A multistand press or similar press facility for the forming of sheet metal parts, is provided with bedplate, press stand and several press slides driven by the press drive for tool top parts interacting with tool bottom parts. Gearings for deflecting the rotating movement of the motor drive into the upward and downward movement of the press slides are arranged between press stands which each form a pair of stands, and are disposed opposite one another, and above the introduction of force into the press slides. Two gearings are provided for the respective pair of stands of two press slides. This make it possible to drive the press slides assigned to a pair of press stands from one press stand area.