Our story, the pursuit of comfort since 1965.

Liborio Vincenzo Calia starts his entrepreneurial journey by opening an individual sofa manufacturing company, which will then become Calia Italia’s core element.

Giuseppe and – later on – Saverio Calia, Liborio Vincenzo’s sons, join the business. They are currently managing the company.

Calia Italia attends the Milan Furniture Exhibition. In the following years, thanks to models such as the “Magic” – launched in 1984 – and the “Transatlantic” – in production since 1987 and designed especially to meet the French market needs – the company starts being successful also on the main international markets.

“Calia Cultura” is founded to support art, scientific research and social commitment. In the same year. All Customer Care’s activities are structured so to be able to assist customers both during and after purchase.

“Centro Studi Calia”, an area created within the company, is launched to focus on prototypes research and development. At the Milan Salone Internazionale del Mobile a collection of sofas covered with fabrics by Versace proves to be greatly successful.

Since 1992, Calia Trade has boasted one of southern Italy’s largest photo studios.

Spanning over 500 square meters, this state-of-the-art facility was designed by architect Saverio Calia to accommodate in-house photo shoots and video productions of sofas and armchairs. The studio is equipped with a seamless backdrop, professional lighting, comprehensive equipment, and amenities including dressing rooms for models. It also features an expansive shooting area suitable for photographers, set designers, makeup artists, stylists, and creative directors.

This versatile space is adaptable for a wide range of projects, including advertising photos, catalog images, model shoots, and still life photography.

A new building, the current company facility, designed by Arch. Saverio Calia, is officially opened in Contrada Serritello La Valle.

With a conference on cancer – “A che punto siamo sul cancro” – held by Prof. Umberto Veronesi the activity in support of AIRC and research on oncologic diseases begins.

The “Hotel”, the most imitated easy chair, is launched. Liborio Vincenzo Calia, the company’s founder, dies.

The company obtains the UNI EN ISO 9001:2008 quality certification; in the same year the President of the Italian Republic Carlo Azelio Ciampi awards the company with the Premio AIRC Aziende Attive for “having included personnel’s information and education about oncologic prevention among the main objectives of the company’s management”.

The company is awarded with the “Premio Guggenheim Impresa e Cultura Regione Veneto” for its commitment against social marginality thanks to the project Ricami di pietra aimed at the social reintegration of mentally ill people, and “for being able to turn, through an artistic creation, a social marginality into an incentive to create collective, cultural wealth”.

Management system informatics innovation thanks to SAP system setting up.

“Premio Guggenheim Impresa e Cultura”. The company is awarded for “having chosen to be involved with continuity and creativity in cultural fields outside a merely economic contest, thus creating values for itself and for the community”

The company obtains the UNI EN ISO 14001 environmental management system and gets the Sodalitas Social Award “for carrying out cultural and social initiatives, thus undertaking an active cooperation among companies, employees and local authorities, in a difficult context such as the South of Italy, often penalized by infrastructural shortcomings if compared to other areas of the Country. A distinctive value is recognized to the social projects carried out, to the courage shown to face difficult themes such as mental illness with diligence and positivity”.

One of the largest automated warehouses in Europe, with a storage capacity of 10,500 slots, is opened. Calia Italia is counted among 30 Italian companies with the best Corporate Social Responsibility practices by the Department of Welfare.

In 2006 Calia Italia is enlisted by Eurispes among the “100 successful cases” as the company contributed “to confer prestige to the Country, thanks to its history, corporate mission, process and product innovation and to the quality of its organizational processes”.

Calia Italia is awarded with the “Trophée de l’Innovation” at the ESPRIT MEUBLE, Salon du Meuble de Paris. In the same year, the company supports the nomination of Matera as 2019 European Capital of Culture, producing a maxi sofa shaped with the logo of “Matera 2019”.

2015 – Calia Italia celebrates its 50-year activity being awarded with the “Premio Azienda Longeva” by the Matera Chamber of Commerce “for its contribution to the local economy through a constant and continuous activity in over 50 years”.

A year full of awards for Calia Italia. The company is in fact awarded with the Premio Eccellenze del Design nel Lazio as an “acknowledgment to those designers and companies that emerged for outstanding abilities and innovation” thanks to the Modula being included in theADI Design Index 2016.

Calia Italia cooperates with students attending the Industrial Design Degree Courses at La Sapienza University in Rome to share study and research activities. The N4 project – named Giuggiola – is developed within the company and becomes part of Calia Italia’s new collection to be introduced in the 2018 Milan Salone Internazionale del Mobile.

Calia Trade is awarded by Confindustria Basilicata with the Bollino di Qualità per l’Alternanza Scuola-Lavoro (BAQ). The award aims at recognizing the company’s commitment in training and appreciating the new generations through high-level school-work projects with secondary schools and professional training centers.

Calia Trade receives the “Premio 100 Eccellenze Italiane” in the Sala della Lupa at Palazzo Montecitorio The Observatory of Italian Excellence has selected Calia Trade SPA among the 100 Italian Excellences that, with their know-how and products, contribute every day to enhance the Made in Italy as a distinctive brand recognized worldwide. Besides the award, Calia Trade has been included in the prestigious volume “100 Eccellenze Italiane” Limited Edition, IV edition.

Calia Italia is Matera 2019 Official Comfort Supplier.

This cooperation, strongly desired and supported since 2014, acknowledges the company’s commitment in the promotional activities within the Matera surroundings and its national and international level culture thanks to activities that encourage cultural, social and economic development. As Matera 2019 Official Comfort Supplier, Calia Italia will make its know-how, sofas and chairs available for the setting up of all the events included in the program agenda and will create an ad hoc sofa featuring Matera 2019 Foundation’s logo.

Calia Trade has joined the ‘Special Register of Historical Brands of National Interest’, which was set up by the Ministry of Economic Development with the aim of protecting and enhancing the value of Italian companies of excellence. This recognition is dedicated exclusively t brands that have been registered for at least 50 years. It is a milestone that will represents a further recognition that crowns a 60-year-long path devoted to excellence and ‘Made in Italy’.

Calia Italia’s Lazy, a modular sofa designed by Studio Pastina, received the German Design Award 2020 in the category of ‘Excellent Product Design – Furniture’.

Since 2022, Calia Trade has been using advanced machines for scanning and automated cutting of leather hides. This process integrates specialized software and hardware—including cameras, video projectors, PCs, and monitors—with cutting machines to enhance both efficiency and speed. Given the unique characteristics of each hide, including variations in shape and quality, the process cannot be standardized like that of fabric. Each hide requires individualized handling to address its specific aesthetic and physical attributes.

Since 2023, Calia Trade has been using a 1-megawatt photovoltaic system installed at its Z.I. Macchia di Ferrandina facility to generate green electricity for its operations. This initiative aims to achieve energy self-sufficiency for the company’s plants. Over the long term, the system is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 90%, which is equivalent to the environmental benefit provided by about 1,000 trees annually.

Since 2023, Calia Trade has been employing an automated warehouse for fabric rolls, supported by an advanced hardware and software system for fabric management. This system enhances internal logistics by optimizing the management, storage, handling, and cutting of fabrics, as well as streamlining production scheduling and workflows.

Since 2024, Calia Trade has been using a 400-kilowatt photovoltaic system installed at its Matera facility in C.da Serritello La Valle to generate the green electricity needed for the self-sufficiency of its plants. Over time, this system is projected to cut CO2 emissions by approximately 50%, which is equivalent to the environmental benefit provided by about 400 trees annually.