<P> De La Rue plc (UK: / ˈdɛləruː /, US: / ˌdɛləˈruː /) is a British banknote manufacturing, security printing of passports and tax stamps, brand authentication and paper - making company with headquarters in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England . It also has a factory on the Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, and other facilities at Loughton, Essex, and Bathford, Somerset . There are overseas offices in Kenya, Sri Lanka and Malta . It is listed on the London Stock Exchange . </P> <P> The company was founded by Thomas de la Rue (1793--1866), who moved from Guernsey to London in 1821 and set up in business as a' Leghorn' straw hat maker, then as a stationer and printer . In 1831 he secured his business a Royal Warrant to produce playing cards . In 1855 it started printing postage stamps and in 1860 banknotes . In 1896, the family partnership was converted into a private company . </P> <P> In 1921, the de la Rue family sold their interests . The company was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1947 . Then called Thomas De La Rue & Company, Limited, it changed its name in 1958 to The De La Rue Company Limited . A takeover bid for De La Rue was made by the Rank Organisation plc in 1968, but this was rejected by the Monopolies commission as being against the public interest . In 1991 the company's name was changed again--this time to De La Rue plc . </P> <P> In 1965 De La Rue established a joint venture with the Italian printer and inventor Gualtiero Giori called De La Rue Giori . Based in Switzerland, the company specialized in building banknote printing equipment . </P>

Which countries does de la rue produce passports for