The Fuse Group, parent organisation to visual effects studios FuseFX, FOLKS, and Rising Sun Pictures, has acquired El Ranchito, a world-renowned, high-end independent visual effects studio headquartered in Madrid, Spain and a studio location in Barcelona, the company said. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The acquisition brings The Fuse Group to over 1,400 artists across twelve locations and four continents. El Ranchito co-founder and Managing Director Félix Bergés and the rest of the partners of the company will continue to lead the business and operate under the El Ranchito brand. The Fuse Group brings together world-leading visual effects studios, FuseFX, FOLKS, Rising Sun Pictures, and now El Ranchito.
The company employs over 1,400 personnel across twelve worldwide studio locations in Los Ángeles, Nework, Vancouver, Atlanta, Montréal, Toronto, Bogotá, Saguenay, Adelaide, Brisbane, Madrid, and Barcelona. The Fuse Group is a portfolio company of investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital, a New York City-based private equity firm.
El Ranchito was founded in 2004 by a world-class team of VFX supervisors and producers and is a full-service visual effects studio based in Madrid, with an additional office location in Barcelona. Since its founding, El Ranchito has participated in the postproduction of over 200 projects, many of them for major international clients. El Ranchito’s workforce comprises over 200 highly experienced VFX professionals recognized globally for their exceptional VFX work on projects like Game of Thrones and The Impossible.
Loyra (Legal) and Mesana (Financial) advised El Ranchito’s shareholders on this transaction. Jones Day acted as Legal advisor and Alvarez & Marsal acted as Due Diligence advisor to The Fuse Group.
Jones Day advised The Fuse Group with a team including M&A partner Miguel Bermúdez de Castro, M&A counsel Beatriz Píriz, Tax partner Carlos Albiñana, Labour associate Javier Gutiérrez and Priscilla Rojas. M&A associates Emily Cai and Andrea Witte advised from the firm´s New York office.
