Headlines of 2021 - That Was the Year That Was…

January

ECB reports a record low number of counterfeits for 2020; De La Rue announces expansion of production for its SAFEGUARD® polymer; Bank of England announces second round of substrate call-offs; NCRs buys Cardtronics; Gietz acquires majority stake in machine builder MABEG; Banknote and Currency Conferences to combine into one ‘super-event’; end of an era as National Bank of Belgium sells off site of printworks; France announces closure of third of cash centres; US Mint moves ahead with request to change coin composition.

February

UK cash industry joins forces to meet climate targets; SICPA Australia finds a new home with NPA; seaweed extract provides natural anti-contaminant for banknotes; 2020 proves a good year for polymer; Shrap offers a digital alternative to coins; Banque de France invests in modernisation of paper mill and printworks; Royal Dutch Kusters Engineering provides a healthy indoor environment for banks and banknote processing; COVID proves tough going for leading cash management companies; launch of ECO put back – again; G4S auction falls apart as Garda pulls out.