During the week of October 14th, the dream became reality. The doors to Portobello America’s 986,000-square-foot, cutting-edge manufacturing facility were opened to over 500 guests, from around the globe, assembled in celebration of this highly anticipated event.
The Opening Inauguration Ceremonies kicked off outdoors, with light breakfast fare as Portobello executives, employees, partners, clients, press, family and friends were entertained with a live performance by the winner of “The Voice Season 17,” Jake Hoot.
Pedro Andrade, a Brazilian journalist and Brand Ambassador welcomed guests, introduced Portobello executives and presented a video documentary of the history of Portobello and how the company evolved to being “right here in Baxter, Tennessee.”
Cesar Gomes, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Directors of Portobello Grupo addressed guests and admirably honored his parents, the founders of Portobello. His speech was so authentic, that when sharing special ‘family’ moments with the crowd, tears could be seen on many audience members’ faces.
Gomes shared his vision of the new US operation by stating, “The facility was developed to meet the needs of American distributors. We have built a factory here not for mass production, but for flexibility. To attain the market with the right service. Service is the key to everyone’s success… Ours and Yours!”
The ceremonial ribbon-cutting immediately followed with local and state officials and dignitaries, including County Mayor, Randy Porter; Baxter Mayor, John Martin; and State Senator, Paul Bailey, joining the elated gathering. Attendees were led to the company’s interactive, 10,000+ square-foot showroom and state-of-the-art design lab. Guests received an exclusive preview of Portobello America’s new 2023 Fall Collection, and also of its new floor & wall tile portfolio, designed solely for the American Market.
Gina Hewlett, Louisville Tile, Nashville, TN declared, “We will be scheduling tours for designers, who were unable to come today to visit with our design center team. This showroom is beautiful; it makes you fall in love with everything.”
Heidi Martin, United Tile in Seattle, WA added, “My first thought was I can’t wait to send the architects and designers we work with to this facility; they will be blown away. I love the design lab, the showroom, all of it right there. It will be so impressive for them to come in and feel like they’re an actual part of the decisions being made.”
Lastly, guests were taken on guided tours to witness firsthand the latest advancements, from production to packaging, in tile manufacturing technology right through Portobello’s factory.
Scott Levy, Arley Wholesale, Scranton, PA stated, “It’s amazing what they’ve done in such a short period of time. And this is the most modern factory I’ve seen. This is a factory that’s built not just for now, but for the next 20 years. And they’re going to be a force to be reckoned with in this country.”
When asked about his overall impression of this US factory, Henry Daughtry at Southeastern Tile Connection in Wilmington, NC stated, “The fact we don’t have to rely on buying something eight months before we need it from overseas is going to make a huge impact in our business. Plus, on top of that, with Portobello gearing up to produce and design wall tile here in the states… it’s going to just completely change the landscape, diversity, and future designs of tile made in North America.”
Portobello America’s CEO, Luiz Felipe Brito summed up the inaugural events, “Our entire organization was proud to present Portobello America to our guests after years of planning. We were overjoyed with the support of government officials, the Brazilian teams, our clients, friends and family… but most of all, our team here in the states. Their dedication has been unsurpassable, showing relentless effort to bring our dreams to reality.”
About Portobello America
Portobello America, a Portobello Group company, designs, produces and provides complete and competitively priced hard surface solutions focused on the U.S. market. Our belief is that design can transform the way people feel by shaping the environments in which we live. This idea is the essence of Portobello America. Our business model is an integrated one. With expertise in retail and logistics, as well as being founded on design and innovation, our company is uniquely positioned to provide comprehensive support to our partners. To learn more, visit www.portobelloamerica.com.
About Portobello Group
Portobello Group or PBG S.A. is a publicly traded company, part of the Novo Mercado Bovespa since 2008, and was incorporated on December 22,1977. It started its production activities in 1979 and has since been a company that has always been oriented towards “new ideas.” This concept was born with the goal of transforming the life of the city and region of Tijucas and bringing creative design to the greatest number of people.
Today, Portobello is one of the largest ceramic tile manufactures in the world, and the company believes that their vision of an agile, integrated and market-driven business model is the right strategy to follow to continue its success. The company possesses unparalleled design competence, and their innovative products transform people’s lives by creating unique environments in the home, commercial and industrial settings. The Company operates globally but is always aware that the design must reflect the context of the location where its units are purchased. Their culture, strategy, and management focus on enabling the creation and distribution of that design. They generate value for all buyers, through an integrated business model while maintaining operational efficiencies that drive substantial profit margins.
