Sdu

Sdu is a Dutch publishing company whose name descends from Staatsdrukkerij en Uitgeverij, the former state printing and publishing organization. Its historical role was closely connected with the Dutch government: the organization produced official publications and important state documents, including passports and voter-registration cards. The abbreviation Sdu emerged from this institutional name and remained associated with the company after it moved away from being a government printing operation. The organization has a long association with official Dutch publishing. It and the Staatscourant were among the first Dutch entities to receive the designation “royal,” a distinction awarded in 1806 during the rule of Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte. In the twentieth century, the company also became known for the quality and design of its printed work. After the Second World War, Sdu undertook a deliberate effort to make government-printed material more readable and visually appealing. This design-oriented tradition was influenced by figures such as P. Knuttel and by the work of typographers and designers who trained or worked within the organization, including Fra Paalman and Hans Kentie. Sdu became independent from the Dutch state in 1988, although the state initially retained ownership of its shares. The company was reorganized during this period, with a strategic shift from traditional printing toward publishing. One important consequence of this transition was the end of Sdu’s involvement in printing the Dutch telephone directory in 1999. The change reduced profits by 11 percent, illustrating the commercial pressure created by the decline of large-scale directory printing and the need to develop higher-value information products. Plans to privatize Sdu began taking shape around 2000. That year, Sdu and Joh. Enschedé began producing a new generation of Dutch passports designed by Jaap Drupsteen. Their joint identification-document business was initially known as Enschedé/Sdu and later operated as Sdu Identification, or Sdu-I. The identity-document operation became separate from the company’s core publishing activities and was eventually sold to SAGEM, a French technology company that was part of Safran, in 2008. Sdu attracted national attention after the discovery that hundreds of blank passports and identity cards had been stolen from its Haarlem printing facility. The theft had occurred in 2002, but the matter was not reported to police until 2004, after falsified identity documents made from the blanks began to appear. Former employees with suspected links to Nigerian organized crime were investigated. The episode damaged confidence in the security of the identification-document operation and contributed to the later sale of Sdu-I. The Dutch government put Sdu up for sale in 2006. In March 2007, the company was acquired by AAC Capital Partners, formerly ABN Amro Capital, and ACP Capital Partners, with each investor taking half of the shares. The Dutch state reportedly received €330 million from the transaction. Sdu subsequently continued its transformation into a specialized information and professional publisher. The company was taken over by the French publishing group Éditions Lefebvre Sarrut in 2013, which was particularly interested in Sdu’s fiscal, governmental, and legal books and periodicals. Sdu’s best-known publishing heritage includes official government material and the multi-volume historical series The Kingdom of the Netherlands During World War II. In its modern form, the company is positioned primarily around professional information rather than mass-market printing. Its portfolio is associated with legal, fiscal, governmental, and institutional users in the Netherlands. The available historical record does not provide enough detail to identify current executives, precise headquarters, or a complete current product catalogue.

Sdu originated as Staatsdrukkerij en Uitgeverij, the Dutch state printing and publishing organization. Its original remit was institutional rather than consumer-facing: it printed official government publications and documents such as passports and voter-registration cards. The organization was commonly shortened to Staatsdrukkerij, and the later Sdu name reflects that heritage. Alongside the Staatscourant, it was among the first Dutch organizations to receive the royal designation, granted in 1806 under Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte. The company’s institutional identity also shaped its design culture. Following the Second World War, Sdu pursued improvements in the presentation and readability of government-produced material. P. Knuttel advocated making official print more attractive and accessible, building on earlier criticism from typographer Jean François van Royen. Designers associated with Sdu included Fra Paalman, who worked there in the 1960s, and Hans Kentie, who worked there in the 1970s. Kentie later recalled that Anne Vondeling, then President of the Dutch House of Representatives, pressed for legislation and parliamentary reports to be designed for ordinary readers as well as specialists. Sdu became independent of the Dutch state in 1988, although the state retained its share ownership. The organization was reorganized to emphasize publishing rather than printing. This was a significant strategic change as conventional print volumes weakened and specialized information became more commercially important. In 1999, Sdu stopped printing the telephone directory, a move associated with an 11 percent decline in profits. Privatization planning began around 2000. Sdu retained a role in official security-document production during this transition. In 2000, it partnered with Joh. Enschedé to print redesigned Dutch passports created by Jaap Drupsteen. The joint operation was first called Enschedé/Sdu and later became Sdu Identification. It was separate from the main publishing business and ultimately sold in 2008 to SAGEM, a French company within the Safran group. The identity-document operation became controversial after hundreds of blank passports and identity cards were stolen from Sdu’s Haarlem facility. The theft took place in 2002 but was not reported to police until 2004, when counterfeit documents made from the blanks surfaced. Former employees suspected of connections to Nigerian organized crime were investigated. The matter reached national media in 2006 and contributed to questions about document-security controls. The division was later sold, while Sdu continued as a publisher. The Dutch government put Sdu up for sale in 2006. In March 2007, AAC Capital Partners, previously known as ABN Amro Capital, and ACP Capital Partners acquired the company, each holding 50 percent. The sale reportedly generated €330 million for the Dutch state. Historical figures cited for the business indicate that Sdu had approximately 650 employees by 2010; reported revenue was €217 million in 2008 and €130 million in 2011. These figures belong to specific historical periods and should not be treated as current financial data. In 2013, Sdu was acquired by Éditions Lefebvre Sarrut, a French publishing group interested in Sdu’s fiscal, governmental, and legal publishing portfolio. The company’s recognized publishing heritage includes The Kingdom of the Netherlands During World War II, a major historical series. Overall, Sdu’s development reflects a movement from state printing and official-document production toward specialized professional publishing, with legal, fiscal, governmental, and institutional information at the center of its later business identity.

