Bundesdruckerei Welcomes New Owner

In order to safeguard national security interests, and within the scope of a selling process initiated at the beginning of this year, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the shareholders of Bundesdruckerei GmbH have basically agreed that Bundesdruckerei GmbH shall be sold to the Federal Republic of Germany.

Bundesdruckerei GmbH’s shareholders and managing directors welcome this step. It will ensure that Bundesdruckerei GmbH can successfully continue its national and international business in ID products and banknotes.

The acquisition of Bundesdruckerei GmbH also meets a security requirement for awarding Bundesdruckerei GmbH the contract to produce the electronic identity card. In this context, Bundesdruckerei GmbH will build a new production plant worth a total of up to €50 million  at its location in Berlin, thus confirming its commitment to the Berlin location and safeguarding currently approximately 1,300 jobs.

The Federal Republic of Germany had privatized Bundesdruckerei GmbH in 2000 by selling the company to a financial investor. The economic slump in the telecommunications market subsequently placed considerable pressure on ORGA Kartensysteme GmbH, then Bundesdruckerei GmbH’s subsidiary.

Its economic difficulties also caused Bundesdruckerei GmbH serious financial problems. To solve these existential difficulties the Federal Government, the banks and former shareholders agreed a restructuring plan under which Bundesdruckerei GmbH was indirectly taken over by partners of the international law firm Clifford Chance and a Frankfurt-based business consultant.

The restructuring and reorganization of Bundesdruckerei GmbH has been successfully completed in the meantime. Today Bundesdruckerei GmbH is once again a profitable company and a world leader in the field of ID technology and banknote printing. The company will do its utmost to further expand its successful position in this highly competitive market environment.

The selling process launched at the beginning of the year by the shareholders in close coordination with the Federal Republic of Germany and with the support of M&A consultants Rothschild GmbH, Frankfurt, will now be swiftly completed.