RFB, under the leadership of managing director Angus Barraclough, has seen a revenue and profit growth in the double digits since Foresight’s initial £2.4m investment in February 2021. This success has come from a robust business model centred on the hire, sales and conversion of shipping containers, a model Forth Containers also operates.

Forth Containers, co-owned by Ross Watt and Graeme Sherry, has also invested heavily into its hire fleet and operational infrastructure in recent years, fostering substantial growth.

The £2 million will support RFB in its next phase of growth, creating a combined group with a hire fleet of over 2,000 containers – transitioning RFB into a multi-site operator. The new RFB Bathgate branch will be led by Mr Watt, who is continuing in his role as part of the transaction.

Mr Barraclough said: “Ross and Graeme have built a great business with Forth Containers and the acquisition felt like a natural fit for our growth plans. The addition of the Bathgate site will allow us to provide a better service to customers across Scotland, and Ross is well respected in the industry and will be an excellent addition to RFB’s senior team.”

Graeme Mckinstry, investment director at Foresight, added: “We are delighted to support Angus, Ross and the wider RFB and Forth Containers teams as they target a significant market opportunity.

“We’ve been impressed by the strong track record of profitable growth demonstrated by Forth Containers. This aligns well with the RFB business model, and we look forward to supporting RFB on the next phase of its growth journey.”

Mr Watt, general manager at Forth Containers, concluded: “I am delighted by this acquisition. Forth Containers started as a modest business and, through the loyalty and dedication of its employees, has grown into a prosperous business

I was impressed with Angus and the RFB team’s professional approach and I look forward to being part of the growth plans to expand market share across Scotland.”