• 2013

  Acquisition by Éditions Lefebvre Sarrut

  [1]Sdu (publishing company)en.wikipedia.org

  Éditions Lefebvre Sarrut acquired Sdu to strengthen its fiscal, governmental, and legal publishing portfolio.

• 2008

  Sdu Identification sold to SAGEM

  [1]Sdu (publishing company)en.wikipedia.org

  The identity-document division was divested to SAGEM, a French technology company associated with Safran.

• 2007

  Privatization completed through investor acquisition

  [1]Sdu (publishing company)en.wikipedia.org

  AAC Capital Partners and ACP Capital Partners acquired Sdu in March 2007 in a transaction that reportedly returned €330 million to the Dutch state.

• 2000

  New Dutch passport production began

  [1]Sdu (publishing company)en.wikipedia.org

  Sdu and Joh. Enschedé began printing redesigned Dutch passports, establishing the business later known as Sdu Identification.

• 1999

  Telephone-directory printing ended

  [1]Sdu (publishing company)en.wikipedia.org

  Sdu ceased printing the telephone book, a change linked to an 11 percent decline in profits.

• 1988

  Independence from direct state operation

  [1]Sdu (publishing company)en.wikipedia.org

  Sdu became independent from the Dutch state, while the state initially continued to own the shares.

• 1806

  Royal designation associated with the state printer

  [1]Sdu (publishing company)en.wikipedia.org

  The state printing organization associated with Sdu and the Staatscourant became among the first Dutch organizations to receive the royal designation under Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte.

Specialist Dutch information publisher with roots in official state printing and a focus on legal, fiscal, governmental, and professional content.

• Professional publishing

  Legal and regulatory publishing

  Sdu’s later business identity is strongly associated with legal information, including books, magazines, and other professional materials intended for practitioners and institutional users. The available reference material identifies legal publishing as one of the areas that attracted Éditions Lefebvre Sarrut at the time of its acquisition.

• Professional publishing

  Fiscal and tax publishing

  Fiscal content forms part of Sdu’s specialist information portfolio. Its publications serve professional and governmental audiences requiring structured information on taxation and related fiscal matters. Specific current titles are not identified in the supplied sources.

• Government publishing

  Governmental publications

  Sdu inherited a substantial role in publishing official Dutch government material. Historically, this included state publications and documents such as passports and voter-registration cards. The company later concentrated more heavily on publishing and professional information than on general state printing.

• Historical reference series

  The Kingdom of the Netherlands During World War II

  This multi-volume historical series is among the notable publications associated with Sdu. It documents the history of the Kingdom of the Netherlands during the Second World War and represents the company’s role in substantial documentary and historical publishing.

• Identity-document production · 2000

  Dutch passports and identity documents

  Sdu produced Dutch passports and identity documents in partnership with Joh. Enschedé beginning in 2000. This activity operated under the Enschedé/Sdu name and later as Sdu Identification before being sold to SAGEM in 2008.

• 2006

  Theft of blank passports and identity cards

  Hundreds of blank passports and identity cards were stolen from Sdu’s Haarlem facility in 2002. Sdu discovered the theft but did not report it to police until 2004, after falsified identity documents made from the blanks appeared. Former employees with suspected links to Nigerian organized crime were investigated. The controversy contributed to the later sale of Sdu Identification.

  Source

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• 2013

  Acquisition by Éditions Lefebvre SarrutM&A

  Background

  Éditions Lefebvre Sarrut sought to expand its presence in specialist information publishing.

  Action taken

  The French publishing group acquired Sdu, with particular interest in its fiscal, governmental, and legal books and magazines.

  Aftermath

  Sdu became part of a larger international professional-publishing group.

  Source

• 2008

  Divestment of Sdu IdentificationM&A

  Background

  Sdu Identification had become associated with the controversy over stolen blank identity documents and was distinct from Sdu’s publishing operations.

  Action taken

  Sdu Identification was sold to SAGEM, a French company associated with Safran.

  Aftermath

  Sdu retained its publishing-oriented identity while the identity-document business left the group.

  Source

• 2007

  Sale to AAC Capital Partners and ACP Capital PartnersM&A

  Background

  The Dutch government had begun preparing Sdu for privatization and put the company up for sale in 2006.

  Action taken

  AAC Capital Partners and ACP Capital Partners acquired Sdu, each taking 50 percent of the shares.

  Aftermath

  Sdu moved fully into private ownership and continued developing as a specialized publisher.

  Proceeds to Dutch state. €330,000,000 (March 2007 acquisition)

  Source

• 2000

  Launch of redesigned Dutch passport productionProduct launch

  Background

  The Dutch government introduced a new passport design created by Jaap Drupsteen.

  Action taken

  Sdu partnered with Joh. Enschedé to print the new passports through the Enschedé/Sdu operation.

  Aftermath

  The collaboration developed into the Sdu Identification business, which was later sold to SAGEM.

  Source

• 1999

  Withdrawal from telephone-directory printingStrategy

  Background

  Large-scale directory printing was becoming less central to the company’s future, and Sdu was shifting toward publishing.

  Action taken

  Sdu stopped printing the telephone book.

  Aftermath

  The change was associated with an 11 percent reduction in profits and reinforced the need for a more specialized publishing strategy.

  Profit. 11% lower (1999)

  Source

• 1988

  Transition from state operation to independent companyStrategy

  Background

  Sdu was separated from direct state operation, although the Dutch state retained ownership of the shares.

  Action taken

  The organization operated as an independent company and began restructuring its business model.

  Aftermath

  The reorganization laid the groundwork for a stronger emphasis on publishing rather than traditional printing.

  Source

1. 1Sdu (publishing company)en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Sdu official websitesdu.nl