Firm Salvatore Caruana

Firm Salvatore Caruana is a metals and industrial supplier on Lighters Wharf in Marsa, the working quayside at the head of the Grand Harbour. It was established in 1959 and is run by the third generation of the family and imports its stock directly from manufacturers abroad. In our directory it sits among the yacht brokers and marine businesses in Malta because it supplies marine hardware, though most of its range serves general engineering.

This is a trade and workshop supplier, not a tourist attraction, so it will matter mainly to boat owners, fabricators and builders who need material in Malta rather than shipped from the UK.

What the business stocks

The business occupies five adjacent warehouses on three levels near the port, which is how it keeps such a wide range on the shelf. The online shop lists the range by category, with 96 items in profiles and 26 in pipes alone. The range is organised into profiles, pipes, bars, sheets, wire ropes and chains, belts, castors, fasteners, fittings, accessories, chemicals and anodes. Stainless steel is the speciality, in grades 304 and 316, with round, square and rectangular hollow sections in mill, brushed and mirror polished finishes. There are also aluminium, brass, bronze and copper sections, along with plastics such as acetal, PTFE, PVC and Tufnol, and engineering steels from bright mild steel to tool steel.

Marine buyers will look at the 316 stainless fittings and wire ropes, galvanised and stainless chains in several link patterns, and zinc anodes, plus cleaning and pickling products for stainless work. Material can be cut to size on bandsaws and plasma machines, so small pieces are as easy to order as full lengths or several tonnes imported specially to order. Anyone buying or selling a boat can also look at 73 Marine, a yacht broker in our directory.

Customers and quality

Customers range from retail buyers to medium-sized engineering firms and large factories, across construction, engineering, manufacturing, marine, energy, food and drink, pharmaceutical and DIY. Staff advise on which material suits an application and offer a customisation service. The business operates a quality management system to ISO 9001:2015 and promises fast replies to enquiries.

The company's stated aim is the best local supply of quality engineering materials, from stainless steels to polymers, with consistent product quality, sourcing to high standards, both soft and hard stock variants, investment in staff and infrastructure, and a team able to interpret what a customer actually needs. It also recommends better alternatives when a different material suits the job. For a day on the water rather than a workshop, see Adventure Cruises Malta.

Delivery around Malta

Deliveries follow a weekly zone schedule. Monday and Thursday cover Marsa, Paola, Żejtun, Marsaskala, Marsaxlokk and Birżebbuġa. Tuesday and Friday cover Qormi, Żebbuġ, Birkirkara, Siġġiewi and Rabat. Wednesday covers a wider area, including Valletta, Floriana, Msida, San Ġwann, St Julian's, Mellieħa, Qawra, Naxxar and Mosta.

Marsa lies close to Valletta, covered in our Valletta guide, and to the Three Cities, and Paola is home to the Hypogeum of Ħal Saflieni, so a visit to the quay fits easily into a trip with a stay in one of the hotels in Valletta. Marsaxlokk, a delivery area, is near the Blue Grotto. See the Malta weather guide before planning outdoor boat work, and our overview of Malta for the wider picture.

Contacting the business

The business asks customers to enquire in writing and does not show prices online, so describe the grade, finish, size and quantity you need. A website notice warns that some orders may take longer to arrive because of shipper and supplier delays, so allow extra time for items imported specially. The premises are a working wharf, so check opening hours before calling in person. Use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to Firm Salvatore Caruana.