Prior Estonia becoming a Republic of the USSR in 1940, there were approximately 100 independent printers in the nation. Under Soviet control, all printing and publishing industries were reorganized into a state monopoly. Oktoober Printing was one of roughly 18 state-controlled printers in the Estonian SSR. In 1973, the General Government of the Printing Industry was liquidated and in its place, the Estonian Printing Industry Production Association was formed. It took-in the various printing houses, including Oktoober.