Artem

What Artem does

Artem Limited is a UK physical special effects and creative model-making company, founded in 1988 and operating workshops in London (Segro Park, Greenford — headquarters with co-located backlot), Glasgow (Pacific Quay), and Manchester (Oldham). The company designs, fabricates, and delivers physical SFX, animatronics, prosthetics, mechanical rigs, atmospherics, pyrotechnics, water and weather effects, large-scale scenic builds, and high-end models for film, television, theatre, and live-event productions. Its technology stack pairs traditional craftsmanship (sculpting, moulding, welding, fabrication) with CAD/CAM, CNC routing, 7-axis KUKA robot cutting, and 3D printing, enabling precision builds at scale, exemplified by a 10m animatronic bull (Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, ~60 crew, 7,000+ hours) and a 78ft Tempest combat aircraft model for Farnborough Airshow 2024.

Artem earns revenue through three streams: (1) project-based professional services for bespoke SFX work delivered on a per-project basis, with prices typically set on enquiry; (2) equipment hire of SFX kit (smoke, snow, wind, rain, fire, camera rigs, dummies) to production companies; and (3) direct sales of proprietary and third-party SFX equipment and consumables through an online shop (e.g., Artem Exterior Smoke Machine at £945 purchase / £55 hire). Go-to-market is relationship-led and project-based, with dedicated designers allocated per client, complemented by an industry-events presence, an Instagram channel, and a portfolio-driven website. Its customer base spans major studios and broadcasters (Netflix, A24, BBC, ITV, Warner Bros, Sony, Disney, Hulu), West End theatre producers (Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), and live-events clients (BAE Systems, Network Rail, Birmingham Ceremonies Ltd, Take That). The company is privately held with no external funding disclosed, and is led by CEO Mike Kelt and Managing Director Toby Stewart.

Name

Artem

Legal name

ARTEM LIMITED

Website

https://artem.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Artem is a UK-based physical special effects and model-making company, founded in 1988, serving film, television, theatre, and live-event productions with custom animatronics, props, pyrotechnics, atmospherics, and large-scale builds from workshops in London, Manchester, and Glasgow.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Physical Special Effects Services

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Graphic Design Services (54143)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Effects (Pyro, Lasers, Confetti, Fog) (MPAGAKAF)

Keywords

• Physical special effects
• Sfx equipment hire
• Animatronics fabrication
• Pyrotechnic effects services
• Custom model making

Headquarters

HQ city

Perivale

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Project-Based Special Effects Services: Custom design and build of physical special effects, animatronics, props, scenic elements, and mechanical rigs for film, TV, theatre, and live events. Revenue generated through project fees based on scope, complexity, and duration of work.
2. Equipment Hire: Rental of physical special effects equipment including smoke machines, snow machines, rain kits, wind machines, fire equipment, camera rigs, and various consumables. Equipment hired to production companies for on-set use.
3. Product Sales: Direct sale of physical effects equipment, consumables, and proprietary products designed or adapted by Artem including smoke machines, fans, and specialist effects gear.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Artem provides physical special effects and creative build services for the film, television, theatre, and live events industries, including pyrotechnics, floor effects, prosthetics, animatronics and puppets, special costume, high-end model making, mechanical rigs, atmospherics, and water/steam/weather effects. The company also hires out and sells a wide range of SFX equipment and consumables, from smoke machines to camera rigs, with in-house CAD/CAM, CNC routing, 7-axis robot cutting, and 3D printing underpinning both the bespoke builds and the product catalog.

Product overview

Artem is a physical special effects and creative solutions company providing equipment hire, sale, and custom fabrication services to the film, television, theatre, and live events industries. Founded in 1988, the company operates from workshops in London, Manchester, and Glasgow. The product portfolio consists of two main categories: (1) Equipment Hire & Sales — a comprehensive range of SFX equipment including smoke and fog machines, wind machines, snow machines, fire equipment, rain and water rigs, camera rigs, and specialty consumables; and (2) Creative Build Services — custom fabrication including animatronics, puppets, large-scale scenic props, model making, prosthetics, special costume, and mechanical rigs. The company utilizes CAD/CAM technologies, CNC routing, 7-axis robot cutting, and 3D printing as part of its manufacturing process. Notable projects include the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games 10m animatronic bull, full-scale aircraft models for events, and props for major film and TV productions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Smoke & Fog Machines
• Smoke Consumables
• Wind Machines & Fans
• Snow Machines
• Snow Consumables
• Fire Equipment & Rigs
• Rain & Water Equipment
• Camera Rigs
• Air & Steam Equipment
• Dummies, Babies & Limbs
• Props, Action & Soft Props
• Floor Effects Service
• Rigs Service
• Big Builds Service
• Model Making Service
• Animatronics & Puppets Service
• Atmospherics Service
• Pyrotechnics & Fire Service
• Special Costume Service
• Prosthetics Service
• Water & Steam Effects Service
• Weather Effects Service
• Cobweb Consumables

Named customers18 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• M-isnotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Creative agency M-is approached Artem to create a full-scale concept model of BAE System's Tempest combat aircraft for Farnborough Airshow 2024. Artem designed and built the 78ft aircraft using CAD/CAM and 7-axis robot cutting in under 10 weeks.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Weta Workshop: New Zealand-based physical effects, prop, model-making, and animatronics studio serving film and entertainment globally. Directly comparable in scope: combines CAD/CAM manufacturing with traditional craftsmanship to deliver props, animatronics, miniatures, and bespoke builds for major productions.
• Millennium FX: UK-based prosthetics, animatronics, and creature effects company serving film and television. Closest UK competitor for creature shop and prosthetic work, with overlapping client base in BBC, ITV, and major US studios producing in the UK.
• Legacy Effects: US-based animatronics, prosthetics, and special effects studio for film and television. Directly comparable in custom animatronic creature design, mechanical rigs, and prop fabrication for major studio productions.
• Spectral Motion: US creature and prosthetic effects studio serving film and television. Comparable in delivering animatronics, prosthetics, and practical creature effects for major studio projects across horror, sci-fi, and action genres.
• Stage One Creative Services: UK scenic fabrication and set construction company specializing in large-scale builds for live events, theatre, and ceremonies. Directly comparable in big-build scenic fabrication, project scale (Commonwealth Games level), and UK event production market overlap.
• KNB EFX Group: US prosthetics, creature design, and special makeup effects studio for film, television, and theatre. Comparable in practical creature and prosthetic effects for major studio productions with similar premium client base.
• Gentle Giant Studios: US-based prop, model, miniature, and replica fabrication studio serving film, television, and collectibles. Directly comparable in high-end model making, prop fabrication, and CAD/CAM-driven custom builds.
• The Character Shop: US animatronics and creature fabrication studio for film, television, and theme parks. Comparable in custom animatronic design and mechanical creature effects for entertainment industry clients.
• Amalgamated Dynamics Inc. US-based animatronics, prosthetics, and creature effects studio. Comparable in practical special effects and animatronic fabrication for major film and television productions.

Others

• BGI Supplies: UK supplier of fireworks, pyrotechnics, and atmospheric SFX consumables. Adjacent supplier/distributor serving the same UK film, TV, and live events customer base, sometimes competing on the equipment hire side of Artem's business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/artem_sfx
• Instagraminstagram.com/artem_sfx
• Facebookfacebook.com/artemsfx
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/artem-ltd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Artem