DFC Manufacturing Group
Fiber laser cutting a steel die board, sparks fanning across the bed

DFC Manufacturing Group

Connect with specialists in packaging tooling, prepress, printing plates, specialty converting, and industrial cutting, all within the DFC family of companies.

  • Cutting Dies
  • Press-Ready Tooling
  • Thermoform Trim Tools
  • Foil & Embossing Dies
  • Flexographic Plates
  • Prepress & Color
  • Prototypes & Short Runs
  • Print Finishing
  • Industrial Cutting
  • Specialty Graphics
  • Technical Support
  • Converting Supplies

A wider range of solutions. The right team for your project.

DFC brings together companies with distinct skills across packaging, print, and industrial applications. Whether you need a cutting die, a printed prototype, a finished piece, or help resolving a production challenge, DFC connects you with the team that fits the work.

Capabilities
12
U.S. locations
26
States
15
Point of contact
1
Steel rule set into a die board in a tight carton nest
Foam die tooling laid out on the bench before assembly
Tooling, plates, and finishing, produced in the United States

Capabilities

What can DFC help you make?

Explore the tools, services, and production support available across the DFC companies.

How a die gets built.

Four passes between your artwork and a tool that is ready for the press.

  1. Engineer

    Your file becomes a die layout. Rule path, nicking, and stripping worked out against the press it will run on.

    Die layout drawn up on screen before cutting
  2. Cut

    Laser cuts the board and the rule slots in one pass, so the kerf matches the rule thickness exactly.

    Laser-cut steel plates fresh off the bed
  3. Bend

    Rule is bent, notched, and bridged on CNC benders, then set into the board by hand and mallet.

    Die maker seating bent steel rule into a board with a mallet
  4. Prove

    Rubber, counters, and a test cut before the tool leaves. You get a die that runs, not a die that needs work.

    Counterplate checked against an emboss die before shipping

Rule height, rubber placement, stripping, nicking. The parts of a tool nobody sees until one of them is wrong.

Steel rule cutting die with ejection rubber fitted
Rule and rubber, set and shimmed
Custom-profile steel rule with rule heights stamped along the blade
Rule heights, stamped on the blade
Machined embossing die showing stepped relief
Stepped emboss relief
Deboss slugs machined for a carton panel
Deboss slugs
Mechanical stripping tooling for a die-cut sheet
Mechanical stripping
Braille tooling raising dots on a pharmaceutical carton
Braille tooling

Built around the work you do.

DFC serves corrugated and folding carton converters, commercial printers, food packaging manufacturers, medical device companies, agencies, direct mail producers, and industrial customers.

Explore Industries
Precision foam die tooling laid out on a workbench

Keep the production conversation going.

Your next challenge may involve a new application, a difficult setup, operator training, or a replacement component. Explore technical support and converting supplies available through DFC companies and industry partners.

Specialized companies. Broader possibilities.

Each DFC company brings its own experience, customer relationships, and technical strengths. Together, they give you access to a broader range of tooling and production services through a national network.

Meet the Companies
  • AirMark
  • Converting Technology
  • Craftsman Cutting Dies
  • Impact Alliance
  • Larkin
  • Mark Trece
  • Sharples
  • Stafford Cutting Dies
  • Triangle
  • Tru-Cut
DFC Pluss Programe

One membership across the whole family.

Member pricing, priority lead times, and reorder history, wherever in the DFC network your tooling is cut.

  • Member pricing

    Preferred tooling rates that apply across every DFC company.

  • Priority lead times

    Front-of-queue scheduling and expedited rush handling.

  • Reorder history

    Your full tooling history in one place, so any job can be re-run instantly.

  • Dedicated support

    A named diemaker contact who knows your line and your parts.

  • Cross-brand catalog

    One login for every brand in the DFC family.

  • Early access

    First look at new capabilities, materials, and inline tooling.

Member

Free

For active clients

  • Reorder history and file vault
  • Live job status
  • Member pricing
  • Email support
Join free
Most popular

Plus

Invitation

For high-volume converters

  • Everything in Member
  • Priority lead times
  • Dedicated diemaker contact
  • Cross-brand DFC catalog
  • Quarterly tooling reviews
Request access

Enterprise

Custom

For multi-site programs

  • Everything in Plus
  • Managed inventory and VMI
  • Custom SLAs
  • Storefront integration
Talk to DFC

Local turnaround, national capacity.

Locations
26
States
15
Time zones
4

Twenty six locations means the company handling your work is usually a short drive away. When a job runs long, a deadline tightens, or an application calls for another specialty, the work moves inside the network instead of into a queue.

