Tirso Calaranan, the President of CICG, met a foreign buyer in a World Trade exhibit who wanted his collections to be reproduced. The first export container, all made from wood, from Paete, Laguna, was sent to him the following year.

Supply of wood became scarce in Paete. It was within this period that CICG developed Fiberglass Reinforced Polyresin (FRP) as a replacement of wood and therefore, a perfect raw material in the reproduction of different antique models. The client and the market in Europe were receptive to the change, and the business relationship lasted almost ten years.

Tirso had to rethink the future of his business due to the impact of the Asian financial crisis on the company’s export operations. It was then that he realized the opportunity to promote Philippine-crafted products to Filipinos themselves.

CICG Incorporated evolved to be a manufacturer of decorative items specializing in fiberglass. Since then, we have been utilizing FRP to recreate and bring the beauty of nature to homes and establishments, without compromising it.

Tirso’s son, Raymund Calaranan, now President and General Manager of CICG, is making new waves in FRP application. Retaining the values of the family business and keeping in mind the core competency of producing high quality, handcrafted products, Raymund continues to expand the business through realizing the vision of our clients. CICG products and projects now include huge waterfall features, towering sculptures, intricate signages, pots and planters, and a wide range of recreational items.