Scottish Radio Moves Into Outdoor With £27.5m Trainer Acquisition

Scottish Radio Holdings (SRH) has today announced the acquisition of Scottish-based outdoor advertising contractor, Trainer Outdoor Advertising for £27.5 million. This represents SRH’s first development into the outdoor advertising industry which is currently enjoying a period of strong growth.

SRH is planning to inject money into Trainer in order to expand the former’s cross-media offering to advertisers. During the financial year ended 31 December 1998 Trainer generated pre-tax profits of £1.4 million and has over 300 six sheet sites around Scotland. Staff and management at Trainer will be retained after the takeover.

At the end of last year Trainer formed a joint venture with French outdoor company JC Decaux to create TrainerDecaux Scotland (see Outdoor Advertisers Launch Joint Scottish Venture). The buyout of Trainer by SRH will not affect TrainerDecaux’s business and has been welcomed by the company’s managing director Pierre Jeanjean: “This will undoubtedly enhance any potential street furniture and six-sheet outdoor poster advertising offer which we may be invited to make to Scottish Local Government organisations,” he said.

Scottish Radio’s move follows a similar expansion by Scottish Media Group which bought outdoor company Primesight for £35 million in January this year (see Scottish Media Moves Into Outdoor With £35m Primesight Bid). SRH chief executive, Richard Findlay, says that the company will continue to examine opportunities for further growth within the media sector.

At 4:10pm today Scottish Radio’s shares remained unchanged against yesterday’s close at 638˝p.

Scottish Radio Holdings: 0141 565 2202 Trainer Outdoor Advertising: 0141 420 6001