This premier soft furnishings company in Malta talks of
innovation and loyalty.
The Big Ben, an iconic landmark if ever there was one, has transferred its magic to Malta. The eponymous Big Ben Group is, today synonymous with soft furnishings and interior decoration. From its original foray into carpeting, today one can practically dress any residential or commercial space through Big Ben materials.
Design & Build caught up with Mr Lee Gauci, son of one of the founders of the Big Ben Group; to hear his take on the market developments and how the group has responded to them.
Customer satisfaction is at the heart of Big Ben Interiors’ success, with both product and service receiving high praise. Mr Lee Gauci attributes the company’s positive reputation to this commitment. “We do take care of our clients very much” he explained; a matter that is also reflected in the constant stream of positive reviews the company receives. Linking this customer response to the longevity of the workforce, with people working with the company for decades on end, one may safely deduce that the recipe at the Big Ben Group is working like clockwork – this does not come by accident.
Big Ben Interiors acknowledged and responded to market trends. Over time and through lots of hard work, the business has flourished. This was also made possible by its propensity to adapt and integrate. Today, Big Ben Group revolves predominantly around the worlds of soft furnishings and interiors.
“We have machines which do ultrasonic cutting”
ICONIC SOURCING
“Carpets are still very much in fashion,” we’re told. Fitted carpets are very popular in commercial and hospitality-based environments such as cinemas and hotels. “We do a lot of carpeting, not just commercially but also in villas, particularly in specific rooms, which is why we process fitted carpets in container quantities,” said Lee Gauci.
While they are indeed a staple product for Big Ben Interiors, carpets are now sharing their position of importance along with blinds. Mr Gauci said that the company invested in the appropriate machinery and they are now producing many different types of blinds, all to high specifications. “We have machines which do ultrasonic cutting. This is a type of cutting which does not just cut the material with a blade, it heats up to seal the side of the cut so that it makes the blinds last longer and prevents fraying,” explained Mr Gauci.
The blinds come in a variety of fabrics including PVC and it is the cutting that makes for a distinctive finish of good quality. “This ultrasonic cutting is used for the roller blinds and the zebra blinds which are our main focus at the moment,” he added.
Their blinds are made to measure, and Big Ben Interiors pride themselves on the fact that no project is too large or too small. “From exclusive hotels to rental apartments, we do them all,” Lee was proud to add.
“We offer installation when needed, the delivery is very speedy and the prices highly competitive”
A key differentiating factor which provides the Big Ben Group with a distinct competitive advantage is the fact that Lee is as involved in the installing as he is in the selection of materials; thus having first-hand experience both of what is wanted by the markets, as well as what works best for Malta’s current projects and households alike.
Lee is often abroad at suppliers’ invitations and at selected fairs; establishing and reinforcing supplier relations; and choosing their materials as best befits fashion, style, and practicality and ease of functionality.
“I believe I’m particularly effective because I handle the installations myself,” Mr Gauci explained. He prefers using the latest fabrics and materials, sourced
from European countries like Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK. This approach facilitates logistics, quality, and value for money.
A LABOUR OF LOVE
Once on site, Lee Gauci helps clients choose what is most appropriate for their needs, creating the blinds according to their final choices and finally accompanying and assisting the installation team at the site where the blinds are being set-up. “From A to Z! Hardly easy. But we make it work,” exclaimed Mr Gauci.
The workshop section is best likened to a beehive. All these activities are conducted in a highly organised floor plan of circa 400 m2: from the cutting and creation of aluminium components; seamstresses working on the curtains; carpet cutting; and so forth.
Evidently proud of his work and their history, Mr Gauci stressed that the Group operates with veteran seamstresses and skilled labourers, who in turn constantly train and teach their new colleagues on the job.
“Lee Gauci’s innovative streak has been evident for some time”
While up to a few years ago, the blinds were imported from abroad, with demand increasing exponentially, their place in the market became obvious as did their need to shift to direct manufacture.