Map of the United States marking 26 DFC Manufacturing Group locations across 15 states, from Anaheim and Salinas in California to North Attleborough in Massachusetts and Lakeland in Florida

Frequently Asked Questions

Feedback

More Reviews
Accu-ZonaRated 5 out of 5
State Seal Company has been working with Accuzona for almost 20 years now. Throughout the years we have build a very strong working relationship that has helped State Seal Company land new business due to the ability to have tool made with very short notice. They have one of the fastest turn around at very competitive pricing. Their tool build quality is very high, as they use top brand raw materials. Excellent customer service and very knowledgeable staff. The ability to communicate directly with the tool designer and tool builders makes the ordering of the dies a very easy process. Mike has a vast experience and always offers tricks of the trade when designing difficult and custom shape dies.
Tony Gjika, Director of Process Engineering, State Seal Company
Accu-ZonaRated 5 out of 5
Accuzona has always provided superior products and service. The team at Accuzona has been instrumental in the success of TMI. The Accuzona team always takes the time to identify potential problems and educate our staff.
David Bunge, TMI
Craftsman Cutting DiesRated 5 out of 5
Craftsman Cutting Dies is literally the best! Customer Service and craftsmanship is next to none.
Craftsman Cutting DiesRated 5 out of 5
Craftsman Team, you have no idea how much help you are. This is a rough industry to be a rookie in and you are life savers.
Craftsman Cutting DiesRated 5 out of 5
The stars aligned just right for me today. The die is here and as always working perfectly. My most sincere THANK YOU, a million times over.
SharplesRated 5 out of 5
WOW. Thank you, guys! THAT IS WHAT I CALL SERVICE. Heck, that is beyond service.
SharplesRated 5 out of 5
I appreciate very much the level of prompt service you have been able to provide!
Stafford Cutting DiesRated 5 out of 5
The dedication and expertise of Stafford's Technical Field Support personnel is unmatched in this industry. They are always available press side to work through any challenge to satisfy our customer's most extreme requirements.
Stafford Cutting DiesRated 5 out of 5
Using Stafford's online system provides us with the ability to view the status of placed orders, reprint invoices and packing slips, review old quotes, and create new tooling quotes in a matter of minutes enabling us to complete projects faster.
Stafford Cutting DiesRated 5 out of 5
I really value Stafford delivery system. Their drivers are very courteous, placing tooling in one area of our facility and delivering the proofs and paperwork to another area. The driver is available to pick up tooling in need of repair, so we don't have to package it and create shipping tickets. Their ability to provide digital signatures along with pictures has been helpful as well.
Tru-CutRated 5 out of 5
For decades, Tru-Cut has consistently served as an invaluable partner and supplier to Peczuh Printing and Paperbox. Their demonstrated ability to offer adaptable and innovative services and solutions has greatly contributed to our operations. Regardless of project magnitude, Tru-Cut consistently upholds an attitude of attentiveness and esteem. Their agility in scheduling is commendable. Beyond all else, they play a pivotal role as cooperative associates during the preliminary phases of intricate projects, significantly aiding in meticulous planning and seamless process navigation.
Frank Peczuh, CEO, Peczuh Printing Company
Tru-CutRated 5 out of 5
Tru-Cut is an important part of our business as a local cutting die manufacturer. Tru-Cut will respond immediately to problems encountered on the equipment with replacement parts and expertise. Tru-Cut finishing capabilities help us eliminate our biggest production bottlenecks and provide solutions for projects that are too difficult to get through our machines. Responsive, courteous, and professionalism are hallmarks of Tru-Cut people and services.
Tru-CutRated 5 out of 5
The quality of work and customer service we have received over the years from Tru-cut has always been above the bar. They are always listening to our needs and making recommendations that have improved our own product offering. Tru-cut on numerous occasions has come to our shop and confirmed that the quality of their work has been met to our satisfaction. The quickness in which they respond has been appreciated and to our delight helped us keep time sensitive projects on time. We are extremely grateful for their partnership and look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship for years to come.

Tell us whatyou're working on.

Share your application, materials, equipment, and project requirements. DFC will identify the right company for the work.

Start a Conversation
  • Answered by people who build the tooling
  • Existing dies, drawings, and samples welcome
  • Routed to the company closest to your operation
DFC Pluss Programe

DFC Pluss Programe

One source for packaging tooling, printing plates, prepress, specialty converting, print finishing, industrial cutting, and the production support around them.

  • AirMark
  • Converting Technology
  • Craftsman Cutting Dies
  • Impact Alliance
  • Larkin
  • Mark Trece
  • Sharples
  • Stafford Cutting Dies
  • Triangle
  • Tru-Cut