Swiss Post Stamp Printers Ceased Production 2002

The PTT, Swiss Post Stamp Printers closed down end
of June 2002 after 72 years.


See here:http://www.filahome.nl/e/stamps/020...printers.htm


And since Hélio Courvoisier also closed down in 2001 (bought by
Walsall Security Printers ) Swiss stamps now are produced
by foreign printers.

But that's the trend in the lats few years, long time
established security printers either close down due to bankruptcy
or get taken over by one of the remaining large players.

Perfect example was British American Bank Note, Ottawa.
Established in 1866 taken over by Giesecke & Devrient GmbH in 1999
and closed down end of 2012.
Of course part of the reason was the fact that both BABN and the
Canadian Bank Note Co printed Canadian bank notes and since
the volume of banknotes needed is down due to the cessation
of $1 and $2 bills and these new polymer bills there was
no need for 2 printers.

Just to remind anyone who is interested in printers,
go to Glenn Morgan's site for a list.

http://www.stampprinters.info/SPI_C...y_Canada.htm

This reminds me of the fact that I was probably one of the last persons (apart from their personnel) to have seen the Wertzeichendruckerei "alive"! I was in Bern on October, 23, 2001 visiting the Printing House. I still got a pile of photographs - I was allowed to take every close-up I wanted to! - that need to be digitalized... The ink-mask rollers in the Giori-thread are from that day:



And I also was in Walsall, UK when WSP [Walsall Security Printing], on June 1, 2001, the very day they announced that they had taken over Courvoisier!
WSP was a bit more strict about taking photographs though, but still that pile needs some scanning as well.

Rein I'm envious of you since I have never been
inside a security printing plant.

A visit like that would be like a dream come true for me.