De La Rue also faces competition from state-run and private firms, which has pressured its banknote printing margins, and the increasing popularity of digital payments.. "We might have simply reached the point where De La Rue is best positioned as part of a bigger company rather than as a standalone entity," said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell. UK trade union Unite called the situation "very worrying" and said it was seeking clarification from De La Rue regarding its future, with its chief concern being the employment of more than 400 people at its Gateshead and Debden sites. The company posted a half-yearly operating loss of 9.2 million pounds, compared with a profit of 10.1 million pounds a year earlier, chiefly due to restructuring charges. Activist fund and second biggest shareholder Crystal Amber said it was "not alarmed" by De La Rue's weak first-half report, and had been encouraged by Vacher's turnaround plan.