Pyrotechnics is associated in Catalonia with the night of Sant Joan and the major summer festivals, but Cialfir, a company based in Palau-solità i Plegamans specializing in the manufacture and distribution of fireworks, has managed to deseasonalize the business. To do this, they have sought new markets outside of Catalonia, where the consumption of fireworks has a different calendar, and they have specialized in the research and development of new products, including patents, which they market in Germany, Austria, Brazil and Argentina.
"In total we export to ten countries, we are very strong in Portugal, Belgium and France and next year we aim to consolidate in Italy and Germany", says Jordi Brau, owner with his brother Jaume Brau of Cialfir, which sells retail under the brand La Traca. This strategy has allowed them to extend the sale of pyrotechnic material throughout the year, with 43 permanent stores spread throughout Spain –in peak demand, such as Sant Joan, they also deploy some 200 temporary booths–.
"By 2025, we have set out to reach 50 permanent stores," adds Brau, a second-generation family member of a company that is about to celebrate its 40th anniversary. This December they have inaugurated two establishments in Vigo and Santander. The new 3,500 m² logistics center that they are completing in León –they assure that it will be the largest in the sector in the country– will play an important role in their growth plan. With this, they will now have nine logistics warehouses and the possibility of sending the merchandise in a maximum of four hours to any of their establishments. The investment for this last center, which is about to come into operation, exceeds one million euros.
The company expects to bill 16 million this year, 15% more than in 2021 and 21% above 2019. Of the total revenue, nine million euros come from store sales - the rest comes from retail sales. wholesale and export–, and 44% is concentrated in the month of December, when the consumption of fireworks picks up in cities in the north of Spain, Andalusia or Madrid.
In terms of innovation, Cialfir has specialized in the design of low-noise fireworks. "It already represents 55% of our products," says Brau. Consumers, he continues, demand more inclusive fireworks, adapted to people with hearing sensitivity or respectful of animals. Also that they are less polluting, so they design fireworks with a lower proportion of plastic and CO₂ emissions.
