Aardman Animations’ founders are selling a 75% stake to their 140 employees in an effort to maintain the company’s independence.

Peter Lord and David Sproxton, will control the remaining 25% of the company. Sproxton will remain managing director while the company seeks a replacement during the next year. Lord will remain creative director for up to five years, but a new creative director for feature films will be hired. Director Nick Park, who has been with Aardman since 1985, also will continue to be involved in feature films and short productions.

A workers council will provide input into company operations, and senior managers will form a new board of directors. The board, which will lead the business and decide staff bonuses, while reporting to the employee trust, will have seven members including Sarah Cox (Executive Creative Director for IP Development) and Sean Clarke (Executive Director for Rights and Brand Management).

“In an age of uncertainty there is a sense of security as our staff knows their jobs are safe as long as they come up with ideas,” Sproxton told London’s Guardian. “If we sold Aardman [to a big studio] it would just become an asset on the balance sheet to be traded. They could say, ‘let’s turn it all over to CGI and shoot it in Singapore.’”

Aardman has forecast a £2.5m profit this year, driven partly by licensing deals for Shaun the Sheep theme parks in Japan and Sweden. Sales are expected to be about £30 million, flat with a year ago. The 140 employees and about 180 freelancers will continue to receive a share of profits.

The change to employee ownership comes as Aardman, which suffered a box office disappointment ($54.1 million) this year with Early Man, readies new films and attractions. Shaun the Sheep: Farmageddan is due in 2019, while Chicken Run 2 is under development. Meanwhile, Shaun the Sheep Farm Garden is slated to open at the English Garden Rosa and Berry in Tawada, Japan in April 2019, and a Shaun the Sheep attraction is scheduled to debut next month at Paradise Country in Australia. Licensee Sally Corp. also is developing a Shaun the Sheep dark ride for theme parks and family entertainment centers.

Contact:

Aardman Animations, David Sproxton, Managing Dir.,
+44 1179 848 485, david.sproxton@aardman.com