“It was only in this manner that we could have further enhanced our quick availability of product, detailed custom fittings and control over cost and quality alike” Lee passionately explained. “This was also essential to be able to adhere to our tight deadlines, which is a matter of huge importance to our ‘project customers’ in particular, and hence to us,” he said.
The company hence can and does keep sizeable stocks so that it can service rushed orders too.
“We make sure that we keep very competitive prices,” insisted Mr Gauci, explaining that their economies of scale facilitate the company’s capacity of maintaining an enviable balance between quality and good pricing. This is a clear indicator of how dominant Big Ben Interiors is in the Maltese market.
THE VALUE OF LOYALTY
The company provides a holistic service which also includes an in-house interior designer. Mr Gauci said that their designer is qualified formally in her work and has been working with the company since she graduated.
While he jokingly termed her as ‘veteran’, he referred to her long-term employment as not unique in the company since many of the employees have been with Big Ben for decades “…even 30 years!” added Mr Gauci. Indeed, this shines a spotlight on the work ethic of the Gaucis and the way they run their ship, of a workforce of over 30 professionals.
In an earlier interview, in Design & Build’s 19th edition, Mr Eugenio Gauci; Lee’s father and one of the original founding brothers, described how they would wake up even at 02:30 am to service an order and work straight through to nine in the evening.
This work ethic was drummed into the younger generation; with Mr Lee Gauci describing how he worked his way up the corporate ladder, doing all the jobs that needed to be done, from cleaning and sweeping to driving vans and delivering – for years on end. All these experiences now help him precisely gauge the Group’s manual, clerical, technical, operational, managerial and strategic requirements.
“The company provides a holistic service which also includes an in-house interior designer”
Eugenio is a very familiar feature at the Group’s premises in Birkirkara, overseeing large projects and providing general hands-on assistance and counsel to Lee and his management team. And the Father-Son tandem is also extended to two passions: motorcycles and boats which, Mr Gauci delightedly said, they often share.
AN INNOVATOR AT HEART
Lee Gauci is very much the younger side of the spectrum of the Gauci generations. And true to the dynamism of entrepreneurial youth, he constantly studies and seeks new horizontal and vertical diversification opportunities. An example of this is their introduction of a rather unique crank and rod technology; incorporated for a client, and now part of one of their most popular lines of blinds.
He has also recently launched an exquisite line of Spanish home fragrances. “They are all handmade and beautifully presented. We have received very positive feedback on them,” said Mr Gauci.
This is a product which goes well with the home furnishings sector”, he added. Lee Gauci’s innovative streak has been evident for some time. Not only has he introduced new machinery to the company, he has also diversified their product and manufacturing portfolio.
An example of this is their supply of laminate flooring. “We convinced the world-famous German brand ‘Swiss Krono’, which produces high-grade laminate flooring, to come to Malta: not an easy task due to their perception of the limitations imposed by our demographics. But we have now been working steadfastly together for five years, to our mutual and utmost satisfaction.
Mr Gauci is also proud to have added wallpapers to their product portfolio. Exclusively representing none other than Germany’s acclaimed ‘Marburg’ brand, Big Ben Interiors provide timeframes of 3 to 4 weeks from ordering to supply.
“The materials in sturdy, easy to clean, and the designs are modern and trendy”
“We offer installation when needed, the delivery is very speedy and the prices highly competitive,” added Mr Gauci. The material is sturdy, easy to clean, and the designs are modern and trendy.
In his own words, Mr Gauci is always looking for ways to improve: “Since I graduated from University, I came to work full time here and I have been, since then, constantly on the lookout on how to make things better, improve quality, introduce new items, and justifiably and progressively increase our market share.”
While Lee Gauci has his eyes firmly set to the future, he is adamant that Big Ben Interiors’ core competency will always remain at the heart of their work: “people are constantly coming and returning to Big Ben because they know that they will get a genuine deal here: best prices with great quality!”
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