Mission, Values and History
Purpose
Inspire and enrich the lives of everyone through creative and artistic thinking.
Vision
Become the go-to solution for all those seeking to express their creativity, offering the broadest portfolio of brands and products for art and creative education.
Mission
To produce and create everything needed to give shape to ideas, offering beautiful, accessible, and safe objects, to nurture simple gestures as well as great creative passions, allowing everyone to express themselves at any moment in their lives.
Legacy
We have a great tradition and a long history that inspires our future and creates a sense of belonging.
Solidity
We focus closely on return on investment to ensure the Group’s continual growth.
Integrity
We always act with transparency, fairness, honesty and consistency.
Responsibility
We operate with respect for the people we deal with and the environment to create sustainable value.
Excellence
we are committed to high levels of quality, service, safety and performance.
1920-1994
F.I.L.A., an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Lapis ed Affini, was founded in Florence in 1920. At the time, our logo depicted a lily, inspired by the city’s emblem. Our very first price lists included various types of pencils, coloured crayons, and products such as pencil tips, leads, and pen holders. Perhaps our most well-known product line is our Giotto crayon range.
Renato Candela became the manager of the company in 1956 and was later succeeded by his son Alberto. F.I.L.A.’s hallmark has always been its innovation. Starting from the first felt-tip pens to the Giotto Fibra’s felt-tip markers, cosmetic pencils and ballpoint pens, we later launched the Tratto Pen, which is now an iconic product, winning the prestigious Compasso d’Oro industrial design award in 1979.
1994-2023
In 1994, Massimo, Alberto’s son and already with the company for some years, became Chief Executive Officer. Massimo Candela launched FILA’s global expansion. Until that point, the company had mainly operated on the Italian market, while our new strategy involved acquiring companies with renowned brands in Europe, in the United States, and in Asia. This move expanded our more creative product ranges, initially in the School sector and then in the Fine Arts segment. Today, the Group is a multinational corporation.