The investment will help fund further international expansion, future acquisitions as well as the roll out of new products.

The deal was struck with Barclays Ventures, which backed a £26 million management buy-out in 2006, and has now exited its involvement in Kee Safety.

Kee Safety, which has its headquarters near Birmingham, has a number of international brands and employs staff in 35 countries.

Chris Milburn, chief executive of Kee Safety, comments: ‘We are delighted to have secured the financial backing of LDC. The investment will support Kee Safety in realising its future growth ambitions.’

This is the third investment in 2011 for LDC and Martin Draper, LDC Birmingham managing director, comments: ‘This level of investment momentum confirms our long term commitment to supporting regionally based mid market businesses with ambitious growth plans.’

Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets Acquisition Finance provided debt funding for the deal.