photo: Stephen Calleja (left) and Etienne Galea; Directors; Calleja Ltd
For almost 100 years, the Calleja family name has been associated with quality lighting and electrical supplies, locally. This company has supplied and installed lighting installations to a vast portion of Malta’s most prestigious and complex projects, and it has given its products and expertise to Malta’s homes, and residential and commercial developments for three generations of the Calleja family.
Today, Stephen Calleja and his cousin-in-law, Etienne Galea make up the company’s third generation management team. Formerly known as E. Calleja & Sons, the Calleja brand has withstood the test of time, and they have secured their company Calleja Ltd’s success through the careful selection of quality brands and a dedicated focus on customer service.
“ Soon to celebrate its centenary, Calleja Limited was founded by Emanuel Calleja, in 1925. Then named E Calleja and Sons Ltd, Emanuel eventually brought his three sons into the business – Charles, Joseph and Anthony. Stephen and Etienne have taken over their cousins’ shares and now have full ownership of the company.
“We held a rebranding strategy to revamp the company image and shorten its name. We felt we had to do something to rejuvenate the brand and follow the new directorship and in tandem we also refurbished our showroom,” Stephen Calleja, Managing Director of Calleja Limited, enthusiastically explained.
Stephen has been working in the company, following his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps from a young age. “After finishing fifth form, my father asked me what I wanted to do. I knew I was passionate about electricals and I wanted to join the family business, so I went to study at the technical institute in Paola, which is known as MCAST today,” Stephen said. He took various courses in electricals and mechanicals, to qualify as an electrical technician, while also simultaneously obtaining his licence in the field. “This gave me solid grounding in both theory and practice, and when I joined the company, I also started learning sales and attended various courses on salesmanship,” he added.
On behalf of the company, Stephen started visiting fairs abroad with his uncle and father. “This gave me the opportunity of visiting our suppliers’ factories and seeing the entire production chain of the items we were selling,” he explained. Stephen retains a hands-on approach. His passion and natural affinity for electricals is reflected in the fact that Calleja moved away from water fittings and is more focused on electricals.
Etienne also has experience in the electrical line of trade, having previously held the position of Quality Assurance Manager in the industry. He originally trained as an electrical engineer at the Fellenberg Training Centre, and later went on to read for an MBA with Henley in 2020. “I should finally be graduating this September, as the ceremony was postponed for two consecutive years, due to Covid,” Etienne said with a wry smile.
“International products have been modified, based on the findings and recommendations of a company in the little Mediterranean Island of Malta” Stephen Calleja
Stephen and Etienne both manage the company, with skills which complement each other very well. While both are very well versed in electricals, Stephen’s hands-on approach supports him in product selection, acquisition, sales and customer service. “It is of critical importance to keep our finger on the pulse, especially in today’s competitive market. We talk to both our customers and salespeople so that we can anticipate trends,” Stephen explained. “There have been times when we directly approached our suppliers to suggest that they change certain product components, for enhanced performance – and they did. International products have been modified, based on the findings and recommendations of a company in the little Mediterranean Island of Malta,” he added enthusiastically.
Etienne, on the other hand, is more focused on management, HR and on maintaining the “practical modernity of our product portfolio”. “Whereas in the past Calleja had a more generalist approach, where all employees could pretty much do anything, we are now moving to a more specialised HR model,” Etienne detailed. He explained that the company recently employed an employee welfare and recruitment officer. “We are proud to say that our staff turnover is very low, which is very important in view of the challenges in finding professional and reliable staff today. One of our sales executives has been working with us for 35 years. Another left the company and then asked to return and was welcomed with open arms,” Etienne said.
Calleja’s main suppliers hail from Europe, providing them with both quality and logistical advantages. “Following the Covid operational crisis, the shipping situation is still somewhat fluid, however in general we get deliveries from Europe within 3 weeks. However, we have been smart about adapting by adjusting our stock levels. We have 5,000 square metres of fully utilised stock space, which means that most of our orders can be satisfied from our current stock. In addition, our close relationship with our suppliers – which in many cases spans decades – means that they go out of their way to help us, giving our orders priority out of respect,” Stephen explained.
Calleja Limited is the local agent for S&P – a leading international brand which specialises in ventilation and air extraction. “We are able to supply any product from their catalogue to domestic, commercial and hospitality clients. We also offer tailored consultation, particularly to our hospitality clients – to provide bespoke ventilation solutions for hotel kitchens,” Stephen explained.
Calleja Limited is also the local agent for ABB, a European product leader in electrical manufacture and switchgear. “The brand is very high end, providing a superior product at an excellent price point. Mater Dei’s electrical management system features ABB products,” he added.
“our staff turnover is very low, which is very important in view of the challenges in finding professional and reliable staff today” Etienne Galea
Etienne explained that Calleja is bringing in new brands and expanding its departments. “We are adding new brands and products to complement what we currently supply. Simultaneously we are investing in new specialist employees, as we restructure the business,” he said. Stephen explained that Calleja’s long standing collaboration with its suppliers means that they are able to work with them on new products even at the development stage. This enables them to make suggestions about new products, so as to stay ahead of market requirements and continue supplying their customers with the latest products in the industry.
“The local market is small so we need to be smart about catering to our customers and retaining their loyalty. I keep a map behind me at the office so when our suppliers visit us, they can truly understand our market size,” he added.
Part of Calleja Limited’s well-deserved local reputation as a leading supplier of quality lighting electricals is due to the reputable brands it carries, which make highly reliable and efficient products. Another pillar of its success is its commitment to quality customer service. “We believe that our domestic and commercial customers equally deserve good service and good products. We are putting our name to this claim – we want our customers to be satisfied and have peace of mind in terms of both quality products and customer care,” Stephen said. Etienne added that even the economical products carried by Calleja Limited are high quality: “I test products personally to ensure quality, before we sell them to our customers. We only keep brands we believe in,” he said.
Calleja Limited also caters for large-scale projects. “We are very strong in lighting for commercial use. This includes lighting for supermarkets, car parks and retail outlets,” Stephen detailed. He added that the company has a specific department catering to supplying ironmongers. “We provide this specific customer segment next-day delivery services. We are constantly in touch with them, even on technical aspects,” he said.
“We are putting our name to this claim – we want our customers to be satisfied and have peace of mind in terms of both quality products and customer care” Etienne Gale
The future for Calleja Limited looks bright. “Since taking over the business, Etienne and myself have consolidated the business. We are focused on what we know and are confident enough to state that we stand firmly behind the products we sell,” Stephen said. Etienne added that the company’s future growth objectives are to retain and grow their current market share and cater to a wider audience.
“Calleja Limited remains family owned and family run,” Stephen concluded. “Electrical and lighting will remain our core focus. And we will also remain steadfast to the core values passed down to us by previous generations – Quality products and customer service.”
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