Cofra: Born to Work

Safety footwear and workwear manufacturer Cofra was born in 1938, established by Ruggiero Cortellino.  Working from a small workshop and trading as Cortelgomma, Ruggiero struck upon the ingenious concept of manufacturing shoes using military truck tyres for the soles and military uniforms for the uppers. This innovation paid off and within the space of a few years the company had grown and Ruggiero was producing hundreds of pairs per day, distributed all over Italy.

In 1983 the company was renamed COFRA and is still a famikly business, with Giuseppe Cortellino, the founder’s son at the helm.  Cofra products are now distributed globally and the company has become a leader in the safety footwear market as well as a well-known brand in Europe and all over the world.

The Cofra headquarters in in the city of Barletta,  a comune of Apulia, in south eastern Italy. Barletta is the capoluogo (provincial capital), together with Andria and Trani, of the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani. In the Middle Ages Barletta was a stronghold of the Normans and Lombards, becoming an important staging post for the Crusaders and the Teutonic Knights and Templars as well as the Knights of St.John. Today the economy is based on the manufacture of concrete and cement alongside the growing of grapes and olives.

We are very proud to be an official Cofra distributor, offering a comprehesive selection of styles, proven in the workplace. We invite you to buy online and take advantage of our fast UK delivery service, book a visit (for businesses within a 25 mile radius of Peterborough) or visit the Workwear Store in Peterborough where the entire range is on display.