Drewsen Special Papers

What Drewsen Special Papers does

DREWSEN SPEZIALPAPIERE GmbH & Co. KG is a family-owned German specialty paper manufacturer headquartered in Lachendorf, Lower Saxony, producing uncoated, wood-free specialty papers across three paper machines with an annual capacity of 170,000 tons. Founded in 1538, it is one of the oldest paper manufacturers in Germany and operates three core product groups — PROSECURA (security papers for passports, visas, tax stamps, cheques and postage stamps), PROTECH (technical base papers for silicone coating, extrusion, metallization and self-adhesive label face papers), and PROFINO (print and packaging papers including high-speed inkjet, thin printing, publishing, business and specialty papers). The company has run the 'Sustainable Paper Solutions' business development group since 2019, focusing on paper alternatives to plastic such as PROBARRIER Nature (PFAS-free greaseproof barrier paper), PROSTRAW drinking straw paper and PROSEAL heat-sealable paper.

The company sells directly to enterprise customers via product group managers and regional sales directors, with wholly-owned sales entities in Germany (headquarters, Lachendorf), the United Kingdom (since 1985) and the United States (Philadelphia-area logistics center since 2016), plus regional coverage for Southeast Asia. Pricing is quote-based B2B, with no public list pricing; recent announcements include 6–8% price increases effective July 2026 driven by raw-material cost inflation. Drewsen holds an extensive certification portfolio (ISO 9001/14001/50001, HACCP, FSSC 22000, FSC, PEFC, EU Ecolabel, Nordic Swan, EcoVadis Gold 2022 / Silver 2023) and is targeting 80% climate neutrality by 2030 via investments in wind, solar, and a GETEC partnership for emission-neutral energy supply. In January 2025 the company acquired PORTALS PAPERS LTD, the UK market leader in passport papers, and is undergoing a leadership transition with Amir Mirsakarimi becoming sole Managing Director from January 1, 2026.

Name

Drewsen Special Papers

Legal name

DREWSEN SPEZIALPAPIERE GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://drewsen.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Drewsen Special Papers is a family-owned German manufacturer, founded in 1538, producing 170,000 tons annually of uncoated wood-free specialty papers across PROSECURA (security), PROTECH (technical) and PROFINO (print and packaging) lines for government, financial, pharmaceutical, food-packaging and industrial converters in 70+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Paper Manufacturing

NAICS

Paper Mills (322120)

SIC

Paper Mills (2621)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Paper Manufacturing (Coated, Release, Thermal, Filter, Security) (IMAMAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial & Technical Paper Manufacturing (Electrical, Abrasive Backing, Medical/Pharma) (IMAMAEAD), Paper Labels & Paper-Based Release Liners (IMALACAK)

Keywords

• Specialty paper manufacturing
• Security paper production
• Barrier packaging paper
• Industrial base paper
• Sustainable paper solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Lachendorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Specialty Paper Sales: Direct sales of specialty papers across three product groups: PROSECURA (security papers), PROTECH (technical papers), and PROFINO (print and packaging papers). Products sold directly to customers with custom specifications and standard product ranges.
2. Custom Product Development: Development partnerships with customers for customized paper solutions tailored to specific market and process requirements. Revenue from bespoke product development alongside standard offerings.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Drewsen Special Papers manufactures uncoated, wood-free specialty papers at its single site in Lachendorf, Germany, across three product groups: PROSECURA security papers (for passports, bank cheques, tax stamps, postage stamps, and brand protection), PROTECH technical base papers (for silicone coating, extrusion, metallization, and label face applications), and PROFINO print and packaging papers (including PFAS-free greaseproof barriers, drinking straw papers, heat-sealable papers, high-speed inkjet papers, publishing papers, and business/specialty papers). The company also operates the Sustainable Paper Solutions business group developing paper alternatives to single-use plastic.

