Our centennial history
Our history begins in 1919.
1919
The Ligabue Group was established in 1919 by an entrepreneurial idea of Anacleto Ligabue, who founded the company by offering Food supply services for ships.
20s
Kitchen staff support service is implemented by providing full catering services.
50s
Ligabue Group brings its services to more than 400 ships.
1959
Giancarlo Ligabue joins the company to carry on the group’s success

60s and 70s
The partnership with Eni for construction sites, extraction and offshore platforms begins. SACE (Saudi Arabian Company) is created. Under the leadership of Giancarlo Ligabue, the group opens up to internalization, working on five continents: Ligabue becomes the main player in the catering market for the oil industry.
1973
Giancarlo Ligabue establishes the Ligabue Study and Research Centre, a non-profit organization that investigates the origins of humanity with a focus on food culture
80s
The Ligabue Group brings its services on board airliners (activity ended in 2000s).
90s
The Central Asia Company is founded for the oil industry. In the same years the Ligabue Group expands into the cruise ship market.
From 2003
to 2006
Inti Ligabue joins the company. During these years, the Group expands into the Algerian market and continues to grow through the acquisition of Arthur Riva Rotterdam and Plantours Kreutzfahrten.
From 2009
to 2010
The Ligabue Group completes the expansion into the ferries sector by becoming leader in the Mediterranean sea. In the same years, the Group, through the industrial sector, wins the contract for a project in the Caspian Sea oil site (Kashagan Project).
2012
Inti Ligabue is named President and CEO of the Group.
From 2012 to 2018
Dutch company Maas bv Shipping, located and operating in the ship supply sector, is acquired and expansion in the ferry sector continues by activating catering contracts with CIN-Tirrenia. Operations begin on the ship MS Hamburg. In the industrial sector, the Group activates the contract for Camelot Barge, the largest in the world for its category.
2019
Ligabue Group celebrates its first 100 years in business with Inti Ligabue, the third generation of the family, at the helm, leading the group to have five divisions, 14 companies, 7,000 employees, and over 320 million in revenue.
2020
Lady Diletta, the first ship owned by the Ligabue Group, is launched.
2021
The Ligabue Center of Excellence is established, with the aim of offering training.