A Spaniard and his family group
The milestone of fifty years is cause for celebration, especially when a company stands as a global reference in its field and markets its products worldwide. The moment was marked by a royal visit to the facilities, where the king greeted the leaders of the Vila-real based group and toured several production sites.
The welcome was led by Hector Colonques, president of Porcelanosa, joined by the mayor of Vila-real, Jose Benlloch, and the government delegate, Pilar Bernabe. The monarch arrived alongside the president of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, with the presence of the provincial council president, Marta Barrachina, underscoring the event as a high-level recognition of regional industry.
A Spaniard and his family group
After the greeting, the delegation moved to the main meeting room where Colonques opened the address. He described Porcelanosa as a proudly Spanish, family-owned enterprise focused on ceramic floor and wall coverings, ventilated facade systems, new generation mineral compact materials, and kitchen and bathroom furniture. He highlighted a robust international footprint, noting more than 1,000 sales points across 134 countries.
Colonques recalled the National Innovation Award awarded to Porcelanosa in 2020 and expressed gratitude for the monarch’s ongoing support of industry and innovation in the country. He acknowledged the King’s role in fostering economic development and reiterated appreciation for his attendance at the event.
“The company is rooted in a spirit of continuous improvement and employs about 5,000 people,” the president explained, emphasizing the positive social impact and the commitment to the Valencian Community’s economy through job creation, technology, and sustainability.
From Vila-real to the whole world
The chief executive officer of Porcelanosa, Maria Jose Soriano, expressed sincere thanks to the King for accepting the invitation. She conveyed the hope that the royal visit would be enjoyable and that the Valencia region’s ceramics, born in Vila-real, would continue to leave a mark globally while Spain celebrates five decades of presence in this sector.
Soriano noted that production has expanded and diversified, integrating a range of materials and technical solutions for housing and design. Yet the origin remains anchored in white-bodied ceramics, described as the soul of both present and future ventures.
In describing the production process, Soriano recalled that ceramics have accompanied humanity since the earliest ages, evolving from functional uses to decorative expressions over time. The material endures because it does not undergo chemical change, unlike metals that corrode, plastics that may degrade, or wood that can suffer from pests and environmental conditions. This long life is cited as one of ceramics’ enduring virtues and a core reason for its lasting appeal.
Route
The afternoon portion of the visit featured a tour of one of the group’s production facilities. Guided by the vice president and chief executive officer of Porcelanosa, Silvestre Segarra, the group observed the journey from raw materials through shaping, enameling, firing, and packaging.
The tour concluded with a commemorative plaque and a group photograph that included officials such as Manuel Colonques, Asunción Manzanet, the widow of Jose Soriano, and other leaders, symbolizing the collaboration across the company’s diverse departments.