De La Rue
De La Rue is a British security printing company that specialises in the design and manufacture of physical and digital security protections for items such as banknotes, developing polymer substrates and advanced anti-counterfeiting features like security holograms and threads.
Key Facts
- Founded in 1813 by Thomas de la Rue.
- Became the official printer IN 1855 for postage stamps in the United Kingdom.
- Co-founded the Camelot Group consortium in the 1990's.
- Their proprietary polymer material, 'SAFEGUARD', is used across 100 banknote denominations globally.
History & Founding
De La Rue has a unique and rich history which spans over more than 200 years.
- 1813: Founded in Guernsey by Thomas de la Rue, he initially launched a local newspaper before moving to London, producing straw hats, playing cards and paper products.
- 1855: Recognised as a secure printer, De La Rue became the official printer of postage stamps and paper money for the United Kingdom and international territories.
- 1967: In partnership with Barclays Bank, De La Rue developed and installed the world’s first ATM in Enfield, United Kingdom.
- 1990's: Co-founded the Camelot Group consortium, which successfully launched and operated the National Lottery in the United Kingdom.
The Modern Company
Headquartered in Basingstoke, England, the De La Rue designs and manufactures physical and digital security protections.
The company specialises in finished banknotes, polymer substrates and advanced anti-counterfeiting features such as security holograms and threads.
Over 54% of the world's currency issuing authorities use De La Rue for its products and services, with the company being responsible for designing roughly 60% of the banknotes in circulation across the globe.
Currency Production
De La Rue is an industry leader in the design and creation paper and polymer currencies, which uses their own proprietary polymer material, 'SAFEGUARD', which used across 100 banknote denominations, offering cleaner, more durable and more secure currency alternatives.
Global Footprint
De La Rue sells its products and services to governments, central banks and businesses in approximately 140 countries.
Private Ownership
In July 2025, De La Rue moved from being a public company to private ownership after being acquired by the private equity firm Atlas Holdings. Its previous authentication division, which handled tax stamps and brand protections, was subsequently merged into Crane NXT.
