With a rich history dating back to 1973, the Spanish brand Porcelanosa has evolved into a conglomerate comprising six companies, distributing its products to over 137 countries. Recently celebrating the 30th edition of its International Exhibition, Porcelanosa showcased products reflecting the latest trends. We talk about the celebration and the company with Jose María Segarra Soriano, responsible for International Strategies & Operations at Porcelanosa.
Can you tell us a little bit about the history of Porcelanosa?
'The Porcelanosa Group is a Spanish business holding company with 50 years of experience in the comprehensive design and management of technical solutions for the residential, hotel, and retail sectors. It began in 1973 with the production of ceramic tiles exclusively.
Today, the six companies that comprise the Group produce, not only wall and floor ceramic coverings, but also complete bathroom and kitchen equipment, as well as state-of-the-art technical systems for architecture, such as ventilated façades. They are distributed by a commercial network that reaches more than 1,000 points of sale, including own shops, distributors, and partners, in 137 countries worldwide.'
You recently celebrated the 30th edition of the Porcelanosa Grupo's International Exhibition. Can you tell us more about the event?
'Since its first edition, the Porcelanosa International Exhibition has provided a lively platform to showcase the latest trends and advancements of Porcelanosa's branches to the architecture and interior design community.
Held yearly in our own headquarters, we welcome our dealers and customers to an immersive experience into the Porcelanosa world, where they can experience first-hand the novelties in products at our showrooms and fabrication improvements in our production plants.'
Can you tell us about the overarching theme and highlights of the exhibition?
'For the 30th edition of the Porcelanosa International Exhibition in 2024, the event was expanded to a special five-week edition. Visitors from over 60 different countries have joined us during this time to explore the latest products and designs from our seven-branch group.
Approximately 12,000 square meters were renovated for this occasion, with a notable highlight being the new XLIGHT exclusive showroom, covering over 1,000 square metres, to showcase Porcelanosa's large-format tile collections.'
Which collections were on show?
'The seven brands under Porcelanosa Group presented their latest innovations at the exhibition. Notable trends included neutral tones, textured surfaces, and striking veining in Porcelanosa's offerings, drawing inspiration from the raw elegance of cement, limestone, and marble.
Gamadecor introduced its new Smart Kitchen, blending cutting-edge technology, elegant design and exceptional functionality with an innovative invisible dual technology hob, while L'Antic Colonial revamped its showroom and launched S-tile, a new line of small-format decorative ceramics.
Butech showcased a range of technical solutions designed to enhance the aesthetics of ceramic installations on façades and in interiors. Meanwhile, Noken provided a glimpse into the future of bathroom design with its exclusive Lounge Fluid faucet. For its part, Krion showcased a stunning array surfaces and bathroom fittings with its innovative materials and finishes. And XTONE unveiled new collections of large-format porcelain tiles.'
In which markets is the group most active and how are the market conditions at the moment?
'As a global company, we are very active in many markets. Despite some of the economic difficulties we are seeing today, our aim is to work with the kind of people who know how to get around crisis through creativity and hard work. There's always room in the market for brands like ours that stand for quality within the premium category. '
What are the future plans for Porcelanosa?
'In line with our international expansion, we plan to open three associate showrooms in Latin America in the coming months, as well as a new own store in Chester, UK.
Regarding future fairs, we have an exciting line-up ahead for the coming months. In April, we'll be attending the Salone del Mobile in Milan and participating in Fuorisalone with our Earthcrafted Designs concept. The following week, Porcelanosa will be showcasing at Coverings in Atlanta, while simultaneously participating in Architect@Work Luxembourg.
Moving into the following months, Tektónica in Portugal and SIMA in Spain will take centre stage. Following that, in June, we'll be participating in the 3 Days of Design events in Copenhagen.'
More information:
Porcelanosa
[email protected]
www.porcelanosa.com
Spain