Xilam raises $26m for expansion

Oggy & the Cockroaches

Xilam Animation in France has raised €22.3m (US$26m) worth of capital by selling new shares in the company to private investors.

The Paris-based firm behind series such as Oggy & the Cockroaches said the funds will be used after 2019/20 to expand the company and explore acquisition and coproduction opportunities.

Xilam issued 446,500 shares for a total of €22.3m, accounting for 9.09% of the company’s share capital after the transaction. Marc du Pontavice, chairman, CEO and founder of Xilam, has retained his 54.3% share of the voting rights in the company.

Founded in 1999 by du Pontavice, Xilam owns a catalogue of more than 2,000 animated episodes and three feature films, including brands such as Zig & Sharko, The Daltons and its first preschool series Paprika, as well as Oggy.

The firm employs over 400 people, including 300 artists, who are based across its four studios located in Paris, Lyon, Angoulême and Ho-Chi-Minh City in Vietnam.