A family-run scaffolding firm in Sheffield has received a £250,000 funding boost to support its continued growth following the acquisition of a Barnsley-based business.
Hi-Point Access, which has doubled its turnover since 2021, has secured the investment from NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance, part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II.
The funds will support the firm’s expansion by providing additional working capital and enabling investment in new equipment following its acquisition of Gap Scaffolding Services.
Hi-Point employs over 50 staff from its Sheffield headquarters and delivers a wide range of services including scaffolding hire, mobile elevating platforms, building maintenance, and roofing.
Its client list includes major institutions such as Sheffield City Council, Sheffield United Football Club, both of the city’s universities, Utilita Arena, and Robertson Facilities Management, which partners with Wakefield Council.
The company was established in 1992 by brothers Steve and Chris Blantern. Today, it is operated by the second generation of the family—Steve’s sons Simon and Matthew, daughter Carly Turley, and her husband Garry.
Finance Director Carly Turley described the acquisition of Gap Scaffolding Services as “an exciting step” that strengthens the company’s footprint in Yorkshire.
“It’s great to welcome aboard the experienced team at Gap and to expand our footprint with a base in Barnsley,” she said. “The funding from Mercia and NPIF II will enable us to make the most of it by providing additional capital to take on new projects and buy new equipment. We look forward to continuing our expansion throughout Yorkshire and beyond.”
The acquisition also marks an exit for Gap’s founder, Steve Griffiths, who launched the business in 2003. The seven-strong team will remain in place at the Barnsley site.
Andy Tyas of Mercia Debt praised the company’s progress under its new leadership: “Hi-Point is an established business that has had a new lease of life under the second generation of family members. Over the past few years, they have expanded the range of services and increased turnover, and the acquisition of Gap is another milestone. We are pleased to provide the funding they need to continue their growth journey.”
Lizzy Upton, senior investment manager at the British Business Bank, which oversees the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, said supporting companies like Hi-Point is central to the fund’s mission.
“Hi-Point’s extensive reach across a number of key venues and institutions makes it integral to our region’s vibrant cultural economy,” she said. “It’s good to see NPIF II backing a thriving, family-run business that’s expanding across Yorkshire.”
Hi-Point was advised on the deal by Harry Bushell of Hentons Corporate Finance in Sheffield. The introduction to Mercia was made by Kate Darbyshire of Lloyds Bank.
