Letterpress & Die-Stamping

ARTISANAL PRECISION SERVING GRAPHIC ELEGANCE

Letterpress printing and hot die-stamping are at the heart of our most valuable expertise. True signatures of luxury and refinement, these techniques add depth, shine, and a unique tactile emotion to your printed materials.

Ideal for: high-end invitations, premium labels, luxury packaging, prestige business cards…

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LETTERPRESS & DIE-STAMPING BY DRIFOSETT

WHEN PRECISION MECHANICS MEET MASTERED CRAFTSMANSHIP.

🖋️ Impeccable precision in every mark

Our Heidelberg platen presses and die-stamping machines allow for calibration to a tenth of a millimeter, ensuring sharp and consistent results — even on the most challenging papers.

🌟 Exceptional visual and tactile effects

Embossing, debossing, hot foiling in gold, silver, or metallic tones… we reveal every detail of your creations with brilliance and finesse.

📦 Noble finishes to elevate your designs

Drop caps, ornaments, fine lines, embossed seals… Typographic finishes can be infinitely customized to enhance your graphic identity.

💼 Full in-house expertise

From cliché engraving to printing, every step is handled in-house in our workshop, ensuring quality, confidentiality, and responsiveness.

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🏭 A RARE & PRECIOUS MACHINE PARK

ICONIC PRESSES FOR OUTSTANDING RESULTS.

🔧 Original Heidelberg Platen Press

A true icon of traditional printing, the Original Heidelberg Platen — nicknamed “Windmill” for its rotating mechanism — remains a benchmark in the world of letterpress. At Drifosett, our 7 platens are meticulously maintained and calibrated to ensure clean, consistent, and powerful printing — even on thick or textured stocks.

Its high-performance inking system, constant pressure, and versatility make it ideal for premium projects: business cards, invitations, labels, luxury packaging… Letterpress printing brings unmatched tactile depth and elegant visual impact, perfect for blind debossing or bold typographic layouts.

🔥 Crabtree-Vickers semi-automatic die-stamping press

Used for traditional die-stamping, this machine applies strong pressure using a steel-engraved punch on a paper sheet placed between the punch and its counterpart. The result: an exquisitely fine, deeply recessed mark.

Ideal for prestige documents, premium labels, coats of arms, or official seals.

🧠 In-house artisan workshop for hand-engraved stamping clichés

In our workshop, die-stamping clichés are engraved by hand using traditional techniques: punching, chiseling, hard varnish, acid etching, or pantograph. Each steel cliché is unique and crafted to enhance every detail of a crest, monogram, or typeface.

This internal mastery ensures total control over quality and relief depth, producing stamping pieces of unparalleled precision — perfect for your most demanding projects.

Original Heidelberg

Crabtree-Vickers

Drifosett is a high end quality printing based in Brussels in Belgium since 1958 We are proud to craft beautiful printing products every day
Copyright © Drifosett Printing SA 2025

Technical helper

Details to help you

Our formats

The A paper sizes result from an ISO standard and are based on the format of one square meter corresponding to the A0 format. Each size A(x) is defined as the size A(x-1) cut in half parallel to its shorter side. Each size is then rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Some international requirements where the A-series is not suitable have led to introduced the B-series paper sizes: the size width B(x) is defined by the geometric mean between size A(x) and size A(x-1).

Finally, the C-series was introduced to define the corresponding envelope sizes to the above paper sizes. Thus a C4 envelope can accommodate an A4 document, etc.

Les formats papiers de la série A

 

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Our supports

Our various equipment allows us to print on supports and in very diverse and varied formats.

  • Our offset park offers us possibilities ranging from 60 gr to +- 700 gr. (depending on the hand of the paper).
  • We can also print in letterpress papers around 850 gr.
  • Our flatbed machines and digital tools allow us to print on flexible rolls or rigid media up to 5 cm thick.
  • Whether it’s paper, stickers, panels or synthetic media, over time we have developed knowledge and expertise in the various media and related techniques.
  • We work with several Belgian wholesalers, which allows us to have access to a very wide range of different qualities.