Product overview

Drewsen Special Papers operates as a single-site manufacturer of uncoated, wood-free specialty papers at Lachendorf, Germany, producing 170,000 tonnes annually across three paper machines. The company markets three core product groups: PROSECURA (security papers for anti-counterfeiting applications including tax stamps, postage stamps, passports, cheques, and security inkjet papers), PROTECH (technical base papers including PRODURA for coatings/extrusion/silicone coating, and PROLABEL for self-adhesive label face papers), and PROFINO (print and packaging papers including PROBARRIER PFAS-free barrier papers, PROSTRAW drinking straw papers, PROSEAL heat sealable papers, PROINKJET high-speed inkjet papers, publishing papers such as PROLIGHT, PROFIL, PROLIBRO, and business/specialty papers). Since 2019, the company has operated the 'Sustainable Paper Solutions' business development group focusing on paper as a replacement for plastic, encompassing barrier papers, drinking straw papers, and heat sealable papers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PROSECURA: Security papers for anti-counterfeiting protection including passports, bank cheques, revenue stamps, and brand protection solutions.
• PROTECH
• PROFINO
• SUSTAINABLE PAPER SOLUTIONS

Products and services

• PROSECURA Security Papers

Quantifiable outcome

• Supply chain to over 70 countries worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GETECcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 February 2024GETEC and DREWSEN signed contracts for sustainable and emission-neutral energy supply for the production site in Lachendorf, Lower Saxony. This partnership supports DREWSEN's goal of CO2-neutral paper production.
• HPcoreTechnology or Integration · 25 May 2016HP certification for DREWSEN inkjet papers on all HP PageWide Web Presses (T200, T300, T400 Series). PROINKJET Professional and PROSECURA Security Paper Inkjet Professional certified for trouble-free processing.
• INTERGRAFminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2015Regular exhibitor and presenter at INTERGRAF Security Printers Conference, presenting security paper innovations and anti-forgery solutions.
• Identity WeekminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipation at Identity Week in Amsterdam for identity and security document industry networking and展示.
• FACHPACKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual exhibitor at FACHPACK trade fair in Nuremberg showcasing sustainable paper packaging solutions.
• Security Document World (SDW)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular exhibitor at SDW Conference in London presenting security papers and anti-counterfeit solutions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mondi: Global packaging and paper group producing containerboard, kraft paper, and specialty papers. Increasingly competing with Drewsen in sustainable packaging papers and PFAS-free barrier paper segments as part of its broad packaging portfolio.
• Stora Enso: Nordic paper and biomaterials giant producing packaging papers, biomaterials, and wood products. Competes with Drewsen in food-grade packaging papers and barrier paper development as part of a wide renewable materials portfolio.
• Heinzel Group: Austrian paper group with operations including Heinzel Paper, Europapier, and book paper subsidiaries. Comparable to Drewsen in uncoated woodfree specialty papers and European geographic focus.
• Sappi Europe: Global specialty paper company with European mills producing coated and uncoated graphic, packaging, and specialty papers including release liners. Competes with Drewsen in technical/specialty grades as part of a much broader portfolio.

Direct peers

• Ahlstrom: Finnish specialty fiber-based materials manufacturer producing filtration, release liners, and specialty papers. Direct overlap with Drewsen's PROTECH technical base papers and label/silicone base paper business.
• PORTALS PAPERS LTD: UK manufacturer of high-security papers and market leader in passport papers; acquired by Drewsen in January 2025. Direct overlap with Drewsen's PROSECURA security paper portfolio in passports, visas, and identity documents.
• Fedrigoni: Italian specialty paper group with strong positions in security papers, self-adhesive materials, and premium packaging. Comparable to Drewsen in security paper and label face paper offerings, though larger and more diversified across graphics.
• Koehler Paper Group: German family-owned specialty paper manufacturer with operations including flexible packaging paper, fine paper, and sustainable paper solutions. Highly comparable to Drewsen in size, German mid-market positioning, and focus on specialty/security/technical grades.
• Arctic Paper (Munken): European specialty uncoated paper manufacturer producing high-quality graphic and specialty papers (Munken, Arctic, Amber brands). Comparable to Drewsen's PROFINO publishing and PROBARRIER specialty grades with similar end-market exposure.
• Glatfelter: US-based specialty papers manufacturer (now part of Magnera) producing nonwovens, composite laminates, and specialty papers. Comparable to Drewsen's technical and security paper segments with similar B2B specialty focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Drewsen Special Papers