BP – A New Name in Banknote Paper

BP Security is the new name for the security papermaker in Brazil, the only one in Latin America capable of producing banknote-grade mould made paper, formerly owned by Fedrigoni.

The history of Fábrica de Papéis de Salto, as it was previously known (or, more colloquially, just Salto), dates back to its foundation in 1888, one year before the formation of the Republic of Brazil. It wasn’t until 1978, however, that it began to produce paper for Brazilian banknotes.

By then the mill, which is located just outside the capital, Sao Paulo, was under the ownership of Arjowiggins, who had acquired it the previous year. In 2015, Arjowiggins sold it to Fedrigoni for €85 million. At that time, it had c. 400 employees, annual capacity of 20,000 tonnes and annual sales of €70 million and exported to countries throughout the region. It was renamed Fedrigoni Brasil Papéis Ltda. In 2018, Fedrigoni was acquired by Bain Capital, and two years later, the mill was sold to a group of private Brazilian investors for an unspecified sum.

The company has been divided into two – Blendpaper for speciality and commercial paper, and BP Security for banknote and security paper. In addition to mould made paper for currency, the latter also produces paper for passports, cheques, lottery tickets, certificates and tax stamps. Its product and technology portfolio includes thread and fibre insertion, hologram stripe application, taggants, markets and anti-bacterial/anti-viral solutions.