Jobs fears at loss of passport contract

Over 300 jobs are at risk at a Chadderton company which has lost the contract to print new British biometric passports.

3M Security Printing and Systems — which used to be Her Majesty’s Stationery Office (HMSO) — lost 3,000 blank passports last year when thieves raided a delivery van loaded with 24 boxes.

Now the company has been snubbed by the Identity and Passport Service, which has chosen Basingstoke-based De La Rue as preferred bidder for the £400 million, 10-year contract.

3M was thought to be in pole position for the work. It was already printing biometric passports and secured another contract in May to print the first phase of national ID cards for Manchester Airport workers.

It lost out to De La Rue, the world’s largest commercial security printer and papermaker, involved in the production of over 150 national currencies and a wide range of security documents such as passports, fiscal stamps, travellers cheques and authentication labels.

De La Rue employs over 4,000 people across 17 countries and is a member of the FTSE 250.

In July, 2008, 3,000 blank passports and blank stickers for visas, printed at 3M Security Printing and Systems Ltd in Gorse Street, Chadderton, were stolen en route to RAF Northolt in London, intended for British embassies overseas.

Five Oldham men have since been charged in connection with the theft. The Foreign Office has admitted it was a serious breach of security.

The firm’s current contract with the Identity and Passport Service, part of the Home Office, will run until October next year.

3M, the giant American company, took over Security and Printing Systems Ltd in 2005. Until 1996, HMSO was a Chadderton institution, owned by the Government for more than 200 years.

The company said: “While we are disappointed with the decision, this does not impact on 3M’s commitment to the business and to serving our customers in the security market.

“3M SPSL has a strong product portfolio, rich opportunity pipeline and a diversified customer base. We will continue to provide excellent service and quality to IPS while the current contract remains in force until October, 2010.”