January 25, 1925: The Chrysler Corporation was founded by Walter Chrysler. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer released the blockbuster - Ben Hur. The Charleston is the dance of the day.
In Malta, Emmanuel Calleja had other things on his mind. On this day he opened the doors to a small space in Fleur de Lys Road, B’Kara. Starting out as one of only four people on the island licensed to perform industrial electrical installation, he hit the ground running by helping the Pace Brothers lay the electrical foundations for a town that is today the heart of Maltese nightlife – Paceville.
Over a short period of time, Emmanuel’s burgeoning reputation saw his client list slowly shift to serving the needs of other electrical contractors and organisations of national prominence, who relied on him as a vital source of electrical supplies for their projects. With a new viewpoint on how his expertise could contribute to his company’s progress, he moved to a bigger space across the street to accommodate a growing sales staff of over 25 people and added his 3 sons as partners..
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E. Calleja & Sons
By 1970, the firm was riding an unprecedented wave of growth, driven by Malta’s electrical distribution conversion from 110 volts to 240 volts. With more than 50 employees and dozens of projects spilling into hallways, E. Calleja & Sons opened a new chapter in its history. A few blocks south from Fluer de Lys, at Bishop Labini Street B’Kara, the firm took over a 5,000-square-metre building that some 10 years earlier, had housed a cinema called ‘The Metropole’.
This was converted into two sales floors, a showroom, multi-level storage facilities and an administration area. The additional space was quickly consumed by new employees, new capabilities and representation of over 40 internationally renowned brands; including ABB and Osram..
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A path to the future
Today, faced with the difficult task of maintaining the legacy left behind by Emmanuel and his sons, we, the current generation of Callejas, recognised that younger electrical supplies buyers were increasingly associating our organisation with their fathers and grandfathers, not themselves.
The bold decision to rebrand was taken. New measures included a complete review of the company’s strategic direction and long term goals, the launch of new product lines, a new graphic identity, new marketing materials and major changes in the architecture of the showrooms. Of course, these changes are just the tip of the iceberg. Calleja is plotting a new course to the future – with great people, innovative products, operational excellence, fiscal discipline and last but not least – a powerful brand.
We promise that our determination to continually protect and strengthen a legacy 85 years in the making, will result in an extraordinary return on any investment you make with us.
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