The phone rang. On the other end of the line, representatives from an American multinational were searching for land to build what would become one of the most advanced industrial complexes in Europe.

That is how Rafael Romaguera Benavent’s story — which he would recount around the family table for decades — began. Some of that sought after land was fields he owned and farmed.

Fifty years later, Ford's Almussafes plant in Valencia, Spain, is celebrating its 50th anniversary, but for Rafael’s family the milestone is far more than industrial history.

First, Rafael joined the Ford workforce; later came his son-in-law, José Folgueira Canto; and eventually his grandson, John Folgueira, who today works in the Almussafes plant’s paint shop.

For Rafael — a local farmer, or llaurador as they say in Valencia — selling his parcels of land and choosing to be among the plant’s first workers in 1976 was a big opportunity. He was no longer solely dependent on the land; he could combine both worlds and build a better life. He never completely gave up farming, but now he was able to buy his very first car.

He worked in the paint shop, in the sealing section, applying the sealant beads along the rear of the vehicles. It was a story he loved to tell — even in his final weeks.

When he first stepped foot inside Ford, Rafael could hardly have imagined that the factory would shape the destiny of his family.

Ford the Matchmaker

While Rafael was learning the ropes at the factory, José Folgueira Canto — originally from Galicia — was in London earning a living as a street shoe-shiner.

His clients included several figures with connections to Ford, and through those relationships he secured a place in the Ford Apprenticeship School. From there, he transferred to Valencia to work as the supervisor of the sealing area where Rafael was working.

For John, what happened next feels written in the stars.

"When my grandfather Rafael retired, he invited his supervisor home for dinner to celebrate. That supervisor was my father, José. It was during that dinner that he met my mother — and that’s how my sister and I came into the world. I always say it is thanks to this company that I am here today," John said.

A Town Growing in Lockstep with the Factory

John’s memories of the plant are woven together with stories told across Sunday lunches. His grandfather would finish his shift in the paint shop, have lunch in the employee canteen, and hop onto his bicycle to pedal straight out to the orchard to tend his crops.

Rafael later sold additional land in the Raval area of Almussafes to build subsidised housing, which became home to many workers arriving from across Spain to join the plant. Almussafes and neighbouring towns like Benifaió grew to the rhythm of the factory’s shift bells.

Over the years, José Folgueira built a solid career, eventually becoming a senior night-shift supervisor in the paint shop. An avid car enthusiast, he owned Fords including Sierra, Escort, Orion, Maverick, Cougar and Focus ST.

"Every chapter of his life was marked by a company car; he has always been deeply proud to work here," John said.

José retired in 2009. Four years later, in 2013, the baton was handed to John Folgueira as he passed the recruitment process to join Almussafes.

"The day before I started, my dad took me to buy a backpack and a wallet," John remembers. “He drove me to the factory gates, handed me the backpack, and said: ‘Here — fill this with experience, and tomorrow, through your own hard work, you’ll fill this wallet to build your home, support your family, and achieve anything you set your mind to’.”

Rafael broke down in tears when told that John had been hired at the plant — and in the same paint shop where he and José had worked.

A Legacy That Lives On

Rafael Romaguera passed away in 2025, but until the end he retained vivid memories of his early days on the line and was amazed when he saw how much the role had changed during a tour for the plant’s 35th anniversary.

Rafael’s and José’s legacies are still evident across the plant.

"Whenever a colleague mentions my father or my grandfather, they only have wonderful things to say,” said John “If my grandfather could see us celebrating 50 years of Almussafes today, he would feel immense pride. He would see his grandson doing well, forging his own path thanks to the foundation they laid with so much effort. They helped build this plant from the ground up."