Company history

In 1969 artisan Juan Hidalgo from Southern Spain opened his workshop at the Plaza de la Cruz in Torà. He crafted wrought-iron chandeliers inspired by rustic vintage motifs such as cartwheels. The artist sold his products at province’s the weekly market. From 1970 onwards his work leaned more towards a modern, abstract style. Four local enterprises took a liking to the lights. They financially supported the artist which allowed him to expand his business. In 1972 there were already 40 employees who were tasked with manufacturing the chandeliers. Hidalgo left the project in 1974 and the blacksmith’s shop was renamed Forja La Creu (Forja meaning “forge”, La Creu meaning “the cross”). The same year the focus shifted to glass work as well, the items being created in the in-house glaziery. With its ever-growing product assortment the company participated in the Barcelona international fair in 1976. Only one of the originally four financiers took over leadership in 1978 – Mr Ramon Padullés. Two years later, in 1980, outdoor lighting was added to the range, halogen lamps followed in 1986. Despite this pioneering work an internal crisis arose in 1990 which ended with leadership being passed over to Ramon Térmens and Jorge Tornini. Industrial engineer Tornini is a specialist for company reorganisation. He added new employees to the mix so that LEDS C4 counted 55 workers by 1998. The same year saw the establishment of the hugely successful Grok range which incorporates high-quality LED technology. With LED technology revolutionizing the lighting industry worldwide, it is not surprising that LEDS C4 had switched to almost exclusively using LED lighting for their entire range by 2008. By 2015 LEDS C4 counted 260 direct and 120 indirect employees. 75% of the production is exported to 141 countries with the prime markets being Europe, the USA and the Middle East. Affiliated companies have been established in Poland, Hong Kong, China as well as Dubai which also has its own branch office. The global sales made possible by well-connected distributors. In summer 2016 LEDS C4 happily reported 13,000 satisfied customers and a turnover of 45 million Euro in the previous year.

About 100 km away from Barcelona, the head office in Torà still deals with the manufacturing of premium lights and fans. The location also houses the Home Design Center, one of the most important production and management sites for the company along with a state-of-the-art logistics hub. A casting and moulding facility, a paint shop and a metal workshop are available for the manufacturing of prototypes and their installation. Test and quality checks are done afterwards.

Customer satisfaction and design

Innovative design is one of the key factors responsible for the huge success of the former artisan blacksmith’s shop. LEDS C4 products are functional, efficient and always correspond to the current décor trends. The ceiling lights are designed by LEDS C4’s very own in-house designer in Spain as well as by internationally acclaimed studios. The Invisible pendant light of the GROK range (designed by Francesc Vilaró) won the German Design Award in 2016.

On top of lighting LEDS C4 produce appealing ceiling fans with and without integrated lighting. Simple elegance, traditional charm and futuristic shapes can all be found in the ceiling fan range. The products combine pleasant airflow with efficient lighting. Professional interior designers, architects and end customers alike value the company’s versatility. This is because the Spanish brand keeps a close eye on current trends and adapts quickly to customer demands, resulting in an innovative range that incorporates traditional and modern trends. LEDS C4 takes quality control very seriously and checks goods during each step of the manufacturing process. 

The magic of lighting

Employees and management

The LEDS C4 team in Spain is always up for some fun. The team is made up of more than 330 specialists, 30 of them engineers, that are all working in the development and production facilities of the head office. LEDS C4 directly distributes to 138 countries. Jorge Tornini is the president of LEDS C4 and other Catalan companies of the Taurus group.

Xavier Andreu has been the Global Sales Director since October 2009. He joined the company in May 2006. Before he made it through several business schools and worked in a management position of other international electronics companies. In this Spanish interview he speaks about the production and design process at LEDS C4 which covers everything from an idea to the sale of the product. Even without understanding the language it is fascinating to get an insight into the office (minute 1:12).

LED has revolutionized the lighting market and still has a huge potential for growth:

“LED technology allows a product with high performance, high luminosity and quality regarding the energy efficiency a lamp has to fulfil. The implementation of LED technology in the lighting sector encourages people to think about ecological culture and sensitivity for saving energy.”

Xavier Andreu, source

A modern, generous showroom inspires customers in Torà, Spain. The brand outlet is aimed at individuals, offering good quality, low prices and a small bar.