British visual-effects business Cinesite has inked a deal to buy Trixter, the Germany-based VFX and feature animation studio.

London-based Cinesite, which is privately held, secured a finance package earlier this year from asset management firm Pemberton, which handed it an initial $40 million of funding and the ability to access a further $30 million. Cinesite will buy 100% of Trixter for an undisclosed sum.

Trixter will retain its senior team and brand under Cinesite’s ownership. It is the latest M&A move by the British firm, which bought Vancouver-based VFX studio Image Engine Design in 2015 and Nitrogen Studios in 2017.

“The Trixter team has a fantastic reputation for producing high-quality concept art, character design alongside complex VFX and feature animation,” said Cinesite group CEO Antony Hunt. “In partnering with Trixter, we are executing our strategic objective of enhancing our market position in both visual effects and animation and getting the benefit of an amazing creative team of people in Munich and Berlin.”

Founded two decades ago by Simone Kraus Townsend and Michael Coldewey, Trixter is Germany`s leading VFX and animation studio. Based in Berlin and Munich, it has worked on movies such as “Guardians of the Galaxy” and the Baby Groot character (pictured), “Iron Man,” and “Black Panther.” Its TV work includes shows such as “Lost in Space” and “The Walking Dead.”

“I am incredibly proud of our people and the business and brand equity we have all built,” said Trixter CEO Christian Sommer. “By joining forces with Cinesite, we will benefit from both their global infrastructure and a broader range of clients to further strengthen our position in the international market.”