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 well-known brand in Europe and all over the world. Since 2004 diversification and product increase has started.
📷Mr. Giuseppe Cortellino - Managing Director
Our Best Dates
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
2016 personal fall protection equipment is launched