José Tomás Claramonte
Entrepreneur 2014Managing Director and CEO of Kerajet, S.A.
José Vicente Tomás C. In 1996, he designed and manufactured his first machine tool for the ceramics sector. This was a three-axis milling machine specifically designed for the sector, enabling the creation of relief patterns on ceramic pieces for product modelling and even the milling of the final aluminium mould. And in 1999, he founded the company ‘KERAjet S.A.’ to develop the first industrial digital printing machine for use in ceramic production, which would revolutionise the way ceramic decoration is applied worldwide. Laramonte (Vila-real, 1962) holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Valencia.
Jury rulingThe jury for the Rei Jaume I Entrepreneur Prize, meeting in Valencia, has unanimously decided to award the 2014 prize to Mr José Tomás Claramonte.
He is an example of how mature sectors, such as the ceramics industry, which are key to economic growth, in the creation of jobs and wealth, can incorporate disruptive innovations that enable them to become more competitive and maintain international leadership in the manufacture of machinery within their sector, as well as acting as a driving force for the introduction of innovations in other related sub-sectors.
