The Branch of Flexographers and Engravers Flexographers and engravers are representing a branch of industry characterized by small firms, usually craft business. In order to correctly estimate the scale, the situation in Germany has been used as an example. More than 80% of approx. 350 stamp plants and approx. 90% of about 500 engraving plants have less than ten employees. Although some plants are specialized, the product range in both fields is very wide: Approx. 220 different stamp products are mentioned by Bundesverband Druck und Medien e.V. (bvdm), Section Flexography, in her “List of Merchandise Technology for Stamps, Stamp Products, Stamp Accessories, Definitions”, item no. 86111. Flexographers put their main emphasis on rubber and photo polymer stamps as well as self inkers. Furthermore, microcell stamps (pre-inked stamps), stamp devices and stamp accessories like stamp inks, stamp pads or stamp racks are being offered. Special fields of activity are the manufacture of flexo printing plates as well as making and marketing of signs and engravings. Engraving plants are also offering a similarly wide range of products. They put the main emphasis of the product programme on dies and engraving of signs – some companies offer up to 1400 items. However the total product range is offered by only 10% of the plants which are usually big while the remaining firms restrict themselves to a few groups of items like impact numbers, signs or flat engravings. The fields mentioned can be divided into two main groups which are defined by working technology. Signs, front plates and stamp formes are flat engravings (two dimensions) while embossing tools (cutting tools and steel stamps) come into the 3-D field. 3-D means engraving of contours in three dimensions.