The owners of Molinare have sold a majority shareholding in the company to India-based Century Communications.

The deal is worth “several million pounds” and the Soho facility will use the injection of cash to increase its visual effects (VFX), digital intermediate and audio services. It also plans to overhaul its buildings on Fouberts Place and D'Arblay Street.

Chief executive Steve Milne and managing director Mark Foligno retain a minority share and will continue working in the same operational roles. Explaining the sale Milne said: “It was our film expertise that attracted Century. But we also have a 30-strong specialist sound team and they said they can learn a lot from us in this field, just as we can learn a lot from them in terms of VFX.” The deal will allow elements of VFX work to be outsourced to India.

Milne and Foligno first travelled to Mumbai in 2006 to tour Century's facilities. Since then the two companies have collaborated on a number of projects including the BBC's Roman Mysteries in 2007 on which Molinare outsourced over 200 effects shots.

The investment by Century is the largest it has made in the UK to date. Molinare will also collaborate with Men From Mars, the effects company bought by Century's post arm.

Molinare has recently spent£100,000 on an audio deliverables room to cope with its workload. It has installed an Avid Unity and four Adrenalines and taken delivery of a third Sony SR Deck.

Last week the company announced that it would be opening a facility at Pinewood Studios.Recent films the company has worked on include Wall to Wall's first feature, Man on Wire.