Discover Benelux | Business | Belgian Business Profile
Very delicate laser cutting brochure cover, commissioned by volta.be
Bart and Johan De Bie, CEO.
Printing with care, that is De Bie TEXT: CHARLOTTE VAN HEK | PHOTOS: DE BIE PRINTING
A family company at heart, yet continuously innovative; De Bie Printing is a market leader in high-end printing in Belgium for a reason. “Where others stop, we take it a few steps further,” says owner Bart De Bie. De Bie Printing is a high-end printing company with decades of tradition of a customer-centric approach, high-quality printing, and unique productions. In addition to traditional printed material, De Bie specialises in complex productions for high-end customers. Almost everything is produced in their own workshop in Duffel. Projects range from art books, to laser cuts, to booklet die cutting. If you can imagine it, De Bie can print it. De Bie Printing’s story starts in 1922, when great-grandfather Joseph De Bie founded Printing House De Bie. Bart De Bie and his brother Johan are fourth-generation owners of the business, which currently counts 49 dedicated craftsmen. “How have we reached 95 years? A constant added value, in everything we do. We 74 | Issue 40 | April 2017
constantly use new and environmentally friendly techniques in order to meet our customers’ increasingly high demands.” It is an added value that is illustrated in the many innovative applications De Bie utilises, such as the Low Energy UVprinting press from Heidelberg. This press uses ultraviolet technology and results in a unique output, with colours that are extremely powerful. “And thus, perfect for the trickier realisations, such as art projects, automotive and fashion,” adds De Bie. Another example of De Bie’s tangible added value is presented in its laser-cutting service, which allows for fine punching of cardboard and paper in all possible forms. “In 2010, Stockmans Kalenders joined our group in Duffel as a market leader in business to business calendars. Stockmans also publishes a wide range of art books, finding its origin in the fascinating world of contemporary art.” De Bie Printing has earned its environmental stripes; from the bee hotel in the
front garden, to the 1,775 solar panels on the roof. “Previously, the printing sector had an image of being environmentally harmful. That is no longer true.” In 2016, De Bie Printing’s innovative and social philosophy earned recognition through the VOKA Ambassador Award; an annual award by the Belgian Chamber of Commerce. “While others in the printing industry have to deal with the difficulties arising from increasing digitalisation, we are ever expanding. We believe in the power of print, and therefore the future. A digital promotion, like an email or newsletter, gets lost in digital space – it is perishable. Print stays.” www.debie.net www.stockmans.be