Consumables
DREWSEN SPEZIALPAPIERE Acquires PORTALS PAPERS LTD, Setting New Standards

Tuesday 04. February 2025 - The leading German manufacturer of security papers, DREWSEN SPEZIALPAPIERE, has acquired PORTALS PAPERS, a renowned British producer of high-security papers and a market leader in passport papers and identity documents.
This strategic acquisition unites the expertise of two specialized industry leaders, offering the market an unparalleled range of knowledge and capabilities.
In an age where counterfeit products can be created and disseminated with increasing ease, the merger of DREWSEN and PORTALS marks a pivotal development. Together, they offer an exceptionally broad range of security features for paper solutions, ensuring diverse and even the highest levels of counterfeit protection.
The coming together of these two successful papermaking companies will deliver signi cant expansion poten al and business bene ts for both par es, their customers, employees and shareholders, while also preserving the independence and unique strengths of each business.
AN INTELLIGENT PARTNERSHIP
Both papermakers, rich in heritage and tradi on, have cul vated a strong culture of reliability and excellence, backed by solid nancial performance. They have earned outstanding reputa ons through long-term rela onships and a relentless commitment to exceeding the needs of their customers and the broader market.
This well-planned partnership is built on strong founda ons and close collabora on, ensuring the same seamless service and high quality that their shared customer base have trusted for hundreds of years.
Both companies will remain and be run as individual en es, each specialising within their own areas of exper se and strengths and with a shared commitment to quality, security, sustainability and innova on.
FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH
The DREWSEN and PORTALS alliance provides long-term stability while se ng up both businesses for success, demonstra ng a con nued con dence, resilience and growth within the industry.
The combina on of DREWSEN’s and PORTALS’ technological capabili es, including both Fourdrinier and Cylinder Mould paper machines, provides clear and compe ve advantages, alongside invaluable market exper se, industry knowledge, technical understanding and customer insight. Their coali on provides boundless opportunity for innova on, mee ng the speci c needs of the iden ty ecosystem.
Addi onal bene ts include leveraging synergies to o er secure business con nuity, extended product ranges, improving logis cs and customer service, providing complementary o erings, and ensuring reliability of supply.
AN EXCITING FUTURE AHEAD
Ma hias Rauhut, CEO of DREWSEN SPEZIALPAPIERE, commented: “This acquisi on is an exci ng development and represents a new chapter for both our organisa ons. Driven by a clear vision and shared values, mutual trust, transparent coopera on, and a commitment to strategic collabora on, DREWSEN and PORTALS are stronger together, and we are ready to shape the future of the security paper industry. With the ability to o er both Fourdrinier and Cylinder Mould paper making solu ons, we can o er our customers new and unique possibili es, allowing for tailored, innova ve security paper solu ons that meet the highest standards. Addi onally, we o er a unique network for the best customer advice, ensuring that our clients always have access to expert guidance for their speci c needs.”
Ross Holliday, Director at Portals Papers Ltd commented “Today’s announcement is not just a consolida on of resources, but an arrangement that will bene t our customers, our employees and for the wider the industry itself. For Portals, this partnership provides new opportuni es for growth, enabling us to expand our product o erings while con nuing our successful opera ons at the Bathford Paper Mill. I am delighted to be part of Portals ongoing journey of success.”