Simon Safety (Cofra)

Overview

COFRA is an Italian manufacturer of safety footwear, workwear, and personal protective equipment, established in 1938. It holds a leading position in the professional footwear sector in Europe and internationally, with production of 10,000 pairs daily and operations spanning multiple continents including subsidiaries in the US and a plant in Albania.¹⁴

History

COFRA was founded in 1938 in Barletta, Italy, by Ruggiero Cortellino as Cortelgomma, initially producing shoes from recycled military truck tires and uniforms. In 1983, it rebranded to COFRA under the management of Giuseppe Cortellino, the founder's son, initiating internationalization. Key milestones include establishing a safety division in 1989, achieving UNI EN ISO 9001 certification in 1997, launching workwear in 2004, expanding to the US in 2004, and opening a plant in Albania in 2020.¹⁴

Product Lines

Manufacturing

Products are manufactured in facilities in Italy, including a 40,000 m² site in Barletta with 30,000 m² covered area, producing 10,000 pairs of footwear daily. A new plant was established in Albania in 2020 to support expansion. Manufacturing is in-house with a focus on safety footwear and apparel.⁴

Notable Products

• COFRA Safety Boots - Boots providing maximum protection in poor grip and stability conditions with cut and abrasion resistance.
• Workwear Collection - Diversified line of protective clothing launched in 2004 for professional use.
• Work Gloves - Collection introduced in 2011 for hand protection across industries.
• Fall Protection Devices - Safety harnesses and devices launched in 2016.
• Work Eyewear - Protective glasses collection started in 2013.

Reputation

COFRA is recognized as a market leader in safety footwear by professionals in Europe and worldwide, noted for reliability and D&B Rating 1 certification since 2008. It receives praise for innovative management and product diversification into PPE. No major criticisms noted in available sources.¹⁴