Last week I found myself in Spain once again for another edition of the Tile of Spain press & architecture junket. I have to say that this is by far my favorite industry trip of the year. I love this country and never feel more alive than when I am immersed in the culture that creates my favorite ceramic products. There’s just something about being here, meeting the technicians & designers, speaking the language and walking the spotless factories that speaks to my soul.
The first couples days, as always, were spent in Castellón De La Plana with a visit to the Porcelanosa Grupo companies. I arrived late last Thursday night after 2 planes and a train, equaling around 18 hours of travel, feeling like I was rolled hard and put away wet but ran directly into the purchasing contingent from Fontile (my former employer). How could I refuse to join them and their rep from Noken for dinner? A few cervesas & some delicious food at Plan B was enough for the un-knotting of my tired muscles that allowed me to sleep well and recharge my batteries for my visit the next day.
The first couples days, as always, were spent in Castellón De La Plana with a visit to the Porcelanosa Grupo companies. I arrived late last Thursday night after 2 planes and a train, equaling around 18 hours of travel, feeling like I was rolled hard and put away wet but ran directly into the purchasing contingent from Fontile (my former employer). How could I refuse to join them and their rep from Noken for dinner? A few cervesas & some delicious food at Plan B was enough for the un-knotting of my tired muscles that allowed me to sleep well and recharge my batteries for my visit the next day.
My good friend Andy Pennington, the National Sales & Marketing Director for Porcelanosa USA was my gracious host once again this year. Whisking me through each of the eight company’s showrooms with their sales teams & technicians to get into the nitty-gritty of the new collections for the year. Amazingly, we managed to see it all in the one day I had even spending an hour with the senior product designer at the end of the day to rap about inspiration and future direction.
This addition to the trip is necessary since Porcelanosa hasn’t exhibited at Cevisama for years now and if I don’t see them, I am missing out on a key player from Tile of Spain for my Trends and other programs for the North American market at Coverings in April. Although the group is will be stopping at the main showroom from Grupo after visiting Vives’s factory, I am very happy to have spent a day on my own absorbing as much as possible.
I thought I’d give you all a sneak peek & share some of the pictures of my journey through the Porcelanosa world. You will just have to join me on the Tile of Spain pavilion at Coverings though for any of the details or explanation on the trends and innovation. Until then, enjoy the eye candy!
The next blog will delve into the amazing personalities & events that shared the rest of the trip with me. To those of you that I had the honor to get to know on this trip, you have my lifelong respect and admiration- it was a special group and my absolute pleasure to be your guide into my world of Spanish tile.
Now... The eye-candy!
Just a select few of the drool-worthy novelties coming out of Porcelanosa Grupo companies this year... what do you think?
RSS Feed
