TDI revenue jump points to boom for outdoor industry

The UK outdoor industry is experiencing an unprecedented boom with the third poster company in a month announcing a large jump in turnover.

TDI, the UK’s largest transport advertising company, has increased its turnover by 28 per cent in the first half of the year. It is forecasting a total turnover for 1996 of 50m.

This compares with 24m when the company bought London Transport Advertising after its privat isation in 1994.The company is now planning to expand onto the continent.

TDI will follow its largest bus client, Stagecoach, into Sweden as a result of the bus company’s purchase of Swedebus last month. TDI has already expanded out of its original franchise in London.

This month Maiden Outdoor reported turnover up by 77 per cent for the first half of the year, after including a contribution from an acquisition (MW October 4). The More Group reported increased turnover of 27 per cent.

The Advertising Association currently forecasts the medium’s growth at 15 per cent for the year.

Jeremy Maile, managing director of TDI, says: “As a state-owned company LTA wasn’t particularly well sold. Now we are sold out on the London Underground for ten months of the year, while the number of main sites has remained relatively fixed.”