Our portfolio
Koninklijke Johan Enschedé
Stepping into the future
- Fund II
- STAMP PRODUCTION
- Entry 2014
- Exit 2023
- Sales €60 million
Founded in 1703, Royal Joh. Enschedé is among the most historic businesses in the Netherlands. From its humble beginnings as a small book printing shop in Haarlem, the company evolved into a globally renowned printer of banknotes, stamps and security documents. Having printed the banknotes for the State of the Netherlands since 1814, Royal Joh. Enschedé was forced to change its business strategy in 2016, faced with an increasing overcapacity in the international banknote-market. As the majority stakeholder of the Royal Joh. Enschedé holding company since 2014, Nimbus has not only been actively involved in restructuring the company’s banknote division, but its shift in strategic focus and development of new market segments as well, making sure Royal Joh. Enschedé maintains its worldwide leading role as an innovative security printing company stepping into the 21st century.
The international market for banknotes has been characterised by overcapacity for years, with many parties competing for tenders with rock-bottom prices. Even with optimized business processes and enhanced productivity, Royal Joh. Enschedé was not able to operate at such low-price levels maintaining the high product quality the company is renowned for. This led to a change of focus ceasing the company’s banknote production in 2017. With a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of high security printing and security solutions, Royal Joh. Enschedé changed the focus to products for financial transactions, cash equivalents and certified products and their successful business in printing stamps, visas, diplomas and certificates . Building on its unrivalled security printing expertise, the company provides advanced anti-fraud and anti-counterfeiting solutions tailored to client wishes.
Nimbus acquired a majority stake in Royal Joh. Enschedé in January 2014, after the company was faced with financial issues when a major order for Euro banknotes was postponed the year before at the request of the European Central Bank. The following years, Nimbus helped streamline Royal Joh. Enschedé into a future-proof company, concentrating on profitable global developments, such as the growing demand for quality postal stamps in Asia. Working closely with Royal Joh. Enschedé’s management and workforce, Nimbus is set on securing the company’s future by innovating in current markets and tapping into new segments. In 2018, for instance, Royal Joh. Enschedé acquired a majority stake in AntTail, a Dutch technology company specialized in solutions to monitor supply chains with sensors and cloud services. Investments, such as a new 4-color Intaglio printing press, allow Royal Joh. Enschedé to broaden its services and strengthen its position as a leading specialist for secure, high-quality and trustworthy print work and related anti-counterfeit solutions.
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