Licence to print money

UK firm De La Rue may lose one of its most prestigious clients, as the Bank of England launched a £1 billion tender for the future…

UK firm De La Rue may lose one of its most prestigious clients, as the Bank of England launched a £1 billion tender for the future production of its banknotes.

The 199-year-old company produces banknotes covering more than 150 national currencies. It has an office in Swords, Co Dublin, but the firm is not involved in currency printing in Ireland.

In November, the bank asked bidders to apply for a contract expected to run for at least 10 years, raising the possibility of the country’s banknotes being produced by a non-British company.

– Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2012