The company was established in 1938 by Ruggiero Cortellino as Cortelgomma, a small workshop where shoes were manufactured using the tyres of military trucks for the soles and military uniforms for the uppers. The founder’s passion and enterprise let the small workshop turn into a company in few years, producing hundreds of pairs per day, distributed all over Italy. In 1983 the company became COFRA which is now managed by Giuseppe Cortellino, the founder’s son, and the internationalization process has begun. COFRA keeps on growing thanks to a wise and innovative management, which has led it to become a leader in the safety footwear market as well as a wellknown brand in Europe and all over the world. Its constant commitment to quality was acknowledged in 1997 when COFRA was the first footwear manufacturer in Italy to obtain the UNI EN ISO 9001 Quality System Certificate. Since 2004 diversification and product increase has started. 1938 Cortelgomma was born 1983 Cortelgomma became COFRA 1989 The beginning of the Safety division 1997 COFRA, the first footwear manufacturer in Italy to obtain UNI EN ISO 9001 Quality System Certificate 2003 the beginning of international market expansion outside UE (Middle East, Eastern Europe, Australia, Canada, USA) 2004 the beginning of the Workwear division 2004 establishment of COFRA USA 2008 D&B rating 1 company recognition, acknowledgment for highest creditworthiness, still confirmed 2011 protective gloves collection is launched 2012 protective masks collection is launched 2013 protective glasses collection is launched Head office in Barletta 55.000 m² total area 30.000 m² covered surface 25.000 m² stock surface 375 employees 7.000 linked industry employes 20.000 units sold everyday Factory sited in Albania 30.000 m² total area 20.000 m² covered surface 1.800 people directly employed 10.000 pairs of footwear produced every day