De La Rue: Experts in Banknotes, Postage Stamps, and More

De La Rue is a name you might not know, but you've likely come across their work. They're experts in creating secure and authentic banknotes, postage stamps, and other government documents. Their expertise is so renowned that they're the official banknote printer for several countries.

De La Rue's history dates back to 1813, making them a company with a rich heritage. They've been around for nearly two centuries, which is a testament to their commitment to quality and innovation.

De La Rue has a rich history that dates back to 1811, when it was founded by a Frenchman named Georges Bigot in London.

The company started out as a small printing business, but it quickly grew and became known for its high-quality banknotes and other security documents.

In 1824, De La Rue began printing banknotes for the Bank of England, a relationship that would continue for over 190 years.

The company's innovative approach to printing and security features helped establish it as a leader in the industry.

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De La Rue's expertise in printing and security led to it being awarded a contract to print the first postage stamps in 1840.

The company continued to innovate and expand its services, and by the early 20th century, it was a global leader in the production of banknotes, passports, and other security documents.

De La Rue's commitment to quality and security has earned it a reputation as a trusted partner for governments and financial institutions around the world.

De La Rue sells high-security fully finished banknotes, polymer substrate, and security features for over 69 national currencies. The company designs a third of banknotes globally.

The demand for banknotes is at its lowest level in 20 years, according to De La Rue. This is due to a decline in consumer use of cash, as more transactions are made online or with cards, and particularly contactless payments.

De La Rue is also printing the new banknotes featuring the image of King Charles, although those will not enter circulation until the middle of next year.

De La Rue has reported that demand for banknotes is at its lowest level in 20 years, with a low order book going into fiscal year 2024.

This comes after a surge in demand during the pandemic when central banks stocked up on currency, but now they're running through their stock and delaying new orders.

The company, which designs a third of banknotes globally, expects its full-year profit to be in the "low £20m range", which is a significant drop from previous expectations.

Consumer use of cash is in decline, with more transactions being made online or with cards, and particularly contactless payments.

Shares in De La Rue fell by as much as 30% on Wednesday, before regaining some ground, after it published its trading update.

De La Rue is also in talks with its banks over its loan agreements due to lower profits and higher interest rates.

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Printing money is a highly secure process that involves several steps to ensure the authenticity of banknotes. De La Rue, a company that prints banknotes for over 69 national currencies, uses a polymer substrate and advanced security features to produce high-quality banknotes.

De La Rue's process begins with the production of polymer sheets, which are shipped to the company from Innovia. These sheets already have see-through windows in place, making them ideal for printing banknotes. The sheets are then printed with the design, which can feature images like Winston Churchill or King Charles.

The sheets are then fed into a foiling machine, where foils are applied to the note. This adds an extra layer of security to the banknote. The Queen's head is added to the note at this stage, and the banknotes are then UV treated on both sides to prevent counterfeiting.

De La Rue's banknotes undergo over 200 separate tests to ensure quality and security. These tests include checking for features like foil coloring, raised print, and microlettering. The company's team designs and implements these security features to increase the authenticity of the banknotes.

Here are some of the security features found on De La Rue's banknotes:

De La Rue produces a wide range of secure documents, including tax stamps and postage stamps of the United Kingdom.

Their expertise in security printing extends to manufacturing other secure items, such as playing cards and banknotes.

De La Rue's security printing capabilities are utilized by the Bank of England to produce printed securities, including the new fiver.

The company's team designs and implements various security features to increase the security of the notes, including foil colouring, words that appear differently depending on the angle, and raised print.

These features are put through over 200 separate tests to ensure quality and security.

Here are some of the security features found on five and ten-pound notes:

De La Rue has a long history of printing postage stamps for various countries, including the United Kingdom, Italy, and the Confederate States of America. The company has printed stamps for the UK and its colonies, as well as for Italy.

The Cape of Good Hope triangular postage stamps, printed by De La Rue & Co in 1853, are a notable example of the company's work in this area. De La Rue has also printed stamps for other countries, including St. Christopher in 1884.

One of the most interesting aspects of De La Rue's postage stamp printing is the variety of designs and themes they've used over the years. The company has printed stamps featuring everything from monarchs to landscapes.

Here are some examples of De La Rue's postage stamp printing work:

In 1843, De La Rue's designs for playing cards became the basis for the modern standard design.

De La Rue's designs for playing cards set a new standard in the industry, one that's still followed today.

The playing card business was sold to John Waddington in 1969, marking a significant change in ownership.

This sale had a lasting impact on the industry, shaping the way playing cards are designed and printed.

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De La Rue is in talks over a near-£100m deal to sell up to a 40% stake in the business for £98 million.

The company is discussing the potential stake sale with UK private equity firm Disruptive Capital GP and Pension SuperFund Capital, who are acting together under the name PSFC Entities.

The two firms have indicated they are not seeking to take control of the business and have confirmed their support for De La Rue's management and current strategy.

De La Rue's shares would be priced at £1.25 each as part of the deal.

The company is also exploring a possible sale of its currency division, or the business as a whole.

De La Rue's CEO Clive Vacher says they're not in any hurry to do anything strategic in terms of a sale, but are pursuing discussions to see if it's the right thing for stakeholders.

The company has been approached by multiple parties interested in a deal, and is now gathering expressions of interest.

De La Rue agreed the sale of its authentication arm to US-based firm Crane NXT in October for £300 million.

The deal will help De La Rue repay a loan due in July next year and reduce the funding deficit on its former defined benefit pension scheme.

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De La Rue has a rich history of innovation, and one of the key areas where they've made significant contributions is in the development of various products over the years.

The company's first major product was the banknote, which they introduced in 1855.

One of their earliest banknotes was the £5 note, which featured a portrait of Queen Victoria.

In addition to banknotes, De La Rue also produced postage stamps, with their first stamp being the 1840 Penny Black.

The Penny Black was a groundbreaking innovation in its time, featuring an adhesive strip that allowed it to be stuck to letters and packages.

The company's products have been used in many countries around the world, including the UK, where they've been a major supplier of banknotes and stamps for over 150 years.

Their expertise in currency and stamp production has also led to the development of secure identification documents, such as passports and ID cards.

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De La Rue is a company with a rich history, founded in 1821 by Thomas de la Rue in Basingstoke. It started by producing straw hats, but soon shifted to making stationery.

The company has a global presence, with sites in the UK, Kenya, Sri Lanka, and Malta. They operate in multiple locations to cater to the world's demand for their products.

De La Rue is famous for manufacturing high-security products like banknotes, passports, cheques, ID cards, and stamps. Their design team ensures these products are both visually appealing and secure against forgery.

The company received its first order for train tickets in 1841, and within five years, they were producing 1.5 million tickets every week. This was a staggering number, even by today's standards.

In 1853, De La Rue was awarded its first stamp contract, which led to the creation of the world's first surface-printed stamp. This innovation marked a significant milestone in the company's history.

The company produced its first paper money in 1860, printing banknotes for the government of Mauritius. These notes featured new security designs like micro-lettering and color print.

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