Mini-Cam (www.minicam.co.uk), based at Golbourne near Warrington, has received funding from private-equity firm LDC.

The engineering company, which makes water-pipeline inspection systems, will use the funding to boost its new-product portfolio and enter new markets in this country and overseas. LDC has taken a significant minority stake in the business, which has 37 employees.

LDC’s investment was led by Chris Wright, who said: “Mini-Cam is a great example of a British engineering business that has a proven ability to innovate robust, high-quality products and is a clear market leader in its field, with a rapidly growing export division.

Private-equity investment will provide the management team with the catalyst it needs to take the next step in its development, as it looks to further establish itself on the international stage.”

CEO Nigel Wilson, who founded Mini-Cam in 1991, said: “There is significant investment in developing and maintaining the ageing water infrastructure in developed countries around the world, to cope with increasing demand.

"In the UK alone, there are over half a million km of pipeline, for which contractors need robust, technologically advanced inspection equipment. With the support of LDC, we will be able to drive further investment in the development of our market-leading systems.”