The investment deal will help £6m turnover Leighton Buzzard-based BFT press ahead with plans to expand both its motorised mast climbing work platforms fleet and operations.

Remaining shares in the business will continue to be held by founder and chief executive Robin Head.

He said:  “We’re staunch believers in the benefits provided by our mast climbing platforms, on projects ranging from short-duration maintenance work to complex, long-term builds requiring 50-plus machines.

“This investment from Equistone will provide a major boost to our scale and capacity to deliver a lower-cost, safer, and more flexible alternative to traditional scaffolding.

“As we look to further grow the business over the coming years, the entire team remains committed to maintaining the qualities of service and reliability for which we have been known to date.”

Founded in 1997, BFT Mastclimbing runs a fleet of over 650 motorised MCWPs as a more flexible alternative to traditional scaffolding on construction, renovation, and maintenance projects nationwide.

Dominic Geer, Partner at Equistone Partners Europe, said: “Equistone’s investment will provide the funding that BFT requires to increase its capacity and further enhance its national coverage, as well as the impetus to convert a greater share of UK contractors to the advantages of mast climbing technology.”