Avalanche of public display sales lifts 2011 figures

Europe sees Q4 customer rush to purchase large public displays before year-end

Sales of public displays across Europe surged 25.4 per cent to 311,000 units in the last quarter of 2011, according to figures from displays specialist analyst Meko.

According to the analyst's DisplayCast service, the fourth quarter saw 91,429 public displays sold, pushing the annual figure up 25.4 per cent in volume terms.

Bob Raikes, principal of Meko, said there were several reasons for the last-minute surge.

"Key brands such as Samsung and NEC hit record levels, and we got better coverage of data this time. Installations for the Olympics and for the Euros have helped in 2011. This level of growth stands out in the current difficult climate of doom in TVs and monitors," he said.

Raikes added that the public displays market in Europe is maturing, and customers have begun to understand the benefits of digital signage and digital out-of-home (DOOH) applications.

Panels of 55in in size grew the most in 2011, with 40in-42in and 46in-47in displays remaining the most popular choices. However, the trend for larger sizes helped keep average selling prices flat, according to Meko.

Sales of public displays in Germany overtook those of previous leader the UK in 2011 for the first time, the analyst added.