diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/poi/ss/usermodel/DataFormatter.java b/src/java/org/apache/poi/ss/usermodel/DataFormatter.java
index 5ab2478ee..37115feb3 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/poi/ss/usermodel/DataFormatter.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/poi/ss/usermodel/DataFormatter.java
@@ -157,6 +157,12 @@ public class DataFormatter implements Observer {
      */
     private static final Pattern fractionStripper = Pattern.compile("(\"[^\"]*\")|([^ \\?#\\d\\/]+)");
 
+    /**
+     * A regex to detect if an alternate grouping character is used
+     *  in a numeric format 
+     */
+    private static final Pattern alternateGrouping = Pattern.compile("([#0]([^.#0])[#0]{3})");
+    
     /**
       * Cells formatted with a date or time format and which contain invalid date or time values
      *  show 255 pound signs ("#").
@@ -658,10 +664,24 @@ public class DataFormatter implements Observer {
     }
 
     private Format createNumberFormat(String formatStr, double cellValue) {
-        final String format = cleanFormatForNumber(formatStr);
+        String format = cleanFormatForNumber(formatStr);
+        DecimalFormatSymbols symbols = decimalSymbols;
+        
+        // Do we need to change the grouping character?
+        // eg for a format like #'##0 which wants 12'345 not 12,345
+        Matcher agm = alternateGrouping.matcher(format);
+        if (agm.find()) {
+            symbols = DecimalFormatSymbols.getInstance(locale);
+            
+            char grouping = agm.group(2).charAt(0);
+            symbols.setGroupingSeparator(grouping);
+            String oldPart = agm.group(1);
+            String newPart = oldPart.replace(grouping, ',');
+            format = format.replace(oldPart, newPart);
+        }
         
         try {
-            DecimalFormat df = new DecimalFormat(format, decimalSymbols);
+            DecimalFormat df = new DecimalFormat(format, symbols);
             setExcelStyleRoundingMode(df);
             return df;
         } catch(IllegalArgumentException iae) {
diff --git a/src/testcases/org/apache/poi/ss/usermodel/BaseTestDataFormat.java b/src/testcases/org/apache/poi/ss/usermodel/BaseTestDataFormat.java
index 0fd26ed7c..03a3631a3 100644
--- a/src/testcases/org/apache/poi/ss/usermodel/BaseTestDataFormat.java
+++ b/src/testcases/org/apache/poi/ss/usermodel/BaseTestDataFormat.java
@@ -165,4 +165,40 @@ public abstract class BaseTestDataFormat extends TestCase {
         // TODO Fix this to not have an extra 0 at the end
         //assertEquals(pound+"   -  ", formatter.formatCellValue(zero)); 
     }
+    
+    /**
+     * Using a single quote (') instead of a comma (,) as
+     *  a number separator, eg 1000 -> 1'000 
+     */
+    public final void test55265() {
+        Workbook wb = _testDataProvider.createWorkbook();
+        DataFormatter formatter = new DataFormatter();
+        DataFormat fmt = wb.createDataFormat();
+        Sheet sheet = wb.createSheet();
+        Row r = sheet.createRow(0);
+        
+        CellStyle cs = wb.createCellStyle();
+        cs.setDataFormat(fmt.getFormat("#'##0"));
+        
+        Cell zero = r.createCell(0);
+        zero.setCellValue(0);
+        zero.setCellStyle(cs);
+        
+        Cell sml = r.createCell(1);
+        sml.setCellValue(12);
+        sml.setCellStyle(cs);
+        
+        Cell med = r.createCell(2);
+        med.setCellValue(1234);
+        med.setCellStyle(cs);
+        
+        Cell lge = r.createCell(3);
+        lge.setCellValue(12345678);
+        lge.setCellStyle(cs);
+        
+        assertEquals("0", formatter.formatCellValue(zero)); 
+        assertEquals("12", formatter.formatCellValue(sml)); 
+        assertEquals("1'234", formatter.formatCellValue(med)); 
+        assertEquals("12'345'678", formatter.formatCellValue(lge)); 
+    }
 }