De La Rue
De La Rue is a British commercial currency production and cash handling systems company headquartered in Basingstoke, Hampshire.
History
The company was founded by Thomas de la Rue (b. March 24, 1793 in Forest, Guernsey). Thomas de la Rue moved to London in 1821 and set up in business as a stationer and printer. The family partnership was in 1896 converted to a private company. In 1921, the de la Rue family sold their interests and the company was made public. The parent company, called Thomas De La Rue changed its name in 1958 to The De La Rue Company Limited. A takeover bid for De La Rue was made by the Rank Organisation plc in 1968 but this was rejected by the Monopolies commission as being against the public interest. In 1991 the company’s name was changed to De La Rue plc[1].
Current products
Banknotes and Security Printing
De La Rue sells high-security paper and printing technology for over 150 national currencies. They claim to be the largest such corporation in the world.
De la Rue prints banknotes for many banks worldwide, including:
- Bank of England
- Several Central Banks of the Eurozone
- Kenya
- The Royal Bank of Scotland
- Central Bank of Sri Lanka
- Bank of Scotland
- Isle of Man Government
- Reserve Bank of Fiji
- National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia
Other printing activities include producing holograms such as the dove on the Visa credit cards, driving licenses, passports, travellers cheques and bank cheques.
Cash Handling Equipment
De La Rue manufactures a range of machines to manage cash including banknote counters, banknote sorters, coin sorters, ATM’s and ticket dispensers.
Past Products
Playing cards
In 1843 De La Rue established its first overseas trade, as de la Rue's brother Paul traveled to Russia to advise on the making of playing cards. Thomas de la Rue's designs for playing cards are the basis for the modern standard design. The playing card business was sold to John Waddington in 1969.
Postage Stamps
The company has also printed postage stamps for Great Britain and some of its colonies. Some famous stamps such as the Cape of Good Hope triangulars were printed by De La Rue & Co. after Perkins Bacon fell out of grace with the postal authorities of the time.
Writing Instruments
De La Rue claims to have developed the first practical fountain pen in 1881. De La Rue was a leading manufacture of fountain pens in Britain. Products were marketed under the “Onoto” brand. Production of fountain pens by De La Rue ceased in Britain in 1958 but continued for a few more years in Australia.
External links
- De La Rue company website
- Cape of Good Hope, stamps printed by De La Rue
- history of De La Rue’s playing cards
- A research website with more detail of De La Rue company history
Trivia
There is a traditional pub in Guernsey named after Thomas De La Rue on the town sea front; Thomas De La Rue frequently drank there.
References
- ^ "De La Rue: Corporate History". Retrieved 2006-08-06.