What Rabe does

Rabe (legal entity: Graphische Betriebe Rudolf Keßner Weimar Corax Color & Stempel-Rabe GmbH) is a Weimar-based, family-owned German printing and stamp manufacturer that traces its origin to a stamping and engraving workshop founded in 1890 and was reorganized under Rudolf Keßner in 1980. The company operates from a single headquarters at Carl-von-Ossietzky-Straße 57A in Weimar, Thuringia, with seven employees, and runs two historically merged divisions — Stempel-Rabe (stamps and signage) and Corax Color (prepress, design, and printing).

Its core products span rubber stamps and accessories (wood stamps, self-inking stamps, date stamps, storage stamps, Printys, motif stamps, photo stamps, wedding stamps, and the Colop e-mark electronic stamp), small-to-medium-run digital and offset printing, professional graphic design and image retouching, and CNC- and laser-manufactured interior and exterior signage. Specialty offerings include the Liebe auf Papier wedding stationery sub-brand (liebeaufpapier.de) with metallic foil and embossing finishing, an artistic mourning and condolence card line (memento mori), and customizable New Year and Christmas greeting cards.

The business model is project-based, quote-only, and predominantly direct: B2B institutions (hospitals, government offices, publishers, political parties, cultural organizations) order via phone, email, or website contact form, while B2C consumers access stamp products through an Etsy storefront (Stempelrabe) and wedding stationery through the liebeaufpapier.de webshop, supplemented by trade show presence at TrauDich Köln and Wedding Sunday Berlin. All revenue streams are transactional one-time purchases or transaction-fee printing work; no subscriptions, recurring contracts, or public pricing are disclosed, and there are no external investors, funding rounds, or subsidiaries on record.

Name

Rabe

Legal name

Graphische Betriebe Rudolf Keßner Weimar Corax Color & Stempel-Rabe GmbH

Website

https://stempel-rabe.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1890

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rabe is a family-owned Weimar-based printing and stamp manufacturer offering rubber stamps, digital and offset printing, graphic design, CNC/laser signage, and specialty wedding and mourning stationery to regional German B2B institutions and B2C consumers via direct sales, Etsy, and liebeaufpapier.de.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Printing and Stamp Manufacturing Services

NAICS

Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books) (323111), Printing (32311), Stationery Product Manufacturing (322230)

SIC

Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Greeting Cards (2771)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom Printing & Decoration Services (Screen Print, Embroidery, Laser) (BPAFAMAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Decoration & Branding Services (Printing, Hot Stamping, Metallization, Labeling) (IMALAJAN), Office, Stationery & Craft Supplies DTC (CRAFACAL)

Keywords

• Custom rubber stamps
• Commercial printing services
• Wedding stationery design
• Sign manufacturing
• Graphic design services

Headquarters

HQ city

Weimar

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Stamps & Accessories: Sale of rubber stamps (wood stamps, self-inking stamps, date stamps, storage stamps, Printys, photo stamps, wedding stamps, motif stamps) and accessories including the Colop e-mark electronic stamp. Revenue is one-time purchase based.
2. Digital & Offset Printing: Small-run digital and offset printing services for business cards, flyers, brochures, magazines, and other printed matter. Customers can order via the integrated print shop.
3. Wedding Papeterie: Individualized wedding stationery (invitations, save-the-date, table decorations, thank-you cards) under the liebeaufpapier.de brand, featuring metallic foil and embossing finishes.
4. Mourning & Condolence Cards: Custom mourning and condolence card printing with artistic designs, envelopes, inserts, address labels, and funeral stationery.
5. Graphic Design Services: Professional graphic design and layout services, data checking, paper selection advice, and print finishing consultation. Offered as a standalone or bundled service.
6. Signs & Signage: Custom signs and lettering for indoor and outdoor use in various sizes, shapes, and materials using CNC and laser technology.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Graphische Betriebe Rudolf Keßner Weimar (Rabe) manufactures and sells custom rubber stamps and accessories, provides digital and offset printing services, produces CNC- and laser-cut custom signage and engravings, and designs personalized paper goods including wedding stationery and mourning/condolence cards. All production (graphic design, prepress, printing, finishing) is performed in-house or via vetted local partners at the Weimar facility. The business also resells third-party stamp brands such as Colop and Trodat, and operates the consumer-facing Liebe auf Papier wedding stationery sub-brand.

Product overview

Graphische Betriebe Rudolf Keßner Weimar (Rabe) operates as a traditional printing and stamp manufacturing company with two integrated divisions: Corax Color (high-end reproduction, prepress, design, and printing) and Stempel-Rabe (rubber stamps and signage). The core offerings center on stamps and accessories (wood stamps, desk stamps, date stamps, electronic Colop e-mark), complemented by a full suite of printing services (digital and offset), graphic design, image editing, scanning, and signage production. Specialty areas include wedding stationery (via the 'Liebe auf Papier' sub-brand), mourning and condolence cards, and seasonal greeting cards. The company also offers finishing services such as metallic foil stamping and hot embossing, with a comprehensive stamp catalog available as both digital and printed reference material.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Liebe auf Papier: Wedding stationery brand operating at www.liebeaufpapier.de, offering personalized printed materials for weddings including save the date cards, invitations, table decorations, and thank you cards with metallic foil and embossing options.

