LIVERPOOL postal operator Secured Mail has secured fresh private equity backing following the exit of previous investor, Aquarius Equity Partners.

Aquarius, run by entrepreneur Steve Sealey, invested £1.6m in the business in 2008, taking a 50% stake.

At the time, Secured Mail was running out of cash and the investment proved to be a lifeline.

Now Next Wave Partners has bought out the Aquarius stake for an undisclosed sum, and the firm is now looking at an expansion drive.

Established in 2006, Secured Mail processes millions of letters every night and is predicting a turnover of around £50m this year.

Operating across the UK with well-known household brands among its clients, Secured Mail is one the UK’s largest postal businesses. Managing director Mark Bigley said: “We have grown to become one of the largest postal providers in the country, as a result of our excellent quality of service and attention of detail.

“Setting the business up in Liverpool, Secured Mail has a national reach with sites in London and a recently opened mail hub in Warrington.

“Further expansion is planned over the next 12 months.

“The investment received from Next Wave will allow us to bring the next phase of our vision to life and support the growth we intend to achieve.”

PKF and Hill Dickinson advised Secured Mail on the deal. Mazars and Stevens and Bolton advised Next Wave.

Next Wave partner Stephen Walls said: “Secured Mail has achieved phenomenal growth.

“As a growth capital investor, we see a real opportunity to partner and support the management team.”