Do not hesitate to make an appointment and come see us to that we can determine and analyze together the support and the most appropriate tool to carry out your work.

Our prints

  • Offset prints: consists of spreading ink on a surface of paper, with dry areas and wet areas, which determine the adhesion of the ink. Ideal for larger print runs.
  • Hot printing: Consists of transferring a film onto paper through the action of temperature and pressure.
  • Digital Paper Printing: also called digital printing, consists of producing documents formatted by computer processing, directly on paper in a printer. Ideal for short runs.
  • Digital Printing Other Supports: digital printing consisting of applying directly to different supports than paper, by format, texture or rigidity, in a printer of suitable size.
  • Other types of printing: see our “Services” section.

Our foldings

Folding is putting the pages in the correct order:

  • Cross, rolled, window, economy or wallet fold, documents can be folded in many ways either by machine or by hand
  • If the paper is thicker, then tracing is necessary before folding.

LEAFLETS

A leaflet is a folded but not stapled document. There are several kinds of folds: Pass your mouse over the pictograms to see the animation

Cross pleats
Economy folds
Wallet pleats
Accordion pleats
Roll pleats
Brochures

A brochure is an assembly of folded and shaped (stapled) signatures. It must include a number of pages multiple of four. Two types are distinguished according to the direction of reading: the French brochure and the Italian brochure.

French brochure
Italian brochure

Our bindings

Binding consists of assembling several sheets or several notebooks into a brochure, or a book:

  • The 2-point metal binding or saddle stitching or stapling binding is the most classic binding. This process also allows the use of Alpha staples suitable for folders.
  • The glued square spine is adequate for larger paginations.
  • The sewn binding (sewing with linen thread + glued square spine) is the strongest binding.
  • Wire-O binding consists of punching the pages and binding them with a spiral iron.
  • The Singer bindingis a binding with an exposed thread seam.
  • Other types of bindings: see our “Professions” section.

Our cuts

Cutting means perfecting the finish of your documents:

  • Laser cutting,
  • Cutting on flat table,
  • Die-cut (Drifosett Printing S.A. has many models in stock), all starting from an electronic file.

Back thickness calculation

In order to determine the thickness of the spine of your document (such as a square spine), it is essential to take into account several elements:

Interior
The cover
Thickness of the square-glued back:

PDF for print

  • PDF for “Portable Document Format”,
  • This format preserves document formatting regardless of authoring software, or viewing software.
  • The fonts, illustrations, photos or colors of the original layout are not altered and this is the reason for its use in printing.

Here are some tips for a “Ready to Print” PDF:

  • COLOURS:
    • Process CMYK: Remove Pantone elements by turning them into process, and unused colors from your document.
    • In Pantone color(s): Rigorously standardize every color reference in your software.
    • Varnish, Emboss, or Die-Cut Shapes: Please provide additional renowned Pantone type color and/or separate file to avoid errors.
  • PICTURES:
    • Images in 300dpi resolution (not 72dpi for digital use).
    • Maximum magnification at 120%.
    • In four-color CMYK (and not in RGB for digital use).
    • Or in Pantone color(s) (1, 2 or 3 colors).
  • LOST EDGES & CUT TRAITS:
    • Extend your images from the format with a 5mm overhang on the side(s) that justify it.
    • Be sure to plan the cut lines for a precise finish.
  • NAME:
    • A name consisting of a maximum of 8 characters.
    • Only letters of the alphabet, numbers and “_” are accepted.
    • Do not use letters with accents or special characters.
  • VERIFICATION FROM OUR PRE-PRESS DEPARTMENT:
    • Is your PDF file conforming to production?
    • Or is the resolution too low?
    • Perhaps a new file is warranted?

