survive that period, alongside RCA Victor Records of Canada, which had developed from Berliner Gramophone. Compo's survival gave it a durable position in a relatively small national market and allowed it to continue acting as a Canadian partner for foreign music companies. International licensing became increasingly important to Compo's business. Warner Bros. Records used Compo as its Canadian distributor until Warner established a Canadian branch in 1967. That branch subsequently became Warner Music Canada. In 1935, Compo also became the Canadian licensee for American Decca Records. The Decca relationship was followed by an ownership change: American Decca acquired Compo in 1951. Herbert Berliner continued as president after the transaction and held that position until his death in 1966. Compo later became part of the MCA corporate structure when MCA Inc. acquired American Decca. In 1970, the Canadian business was renamed MCA Records (Canada). This was a corporate and brand transition rather than the disappearance of its Canadian operating legacy. The business ultimately evolved into Universal Music Canada through the subsequent development of the MCA and Universal music organizations. Accordingly, Compo's historical significance extends beyond its own labels: it helped create Canadian recording capacity, supported the local distribution of international catalogues, and formed part of the corporate lineage of a later major Canadian music company.

• 1970

  Renamed MCA Records (Canada)

  [1]Compo Companyen.wikipedia.org

  After MCA acquired American Decca, Compo was renamed MCA Records (Canada).

• 1967

  Warner establishes its own Canadian branch

  [1]Compo Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Warner Bros. Records ended its use of Compo as Canadian distributor after establishing its own Canadian branch.

• 1951

  Acquisition by American Decca

  [1]Compo Companyen.wikipedia.org

  American Decca acquired Compo, with Herbert Berliner continuing as president.

• 1935

  American Decca licensing agreement

  [1]Compo Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Compo became the Canadian licensee for American Decca Records.

• 1921

  Expansion into record-label operations

  [1]Compo Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Following Herbert Berliner's separation from Berliner Gramophone, Compo recruited senior executives and expanded into a full record company, creating labels including Sun and Apex.

• 1918

  Compo Company is founded

  [1]Compo Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Herbert Berliner founded Compo in Lachine, Quebec, initially to press records in Canada for independent American record companies.

A pioneering Canadian independent record company that combined domestic record pressing, label ownership, and Canadian distribution or licensing for international record companies.

• Record label · 1921

  Apex Records

  Apex was one of Compo's principal record labels and its longest-lasting label identity. It formed part of Compo's expansion from a pressing contractor into a full record company and continued into the 1970s. The label represents one of the clearest historical links between Compo's independent Canadian origins and its later corporate transitions.

• Record label · 1921

  Sun Records

  Sun was established as part of Compo's expansion into owned-label activity after 1921. It complemented Compo's manufacturing, licensing, and distribution functions by giving the company an additional platform for issuing recorded music in Canada.

• Music manufacturing service · 1918

  Canadian record pressing

  Compo's original business was pressing records in Canada for independent American record companies. This manufacturing role reduced the need for foreign labels to build their own Canadian facilities and made Compo an important intermediary in the early cross-border recorded-music trade.

• 1970

  Corporate renaming to MCA Records (Canada)Strategy

  Background

  MCA Inc. acquired American Decca, bringing Compo into the MCA organization.

  Action taken

  The Canadian company was renamed MCA Records (Canada).

  Aftermath

  The Compo identity ceased to be the principal corporate name, and the business eventually evolved into Universal Music Canada.

  Source

• 1951

  American Decca acquires CompoM&A

  Background

  Compo had become the Canadian licensee for American Decca in 1935 and was operating as an established Canadian record company.

  Action taken

  American Decca purchased Compo and retained Herbert Berliner as president.

  Aftermath

  Compo became part of the American Decca corporate structure, which later came under MCA.

  Source

1. 1Compo Companyen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Compo Company — The Canadian Encyclopediathecanadianencyclopedia.ca