INTERVIEW WITH MR. JAVIER CARDA FROM PORCELANOSA GRUPO

December 11, 2024

1. Kindly tell us something about your work profile/business including yourself

I’m a passionate of the sales processes and I was born on a land with an ancient culture of trade (agriculture, construction, industry….) beside of grow and learn in many other countries earlier, I’m continuously trying to improve and redefine the use of the soft skills on the sales process. Following this experience, the company appointed me to develop a new strategy and challenge in Asia.

2. What made you / your company decided to develop in Asian market especially in Vietnam?

Porcelanosa is a global company with an international presence in more than 100 countries around the world but after 50 years of the company, the brand has been established and ranked as one of the top manufacturer and supplier of building materials in Europe and USA. For that reason, the strategy of the company to diversify the investments and expand the business in Asia, Africa, South-America… in this case, Vietnam is a huge potential market specially for the luxury brands where the customers are paying more attention to the quality and design. Moreover, the hospitality market will play a great role in Vietnam again with the best-rates of tourism in the area and Porcelanosa has the experience by specifiying our best products and supplying to the most renowned hotel chains.

3. How has your professional career or your company’s career developed since then?

We are in the very early-stage of this strategy now and after the first months in the country, we are starting to understand the requirements of the market, the competition, how to connect with the professionals, the best marketing strategy… and we trully believe all of that plus the experience and knowledge of the company in other countries before, Porcelanosa is poised for success in this country due to its unparalleled reputation for high-quality, innovative design and superior craftsmanship in the tile and home furnishings industry.

4. As far as your sector stands today, what services PORCELANOSA offers to their clients?

As of today, Porcelanosa offers a comprehensive range of services to their clients, including premium ceramic and porcelain tiles, luxury bathroom and kitchen fixtures, custom flooring solutions, interior design consultation, and personalized customer support to ensure a seamless and high-quality experience.

5. What do you think are the biggest challenges for this sector in the future?

I’m starting to connect with many professionals in this sector and the conversation for the biggest challenges in the future is always following the same guidelines, specially navigating intense market competition, addressing fluctuating raw material costs, adapting to evolving consumer preferences, managing supply chain disruptions, and ensuring sustainability in production practices to meet increasing environmental regulations and consumer demands for eco-friendly products.

6. What type of promotional and communication campaigns do you work on?

I found a very difficult scenario in the country since there is almost zero knowledge of the company, brand and products in Vietnam. So we need to build and promote the brand with the help of our very good background but of course, it is not enough at this moment. In this case the best communication campaign right now is to connect with many companies in the same sector, to introduce about Porcelanosa products, our services, our advantages for the new trends in the market. In addition, I also need to mention the support of the SCCV at this point. They are playing a crucial role in enhancing the visibility of Spanish brands here by providing networking opportunities, market insights, promotional events, and local expertise.

7. What is your advice to companies interested in your services?

First of all, it’s important to clearly outline what they need in terms of design, materials, and functionality. Understanding these requirements will help in choosing the right products and services. As Porcelanosa offers a wide variety of high-quality products, including tiles, bathroom fixtures, and kitchen solutions. I need to make sure they explore our full range to find what best suits their project.

8. Please tell us a little about future plans of your company in Vietnam.

Following our experience and knowledge in other countries before, we are planning a new milestone in the country by opening a Porcelanosa Gallery here in HCMC where we will showcase the diverse range of products offered by Porcelanosa, from ceramic tiles to bathroom fixtures and kitchen solutions. It will help us to find more distributors in the market, connect with architects, interior designers… and tailor a full-solution proposal to the specific needs of the developers and their projects.

Many thanks to Mr. Javier Carda for sharing your experience with us.