Bus cameras buoy 21st Century

CCTV specialist 21st Century's bus-based cameras helped sales and profits rise last year, with the firm now making inroads into Europe.Revenues rose by 3% to £10.8m in 2010 with profits up 24% at £860,000. Operating profits rose by over 300% to £0.8m (2009: £0.3m).Chairman Jan Holmstrom said: "21st Century has established a solid position in its home market and is now preferred supplier to Arriva UK Bus and The Go-Ahead Group in the UK and an approved supplier to FirstGroup UK Bus. Sales into mainland Europe continue to improve and, in 2010, the group made its first sales of EcoManager on the continent." "We have also made an excellent start to 2011, having won a substantial on bus CCTV contract with Keolis in Sweden. We are looking forward to building on this success over the remainder of the year." The company is proposing a balance sheet reconstruction to allow it to start paying dividends.