The 14,000 square-metre exhibition area was where the eight firms from the Grupo showcased their latest trends in: flooring, wall tiles, building solutions, kitchens and bathrooms.
The company, whose turnover was 806 million in 2018, created 209 jobs in the Castellón province and 100 in the rest of Spain.
The PORCELANOSA Group saw more than 12.000 visitors come through its doors at its 26th International Exhibition. From January 21-25, the eight companies making up this ceramic multinational presented their main innovations for 2019.
The 14.000 square-metre exhibition area that the company set out in Vila-real, was where the different companies from the Grupo showcased their very latest designs in: flooring, wall tiles, building solutions, kitchens and bathrooms.
During this edition, overnight stays in the surrounding areas increased by 30% with an average of 1.100 rooms a night being used. A positive effect on the hotel and catering industry in Castellón, Valencia and the surrounding areas which saw on average some 4.000 lunches and dinners being served daily.
Several political figures and celebrities visited the different showrooms in Vila-real to get to know the materials and the collections from the PORCELANOSA Group up close. Among them were: the former Defence Minister, José Bono; the president of Partido Popular in the Valencian Community, Isabel Bonig; the Mayor of Vila-real, José Benlloch; the Regional Secretary of Employment and CEO of Labora, Enric Nomdedéu and the bullfighter, Cayetano Rivera. Just some of the familiar faces in this edition.
806 million euros in sales during 2018
Both the national and international expansion of the company have made it possible for the PORCELANOSA Group to acquire new economic and business competences. Something that was confirmed by the managing director of Porcelanosa, Mª José Soriano, who calculated the sales volume registered during 2018 to be 806 million euros. A 3.4% increase when compared to 2017. An increase which, made it possible for 209 jobs in the Castellón province and 100 in the rest of Spain to be created.
As far as the investments which were carried out in the previous financial year are concerned, Soriano informed the mass media that 100 million euros was designated for the remodelling of the industrial facilities. An operation which made it possible to meet the production activity requirements from the PORCELANOSA Group and the overall investment plan, which also saw the creation of new industrial and organisational facilities.
The PORCELANOSA Group’s challenge is: “to improve in energy efficiency and waste management without compromising product innovation”, according to what Soriano said, who emphasised the importance of growing in a “sustainable and stable way, but without any ups and downs which could endanger the company”.
One example of this is that Gamadecor will get a new logistics centre and Venis will also expand its production plant. Noken will extend its offices and exhibition areas and Porcelanosa will get a new wall tile plant which is due in 2021, which will see spaces expanded by up to 100.000 square metres.
These operations will create new commercial openings which are due in 2019, with Virginia (USA), Siberia (Russian Federation), Guinea (Africa) or Uzbekistan (Asia) as the main recipients. Furthermore, Cologne (Germany), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Johannesburg (South Africa) will house new project offices.
The large ceramic format which is environmentally friendly
Porcelanosa has focused its new products on natural wood, stone and ancient ceramics. The Nobu collection, included in the HIGHKER large-format Premium ceramic, and the Berna and Mood wall tiles, provide greater spaciousness to housings and contract projects with their light and volume combinations.
Venis presented the Urban series, which combines the texture of cement with stone veining, and Dakota Sandstone, which reminds us of a thousand-year-old stone. Industrial aesthetics for interiors and exteriors alike.
Gamadecor is ahead of its time with Smart Kitchen. This new kitchen reformulates the traditional kitchen concept with a program where users will interact with the device itself to get to know their eating habits or find out what their favourites are when it comes to cooking. Some of the other initiatives to be highlighted in this field are none other than the Wabi E9.30 kitchen with XLIght Savage Dark Nature and the E6 Roble Torrefacto kitchen. With regard to the bathrooms, the company has launched four new collections, namely: Skill, Blind, Last and Hem; all based on simple shapes and neutral colours.
KRION™ has launched twelve new colours in the following series: Luxury, Art Veins, Colors and Royal Series; it has also created the new Materia series. Made of 20% recycled material, each of its possibilities allows for the textures and the perspective of its elements to be combined.
Nature as a starting point
L’Antic Colonial has renewed its image through nature, luxury and innovation. The three principles followed by its new Wald Custom collection; large slats which achieve in getting the user’s desired colour. With regard to natural stone, it is worth highlighting Cut to size, a cut which makes it possible for stone to be adapted to every space.
Butech, a company from the PORCELANOSA Group, which specialises in building solutions, ceramic installation systems and façades; showed a scale model of the façade which will be installed by Butech at the Open Sky shopping centre in Madrid. With an area of 18.000 square metres and manufactured with KRION™, this impressive structure sets out a new architectural concept. Other innovations are the profiles from the Pro-Light collection, which are adapted to the LED lighting systems.
Noken announced its showroom extension, which currently covers 2.000m2. Focusing on sustainability and responsible water consumption, the Noken showroom was based on the WaterForest concept, which included ECO products and devices which save water and energy alike.
For the Tono bathtub, the Care system was designed. We are dealing with equipment which is included in the Wellness experience and it allows for water oxygenation and purification. This process improves user comfort with greater collagen production and skin hydration.
Urbatek, a company that specialises in offering solutions to projects with greater technical demands, presented its new Xlight collections: Stam and Tempo. Pieces that can be used as floor tiles and wall tiles, and which offer endless possibilities through their light and lively tones.
A universal design which has no bounds. A universal response to these new times.