Products and services

• Stamps & Accessories Custom and stock rubber stamps and stamp accessories for businesses and consumers, including wood stamps, self-inking stamps, date stamps, motive stamps, wedding stamps, photo stamps, and the Colop e-mark electronic stamp.
• Digital & Offset Printing Digital and offset printing services for small to large print runs in various standard formats, with a range of paper qualities and binding options.
• Graphic Design & Conception Professional graphic design services from concept to finished product, including data verification, paper selection, and print finishing advice for business customers and event consumers.
• Signs & Signage Custom indoor and outdoor signage and lettering produced in various sizes, shapes, and materials using CNC and laser technology for precision cutting, engraving, and foil cutting.
• Wedding Stationery (Hochzeitspapeterie) Individualized wedding stationery including save-the-date cards, invitations, table decorations, and thank-you cards, with metallic foil and embossing finishing options, offered under the Liebe auf Papier sub-brand.
• Mourning & Condolence Cards Custom sympathy and condolence cards with artistic designs (including the memento mori collection), envelopes, inserts, and funeral ceremony stationery for bereaved families and funeral service providers.
• New Year & Christmas Cards Customizable Christmas and New Year's greeting cards with modern designs that can be personalized with company colors, logos, signatures, or team photos for B2B customers.
• Metallic Foil Finishing / Hot Foil Stamping Metallic foil finishing and hot foil stamping services applied to premium print products for business and consumer customers.
• Stamp Catalog Comprehensive reference catalog for the company's stamp range, available for download as a PDF or in printed form.
• Liebe auf Papier (Wedding Stationery Sub-brand) Sub-brand offering individually designed wedding stationery including save-the-date cards, invitations, table decorations, thank-you cards, and wax seals with personalized monograms, providing design, layout, printing, and finishing from one source.

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BWK Systemhaus GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTechnical maintenance and support for the company's website and IT infrastructure.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• CEWE (CEWE Stiftung): German printing and photo services group with retail and online channels for photo products, greeting cards, and personalized print items. Comparable in greeting card and personalized print categories (Christmas, wedding, condolence), but operates at much greater scale across Europe.
• Onlineprinters (diedruckerei.de): One of Germany's largest online commercial printers, offering offset and digital printing, finishing, and B2B/B2C services across Europe. Comparable as a German commercial printer with a broader product range and significantly larger scale than Rabe.
• Vistaprint (Cimpress): Global online printing and marketing services platform offering business cards, signage, wedding invitations, and promotional products. Comparable across nearly every product line Rabe offers, but at massive scale with a fully self-service online configurator.
• Flyeralarm: Europe's largest online print shop with a comprehensive catalog of commercial printing, signage, and promotional products. Comparable as a pan-European incumbent in the same digital/offset and signage categories Rabe serves, but with vastly greater scale and self-service e-commerce.

Direct peers

• Moo.com: Premium business printing company offering business cards, brochures, and personalized stationery via an e-commerce platform. Comparable in commercial printing, premium finishing (foil), and the wedding/event stationery space, with a stronger self-service digital model.
• Wir machen Druck: German commercial printer offering offset, digital, and large-format printing as well as finishing services. Comparable as a mid-sized German printing services competitor targeting similar B2B and B2C segments with self-service online ordering.
• Stempelshop.de: German online retailer specializing in custom rubber stamps, self-inking stamps, and accessories from brands like Trodat and Colop. Direct peer in the Stempel-Rabe product category with an e-commerce-first model that competes with Rabe's Etsy and direct channels.
• Basic Invite: US-based online wedding stationery and invitation company offering customizable designs with foil and finishing options. Comparable in the wedding papeterie and personalized invitation category that Rabe's 'Liebe auf Papier' sub-brand targets, with a stronger e-commerce and configurator model.

Emerging players

• Colop (Colop Stempelkissen): Austrian manufacturer of professional stamps, marking devices, and the Colop e-mark electronic stamp. Comparable as both a supplier (Rabe is an authorized reseller) and a category leader whose direct-to-consumer e-mark competes with Rabe's stamp offering.
• Trodat (Trotec Group): Austrian manufacturer of self-inking stamps and marking products. Rabe is an authorized reseller of Trodat products; the relationship makes Trodat both a supplier and an indirect competitor in the stamp category Rabe serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookde-de.facebook.com/Graphische-Betriebe-Rudolf-Ke%C3%9Fner-Weimar-Corax-Color-Stempel-Rabe-GmbH-139715106102830
• Pinterestpinterest.de/stempelrabe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rabe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rabe