Bowmark to take significant stake in UK maintenance standard SFG20

Bowmark Capital has agreed to become a significant shareholder in SFG20, the UK building maintenance specification standard, in a transaction that remains subject to regulatory approval. The deal adds private equity backing to a business whose revenues are rising by more than 30% a year, according to a press statement.

Financial terms were not disclosed. Bowmark will invest alongside the Building Engineering Services Association, known as BESA, which established SFG20 in 1990.

SFG20 provides maintenance guidance used by facilities managers, building owners, contractors and consultants. More than 1,000 industry participants use the standard to plan, deliver and audit maintenance of building assets, according to the statement.

The company’s database covers more than 1,500 maintenance schedules and more than 14,000 tasks aligned with legislation. In practice, such a standard gives building operators a structured way to determine what work should be carried out, how often it should be done and how it can be evidenced for compliance and operational purposes.

Digital products underpin growth

SFG20 has been expanding its technology offering. The company launched Facilities-iQ, a cloud-based platform, in 2024. It followed that with SFG20 Mobiliser, an artificial intelligence-powered module, in 2025.

The investment comes amid what the statement described as strong demand in the UK and internationally. No country-by-country revenue figures or customer growth numbers were disclosed.

Tom Keen, a partner at Bowmark, said in the statement that SFG20 had been setting the standard for building maintenance for 35 years, supporting safety, compliance and operating efficiency for facilities managers and building owners. He said Bowmark intended to invest in the standard, develop the technology platform and support new products and markets.

For Bowmark, the transaction extends its exposure to the built environment sector. The firm’s other investments in the area include BCIS, which provides construction cost data, and Eque2, which supplies enterprise resource planning software to the construction industry.

Advisers named

The deal brings together several advisory teams. BESA was advised by Investec, A&O Shearman, PwC and Crosslake. Bowmark was advised by KPMG, Stephenson Harwood, BCG and Deloitte. SFG20 was advised by Osborne Clarke.

The companies did not disclose the size of Bowmark’s stake, valuation metrics, debt financing arrangements or the expected timetable for regulatory clearance. Until approval is obtained, the transaction has not completed.

This story draws on original reporting from PE Hub.