TIMELINE-From Libya to China, banknote printer De La Rue's 200-year history
Nov 26 (Reuters) - British banknote printer De La Rue , whose roots stretch back nearly 200 years, on Tuesday warned its future was in doubt, wiping almost a quarter off the company's value.
From printing cash during World War Two to developing the world's first cash machine, here are some of the milestones in the company's history:
OCTOBER 2019
London-listed De La Rue cut its profit forecast for the second time in five months days after appointing turnaround specialist Clive Vacher as CEO.
JULY 2019
UK Serious Fraud Office opened a criminal investigation over "suspected corruption" in South Sudan, where De La Rue had won a contract to print the country's currency.
MAY 2019
De La Rue warned of a profit downturn this year and said its CEO Martin Sutherland would step down, triggering a 29% fall in shares.
MAY 2018
Activist investor Crystal Amber said https://in.reuters.com/article/us-de-la-rue-activist/activist-crystal-amber-says-de-la-rue-vulnerable-to-takeover-idINKBN1I243A the company was "highly vulnerable" to a takeover.
MARCH 2018
Company lost https://in.reuters.com/article/britain-eu-passport/sacre-bleu-new-post-brexit-british-passport-to-be-made-by-franco-dutch-firm-idINKBN1GY10N a contract to make new blue British passports after Brexit to Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto.
NOVEMBER 2011
Company won https://www.reuters.com/article/delarue/update-2-de-la-rue-profit-lifted-by-south-sudan-deal-idUSL5E7MM0KG20111122 a contract to supply currency to newly independent South Sudan.
SEPTEMBER 2011
Britain's air force delivered https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-libya-britain-cash/dinars-from-heaven-as-britain-flies-banknotes-to-libya-idUKTRE77U4OR20110901 40 tonnes of Libyan dinars, printed by the company, to the country's new rulers following the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.
JAN 2011
France's Oberthur Technologies walked https://www.reuters.com/article/delarue-oberthur/update-3-oberthur-walks-away-from-de-la-rue-bid-idUSLDE70N0LK20110124 away from a bid for the company.
2009
De La Rue won a ten-year contract to produce the UK passport and the Bank of England renewed the contract to print sterling.
2003
De La Rue won https://polaris.brighterir.com/public/de_la_rue/news/rns/story/xoq4e1w the main contract to produce banknotes for Iraq after Saddam Hussein's death.
Company signed a seven-year contract to supply sterling for the Bank of England, taking over the bank's manufacturing operation
1967
Jointly developed and installed the world's first ATM outside Barclays Bank in Enfield, UK.
1957
Marketed banknote counting machine.
1947
Listed in London.
1939
During World War Two, De La Rue printed currency for some occupied countries, which was hidden in a quarry until the end of the war.
1934
China places its first order for currency.
1862
Supplied to the Confederate States the only American stamp to be produced abroad: the Five Cents Blue.
1860
Printed its first paper money - the Mauritius 5 pound, 1 pound and 10 shilling notes.
1821
Founder Thomas de la Rue set up in London, making straw hats before producing stationery, playing cards, railway tickets and stamps over next decades.
1813
Founder launched his first commercial venture, Le Miroir Politique newspaper in Guernsey.
Source: Reuters stories and company website https://www.delarue.com/about-us/our-history-orig.
($1 = 0.7794 pounds) (Reporting by Tanishaa Nadkar in Bengaluru. Editing by Josephine Mason and Jane Merriman)