a personal and corporate history

The Leda motto is “Always looking to the future, never losing sight of the past”. It was a vision conceived in the heart of Italy, then brought to life in Canada by the company’s founders, Lino and Leda Confalone.

Lino’s father was a talented artisan in the region of Puglia, a woodworker who hand crafted fine furniture. When he was very young, Lino helped after school in his father’s shop. “I worked hard and learned the trade from him”. He left for Canada when he was an energetic 17, “Just in time for Christmas; it was so cold I wanted to go right back to Italy!”

Coincidentally, Leda was born in Abruzzo, just north of Puglia, her father also a woodworker, and came to Canada with her family when she was seven. Neither Lino nor Leda spoke any English. They met years later in Toronto’s “Little Italy”.

Lino knew he wanted to work with wood, the family tradition, “to use my craft.” In Toronto he earned his living in carpentry finishing and the construction of new homes. He progressed to building and installing kitchen cabinets, first from the basement of Leda’s family home, then the more spacious garage. But the business grew rapidly and in 1967 Italcraft saw the light of day. Lino moved the enterprise to a 2,700 square foot unit. Leda was a secretary for Toronto Dominion Bank, but moonlighted as Italcraft’s bookkeeper and did the company’s invoicing at night.

“To us and to our customers the name Italcraft meant that our furniture was made by hand, that we crafted in the old tradition,” said Lino.

Marco, their first son, was also born in 1967, a banner year for the couple, and Sergio two years later, in 1969.

In 1972 the company moved to a larger factory and office. They picked up their tools again in 1981 to expand once more.

Lino said, “When we changed our name from Italcraft to Leda, it was to show our pride in our all-Canadian made furniture. The name Leda seemed appropriate; it is elegant, unique like Leda, my wife, and like the furniture we create.”

In 1993, the expanding enterprise moved to its present home at 350 Clayson Road. The 150,000 square foot facility incorporates state-of-the-art manufacturing, warehousing and showroom space. 2006 brought the start of a new 18,000sqft addition.

Lino is justifiably proud of the company’s top-of-the-line machinery, including a number of sophisticated CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) machines, ensuring Leda’s status as a truly high-tech furniture manufacturing entity.

Leda observed, “Lino works in five year cycles. He brings the company to a point where he’s satisfied, then takes it to the next level of expansion. He loves the challenge of building the business.”

The couple is “very proud the boys are deeply involved in the business”. Said Lino, “Over the years I’ve come to believe the boys don’t really need me anymore, but if they do need me, I’m here. I’ve told everyone I’ll retire, next year, next year, next year, but thus far I haven’t! I handed over more responsibility to Marco and Sergio, but I am still here to help them. I could never say ‘goodbye’ to the business. And I would like to think that maybe our two granddaughters, Sasha and Nicole, would one day be a part of the team.”

Today Marco and Sergio hold the positions of President and Vice President, respectively.

The company Lino and Leda Confalone founded continues its dramatic development, focused on a strong market-driven, creative philosophy and direction, always making provision for exciting growth and prosperity for every member of the Leda family team. “Always looking to the future, never losing sight of the past!”

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Leda Furniture’s geographic marketing is focused on a global scale with activity occurring in several regions of the world. LEDA is currently dealing with many of the finest retailers across the U.S.A. and Canada. LEDA has also developed, and is strengthening, a loyal dealer base, with selected distribution in the Far East, South America, Australia and Europe.
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LEDA is the proud recipient of many coveted TRILLIUM AWARDS for design & manufacturing and as well as GRAND TRILLIUM AWARDS for design/marketing excellence from the Ontario Furniture Manufacturing Association, and the Better Homes and Gardens CONSUMER AWARD in England.
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LEDA has showrooms located in the following cities:

• 8000 sq. ft. Toronto, Ontario, at the factory facility
  Get more information about our Toronto Factory Showroom and Clearance Center.
• 9000 sq. ft, IHFC #G576 in High Point, North Carolina

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The Company Lino Confalone founded continues its focus on a market-driven creative direction. Craftsmanship, design and dedication to producing quality furniture and value, manufacturing in the most state of the art facility, has been the mainstay of the Leda philosophy for over 35 years. With the recent promotion of Marco L. Confalone as COO and President, Sergio Confalone as Vice-President and Lino Confalone remaining CEO of the Company this ideology and integrity is now being carried forward by two generations of the same family. We say with great pride that we are "Always looking to the future, never losing sight of the past..."
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