Safer Safety

What Safer Safety does

Safer Safety is a family-owned UK safety equipment company founded in 1985 and headquartered in Chesterfield, United Kingdom. The company manufactures and distributes two core product categories: slip-resistant safety footwear (proprietary lines including SR Max®, Safer Safety Grip®, and MaxTRAX®) and metal detectable earplugs (Detectaplug, the world's first, launched 1985). The footwear portfolio spans men's and women's styles — athletics, boots, dress, overshoes, Oxford, and rubber/PVC — with safety-toe (steel, composite/nano, soft), waterproof, and HRO variants, certified to EN ISO 20345, EN ISO 20347, and UKCA standards. All new products undergo independent Heeluxe™ comfort testing for pressure point and shoe width optimization.

The business operates a dual-channel go-to-market: a B2B distributor partner network that supplies safety equipment resellers and corporate accounts with location-based ordering, alongside a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at safersafety.com. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales (footwear and earplugs) plus negotiated B2B distributor pricing structures; the company does not publicly disclose pricing. Customer segments are industrial/workplace safety (primary), food processing (Detectaplug), and distributor partners (B2B channel).

The company recently joined forces with Saf-Gard, one of the United States' top footwear companies, gaining access to the SR Max® product line and a global distribution footprint. The company remains private and family-owned with a headcount of 1–10 employees, meaning scale is achieved through distribution partnerships rather than internal headcount expansion.

Name

Safer Safety

Legal name

Safer Safety

Website

https://safer-safety.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Safer Safety is a family-owned UK safety equipment company founded in 1985, manufacturing slip-resistant footwear and metal detectable earplugs for industrial, food processing, and workplace safety markets, distributed via B2B partners and DTC e-commerce under the SR Max®, Safer Safety Grip®, and Detectaplug brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Safety Footwear

NAICS

Footwear Manufacturing (31621)

SIC

Footwear, (No Rubber) (3140), Rubber & Plastics Footwear (3021)

akta.pro primary industry

Work, Safety & Protective Footwear Manufacturing (Steel-Toe/ESD/Slip-Resistant) (IMAOAIAD)

Keywords

• Slip-resistant footwear
• Safety shoes
• Metal detectable earplugs
• Workplace safety equipment
• Occupational footwear

Headquarters

HQ city

Chesterfield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Safety Footwear Sales: Sale of slip-resistant safety footwear for men and women through distributor partnerships and direct e-commerce. Product range includes athletics, boots, dress shoes, overshoes, Oxford styles, and rubber/PVC footwear with various safety features including steel toe, composite toe, waterproofing, and slip resistance.
2. Safety Earplug Sales: Sale of safety earplugs including the Detectaplug metal detectable earplug line, targeting industrial and food processing sectors.
3. Corporate Account/B2B Distribution: Corporate account system enabling business customers to establish accounts with location-based ordering capabilities for ongoing supply relationships with distributor partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Safer Safety is a family-owned UK safety equipment company that designs, sources, and distributes slip-resistant safety footwear — including the SR Max® and Safer Safety Grip® product lines for men and women — and metal detectable earplugs under the Detectaplug brand for industrial, hospitality, and food processing workforces. The company sells primarily through B2B distributor partnerships and supplements with direct e-commerce sales via safersafety.com.

Product overview

Safer Safety is a family-owned safety equipment company (40+ years) offering two core product categories: slip-resistant footwear and earplugs. The footwear portfolio spans two main product lines—SR Max® (acquired proprietary brand from Saf-Gard® partnership) and the company's own Safer Safety Grip lineup—available for men and women in styles including Athletics, Boots, Dress, Overshoes, Oxford, and Rubber/PVC. All Safer Safety and SR Max® products undergo independent Heeluxe™ comfort testing. The earplug range includes Detectaplug, the world's first metal detectable earplug (1985), still widely used in food processing. Additional product features include MaxTRAX® slip resistance, multiple toe protection types (Steel, Composite/Nano, Soft), waterproofing, and compliance with standards including EN ISO 20345, EN ISO 20347, and UKCA certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SR Max: Proprietary line of slip-resistant products acquired through partnership with Saf-Gard. Products undergo rigorous independent comfort testing with Heeluxe.
• Safer Safety Grip
• Detectaplug