RGB, Quadri or Pantone

  • A screen is black when turned off (and therefore colorless). Light is added to it to create colors.
    • Technology RGB stands for red, green and blue (or RGB in English for red, green and blue)
    • makes it possible to create very vivid colors supported by a light source.
    • This is how this RGB reference is used for all types of screen: computer, tablet, smartphone or television for example.
  • The quadrichromy or CMYK in French
    • for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black, or CMYK in English for cyan, magenta, yellow and the key – black key)
    • allows you to combine dosages of three colors that reflect the entire chromatic spectrum until you reach the reflection of dark brown,
    • and/or adding black to achieve the darkest color reflection in printing.
    • The combinations of these basic colors allow up to 16 million chromatic shades.
  • The company Pantone has referenced more than 1100 colors bearing a unique number,
    • internationally standardized for the world of printing.
    • The stability of these color references makes them very suitable for company, service or product logos, but are not compatible with digital printing.
    • 3 Pantone categories: C coated paper – U uncoated paper – M matte paper.
    • Special colors: fluorescent colors, metallic colors, etc.
    • The CMYK process makes it possible to get closer but rarely to achieve exactly the Pantone colors and vice versa (We are talking here about Quadri / Pantone correspondence).

Glossary of printing

Mix (print): Impose multiple documents at the same time when printing.

Solid: Print a color tint, without gradient and without frame.

Collection: Putting printed sheets in order before stapling them into notebooks, magazines, books.

Flip: Flip a sheet with printing on the front to then print it on the back from the same plate.

Benday: Break down the pantone reference of a four-color process color as closely as possible.

Bitmap: Black and white image at 100% color, with no shades of gray.

Blanket: Rubber form attached to each cylinder of the printing unit. This shape allows the ink to be deposited on the sheet.

Good to roll: At the end of the setting of the machine at the start of printing, the reference sheet which will be used for the duration of the printing.

Good to print (BAT): The printed and signed proof for the customer’s agreement for the launch of the final print.

Bleeds: If you want to print to the edge of the sheet, the graphic composition must be provided 5 mm beyond the cut line. 5mm Bleeds are important to allow for this cut and printed effect (see also “Bleed”).

Stitching : Once assembled, the different signatures are bound together using different techniques (2 stitches, glued square spine, sewn square spine are the main ones).

Notebook: Folding a sheet makes it possible to form pages. When 1 fold determines 4 pages, we are talking about a notebook made up of these 4 pages.

Adjustment : Adjust the inking, identify the perfect superposition of colors, but also their density when launching the print in order to obtain the right to roll.

Railway: The layout of a brochure takes into account an assembly plan and the placement of texts and illustrations for a coherent reading result.

CB: Said of a type of glossy coated paper

CM: Said of a type of Matt Coated paper

CMYK: Abbreviation for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. These 3 primary colors and black (quadrichromy) are used in printing. They are called subtractive primary colors.

Cromalin: It is a document printed from plates and serves as a control and reference to calibrate the colors, before launching a print in the desired quantity.

CTP – Computer to Plate: Technique which consists of passing a document directly from the computer to the printing plates, eliminating the film manufacturing and assembly phases (this technique has become the most common in modern printing).

Knockout: These are text or images left blank in a printed surface (see “Reserve”).

Hot foil: Hot application of gold or silver foil.

Square glued spine: A binding of notebooks glued into the covering cover.

Sewn and glued square spine : A binding bringing together sewn notebooks, then glued into the cover (even more solid process than the previous one).

DPI: Abbreviation in English of “Dot per Inch” which translates to pixels (dots) per inch.
One inch equals 2.54 cm. The higher the number of pixels per inch, the higher the definition of the image. Images in print should be scanned at 300 dpi.

Inserting: Inserting is the act of inserting one notebook into another.

Shaping : Any operation occurring after printing: folding, creasing, cutting, stitching…

Pass Sheets: When initiating a print for color adjustment, sheets are used. It is generally a waste that should be recycled as best as possible.

Bleed: Artwork or solid color that overflows the document (see also “bleeds”).

Landscape format: Format used horizontally. This format is also called Italian format or Oblong.

Portrait format: Format used vertically. This format is also called French format.

Waste: Amount of sheets wasted during the first printing (makeready) and then finishing (cut, fold) stages.

Paper Embossing: Paper Embossing is the act of pinching a sheet into a raised shape (positive, negative, or both) with or without an inked impression.

Grammage: The weight of a sheet per square meter is used as a measure of paper thickness. Choosing a paper therefore means mentioning its weight and