Awide, assorted range of articles suitable for the most varied professional uses, which stands out for their high technical standards and physical-mechanical properties. These items are designed to guarantee both high-level performance and utmost safety and comfort, even in extreme conditions. This is the core business of COFRA, leading company in the design, manufacture and sale of PPE and products for the safety sector: thanks to the expertise of its technicians, the use of latest technologies and significant investments in research and development, the company has been able to best interpret the demands of a constantly evolving market and meet the needs of an international clientele. We met Daniela Spadaro, communication team, who explained us the secrets behind this global success in detail.
When was the company founded? And when did the Safety division was developed?
COFRA was founded in 1938 under the name Cortelgomma by Ruggiero Cortellino, father of the current president, Giuseppe Cortellino. The 1980s marked a turning point, as an important internationalization process started: in 1983, the company changed its name into COFRA, while in 1989 the Safety division made its debut. Today, our company is the market leader in the professional footwear sector and it can count on a large, varied production, all focused on the safety sector, relying on a global sales network.
In addition to the headquarters in Barletta, COFRA can also count on a plant in Albania. What can you tell us about it?
In Tirana, we have a state-of-the-art factory that covers a total area of 40,000 square meters, out of which 20,000 are covered, counting about 2200 employees: the entire production process takes place there, reaching 9,000 pairs of shoes every day. COFRA headquarters, on the other hand, is located in Barletta (Puglia region): about 60,000 square meters for the commercial, marketing, legal and purchasing offices, and, above all, the automated warehouse, a strategic choice that results into almost automatic shipments. Furthermore, in 2004, COFRA U.S.A was founded: in this way, we can develop a dedicated production range in line with American certifications and we can sell footwear all over the world.
In the world of safety footwear, materials play a key role. What is your type of approach?
(Domenico Galasso R&D, answers the question, ed.)
Based on the type of shoe, its technical and structural characteristics, as well as its sector of use, we carefully choose the materials for the making of the different models. For example, as of the anti-crushing tips, they are available in metal (especially steel and aluminum) and in composite: these are two solutions that guarantee different results in terms of lightness, thermal insulation, heat conduction, resistance, traction, anti-corrosion, and other parameters. The price range is also different. Currently, if I have to make a running shoe, with a slightly narrower tip, it is more preferable to choose the metal tip. In addition, we can also offer the fiberglass version, a thin, lightweight solution that features excellent mechanical properties.
Breathability is also essential in the field of safety footwear, right?
That’s right, it represents one of the essential parameters while carrying out the tests ewe make on the materials that build up a shoe – both inside parts and linings. Foot breathability is one of the key requirements to ensure utmost comfort.
What are the main trends of the safety footwear sector?
In general, we are moving towards a sportier, almost running- style shoe, thus moving away from those preferred in the early 90s, when safety shoes made their debut on the market. In the past, work shoes were available only in two / three types, with a simple design and little colored. On the contrary, today functionality goes hand in hand with aesthetics, so we progressively developed the color palette, design solutions, effects and finishes: after all, these shoes are worn 8 to 10 hours a day and they’re no longer used only on workplace, but also for free time and leisure.
However, the wide COFRA catalog does not only include footwear.
This is one of our strengths: a varied and diversified production, able to meet the needs of workers in the best possible way. We do offer a wide range of footwear as well as an equally rich selection of PPE, including clothing, gloves, googles, respiratory tract protection tools and fall-arrest devices, all made in full compliance with the current strictest regulations on workplace safety and health protection.
In addition, we are investing a lot of resources in the development and implementation of eco-sustainable processing techniques, designed to reduce the environmental impact of production processes and to facilitate waste recovery.
Ruggiero Cortellino, founder of CORTELGOMMA
Giuseppe Cortellino, COFRA’s CEO
Domenico Galasso, R&D Dept.