Products and services

• SR Max® Slip-Resistant Footwear Proprietary line of slip-resistant shoes acquired through partnership with Saf-Gard, offering unrivaled slip-resistant footwear performance validated through Heeluxe™ independent comfort testing. Available in men's and women's styles including athletics, boots, dress shoes, overshoes, Oxford, and rubber/PVC.
• Safer Safety Grip® Slip-Resistant Footwear Company's own slip-resistant shoe lineup featuring Safer Safety Grip® slip-resistant outsole technology, available in men's and women's ranges with styles including athletics, boots, dress shoes, overshoes, Oxford, and rubber/PVC.
• Detectaplug Metal Detectable Earplugs Metal detectable earplugs designed for food processing and manufacturing environments where foreign object contamination is a critical concern. Serves hearing protection compliance and contamination-prevention needs.
• B2B Distribution Partnership Program B2B distribution program supplying safety equipment distributors and corporate accounts with the company's full portfolio of slip-resistant footwear and earplugs, with location-based account ordering.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products comfort-tested through Heeluxe™ independent testing including pressure point and shoe width data optimization

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Saf-GardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSafer Safety recently joined forces with Saf-Gard, one of the United States' top footwear companies. Through this partnership, Safer Safety gained access to Saf-Gard's proprietary SR Max® product line, expanding their slip-resistant footwear portfolio and global market reach. Together they offer an unrivalled range of slip-resistant shoes.
• Heeluxe™coreTechnology or IntegrationHeeluxe™ provides independent comfort testing for all new Safer Safety products and SR Max® products. Testing includes pressure point analysis and shoe width data to optimize footwear fit and comfort during development. Dr. Geoffrey Gray, Heeluxe president, confirms fit is the #1 influence on shoe comfort for workers standing 8-12 hours daily.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Red Wing Shoes: Red Wing Shoes is a US-based work and safety footwear specialist serving industrial, construction, and manufacturing end users through both direct and distributor channels. Its product portfolio overlaps directly with Safer Safety's slip-resistant and toe-protection footwear range, and its B2B industrial distribution model is closely comparable.
• Dr. Martens (Industrial collection): Dr. Martens' Industrial collection offers slip-resistant, steel-toe work boots sold through UK and European distributors. The overlap with Safer Safety is strongest in UK/European geography, styling-led work footwear, and distribution through safety equipment resellers.
• Skechers Work: Skechers Work is Skechers' dedicated slip-resistant work footwear line, widely used in hospitality, healthcare, and food service. It competes directly with Safer Safety on comfort, slip-resistance, and style breadth — and is sold through comparable B2B distributor and uniform-program channels.
• KEEN Utility: KEEN Utility is the work-focused division of KEEN Footwear producing slip-resistant, toe-protective, and EH-rated boots and shoes. It targets the same industrial, hospitality, and food service end users as Safer Safety with comparable product features and a similar B2B distributor channel.
• Timberland PRO: Timberland PRO is the professional/work division of Timberland focused on slip-resistant, steel-toe, and EH-rated footwear for industrial and service workers. Products are sold through safety equipment distributors — directly comparable to Safer Safety's channel and use cases.
• Saf-Gard: Saf-Gard is Safer Safety's US strategic partner/parent and a leading US safety footwear distributor. It operates a similar B2B distributor model for slip-resistant work footwear and owns the SR Max® product line now sold through Safer Safety — making it the most direct comparability on product, channel, and end customer.

Broad incumbents

• Wolverine World Wide: Wolverine World Wide owns multiple work and safety footwear brands including Bates, Hytest, and Harley-Davidson Footwear. It serves the same industrial end customers as Safer Safety but at much greater scale, with broader product portfolios and more extensive distributor networks.
• Cintas: Cintas is a major B2B supplier of workplace uniforms, safety supplies, and first-aid services, and is itself a large reseller channel for safety footwear. It is comparable both as a potential channel partner for Safer Safety and as a competitor influencing end-customer procurement decisions through managed uniform and safety programs.
• Honeywell Personal Protective Equipment: Honeywell's PPE division offers a broad portfolio including protective footwear, hearing protection, and gloves through industrial distribution. While not a footwear specialist, it overlaps with Safer Safety's slip-resistant footwear and Detectaplug-style earplug categories, and competes for the same enterprise safety budgets.
• 3M Personal Safety Division: 3M's Personal Safety Division covers hearing protection (E-A-R), protective eyewear, and respiratory PPE — directly competing with Detectaplug in food industry hearing protection — and has broader PPE capabilities than Safer Safety. Its scale and channel reach materially exceed Safer Safety's.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/about

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Safer Safety