Yorkshire jukebox maker secures $100k Japanese export deal

Jukebox manufacturer Sound Leisure has nabbed its first ever export order in Japan.

The Leeds-based company received an order worth $100k (c.£77.4k) for its classic vinyl jukeboxes from a luxury retailer in Tokyo.

The firm, Flat 4, sells vintage VW vehicles, parts and ’50s memorabilia.

Sound Leisure’s Yorkshire-made jukeboxes, which it said are the only vinyl jukeboxes still in production anywhere in the world, will be sold at Flat 4’s showroom in the Meguro district.

Sound Leisure has supplied its range of digital, CD and vinyl jukeboxes to pubs and venues in the UK and internationally for decades. The company now turns over £5m and gets most of its orders from private clients.

Since it was founded in 1978, Sound Leisure has manufactured over 100,000 jukeboxes at its Leeds factory.

Chris Black, managing director, said: “It’s really exciting to have gained a foothold in the thriving Japanese market where there is a huge demand among younger consumers for top quality, high-tech ‘retro’ products.

“Flat 4, were finding that the ageing mechanisms of their original ’50s stock of jukeboxes were not reliable enough for their discerning customers, and they approached us as the leading manufacturer of authentic jukeboxes with all the latest components and features. Japan has all the dynamics of a great market for us going forward.”

He continued: “As the one and only business now designing and building vinyl jukeboxes we are in a great position to expand our overseas sales and we’re working with organisations such as the Leeds City Region exporting network ExportExchange to help us to do that in the most effective way.”

Sound Leisure employs 80 people in Leeds and five in Nottingham. More than 75% of its turnover comes from overseas, with the US being its biggest export market.