A press for the manufacture of dimensionally stable compacts from powdered material, characterized by the features of a press frame having vertically adjustable columns and cross-connections, a die retainer plate, at least one upper ram retaining plate, at least one lower ram retaining plate, a guide column outside a press main axis which has two parallel guideways on which all retainer plates are adapted to be guided vertically on one side or be selectively locatable, wherein the lower end of the guide column is fixedly coupled to a frame-mounted lower plate and the upper end is located on the press frame, an upper adjustable drive adapted to be located on the press frame, for the upper retaining plate (34), a lower adjustable drive (68) for the lower retaining plate (38, 40) and the die retainer plate, if desired, and which is fixed to the frame-mounted lower plate.