Two of Canada's largest post facilities are now one. Command Post and Transfer Corporation, Canada's largest post facility has completed a deal to purchase Toronto's DAVE, formerly owned by NetStar Communications and its subsidiary Dome Productions.

The deal, valued at $17 million sees Command Post acquire all of the assets of DAVE, which provides full-service post including transfer, effects, animation and audio to commercial and long-form projects from a facility at 49 Ontario Street in Toronto.

Command Post, a publicly traded company was founded in Toronto in 1986 and has offices in Vancouver and LA. Its Toronto holdings include TOYBOX, a high-end post, effects and animation facility, audio arm Manta Sound and Medallion-PFA Film and Video.

The DAVE moniker was retired at the closing of the deal, with the facility newly dubbed Manta Digital Sound and Picture (MDSP).

Command Post will integrate its Manta audio services into the MDSP facility over the next two months, with the exception of Manta's large Studio 2 operation, which will continue to operate as a satellite in the near term. "It's one of the largest recording studios in North America -- it's a difficult space to replace immediately," says Michael Flanagan, president/CEO of Command Post. Command Post plans to build one or two more mixing theaters and additional post rooms at MDSP, which Flanagan says has great expansion potential. "It currently has significant unused spaces ideal for studios and underutilized areas that will allow us to expand nicely. We feel this will be a relatively painless integration of the two companies." Kevin Evans, currently VP, GM at Manta Sound will assume the same role in the new MDSP and Mark Thorpe will become operations manager. Flanagan says there will not likely be significant staff streamlining.

"Levels of work dictate those things, but we don't anticipate any changes," he says.