Porcelanosa, the ceramic tile company that became known to the whole world thanks to its advertising campaigns starring Isabel Presyler and its connection with the foundation of the previous Prince of Wales, currently Charles III, turns 50 years old. For this reason, the King visited the company’s facilities in Vila-Real (Castellón) this Thursday where, accompanied by the president of the Generalitat Valenciana, Carlos Monzón, he was received by the president of the firm, Héctor Colonques and the mayor of the town, José Benlloch; and by the Government delegate, Pilar Bernabé.
During the visit, the King toured the different production plants to learn about the ceramic manufacturing process. In 2020, the King presented the Porcelanosa group with the National Innovation Award in the “Large Company” category, awarded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, a moment that was remembered this Thursday by the president of the company who also thanked the presence of the Rey and his support for industry and innovation.
Basic in the history of the company is its relationship with Isabel Preysler, which began more than thirty years ago and marked the commercial launch, especially internationally, of the firm. The socialite, in addition to lending her advertising image, served as image and hostess at the different parties and inaugurations attended by celebrities from all over the world such as Bo Derek, John Travolta, Sarah Jessica Parker, Orlando Bloom, George Clooney, Elle Macpherson and Cindy Crawford, among others, as well as Isabel Preysler’s children, especially Tamara Falcó.
The first public appearance of Isabel and Mario Vargas Llosa was in 2015 at the opening of a showroom of the ceramic firm in New York.
However, Porcelanosa’s most notable connection was the relationship that the company has maintained with the Prince of Wales Foundation for Architecture and Urbanism, chaired by the now King of England, Charles III, which at the time caused some controversy due to the use sponsorship advertising. For years, the then heir opened the doors of St. James’s Palace and even Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle to host charity parties organized by Porcelanosa, which he himself attended, as well as the entire roster of celebrities signed by the company. company. The high point of this relationship occurred in 2001, when Carlos de Wales traveled to Vila-Real, in Castellón, to visit the factory and inaugurate new facilities. Carlos’s visit was also the occasion when a large gala dinner was organized in his honor with a large number of celebrities in attendance. Porcelanosa also presented the prince in 2010 with an Arabic-style fountain for the gardens of Highgrove, another of his residences.
Made up of seven companies, Porcelanosa has a commercial network that reaches 1,089 points of sale in 137 countries. The company was founded in 1973 in Vila-Real (Castellón), with José Soriano, Héctor Colonques and Manuel Colonques, the promoters of a revolutionary project that proposed the manufacture of ceramics with white body, a material that had not been used until the moment to it. Currently, it has a total turnover that is close to 903 million euros in 2022 and a workforce of 4,800 people.
