Cofra
Cofra is an Italian PPE manufacturer founded in 1938, producing safety footwear, workwear, gloves, helmets, eye, respiratory, and fall protection equipment for B2B industrial customers across 80+ countries, with wholly-owned subsidiaries in the USA and Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1938
- HeadquartersBarletta, Italy
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cofra does
Cofra S.r.l. is a privately held Italian manufacturer of personal protective equipment (PPE), founded in 1938 and headquartered in Barletta, Italy. The company designs, produces, and distributes safety footwear (its largest category, organized into technology-driven lines such as NITROGENIUM, LIGHTECH, AGGRESSIVE, WORKMATE, PERFORMANCE, and LIGHT BOOTS) and a broader PPE portfolio spanning workwear, protective gloves, safety helmets, eye protection, respiratory protection, and fall-arrest devices — totaling roughly 2,200+ active SKUs. Its technical differentiation rests on proprietary materials innovations: nitrogen-injected supercritical-foam soles rated to +300°C contact heat, graphene-integrated non-metallic puncture plates, APT PLUS zero-perforation plates, ESD and HRO protection, BOA Fit System integration, and metal-free constructions for food-processing and security-screened environments. The product portfolio complies with more than 20 EN/ISO sector standards, and manufacturing is ISO 9001 certified by Bureau Veritas.
Cofra operates a B2B distribution model that combines a proprietary e-commerce portal (cofrashop.com) with direct enterprise sales, wholly-owned subsidiaries in the United States (COFRA USA) and Canada (COFRA CANADA), and distributor networks reaching 80+ countries. Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales of safety footwear and other PPE to industrial customers across construction, manufacturing, automotive, food, chemical, and petrochemical end-markets, supplemented by specialized lines for forestry, oil & gas, civil protection, and warehousing. Sub-brands COFRA MOVE (sports and casual footwear) and COFRA DEFEND (defensive footwear) extend the brand into consumer-adjacent segments. The company employs 251–500 people, is family-controlled (CEO Giuseppe Cortellino), and has no disclosed institutional investors; its 2026 brand-ambassador partnership with Francesco Totti signals a deliberate push to refresh the brand among younger industrial workers.
Cofra firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cofra
- Legal name
- COFRA S.r.l.
- Website
- https://cofra.it
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1938
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Cofra is an Italian PPE manufacturer founded in 1938, producing safety footwear, workwear, gloves, helmets, eye, respiratory, and fall protection equipment for B2B industrial customers across 80+ countries, with wholly-owned subsidiaries in the USA and Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cofra industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Safety Footwear & Personal Protective Equipment
- NAICS
- Footwear Manufacturing (3162)
- SIC
- Rubber & Plastics Footwear (3021)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (Gloves, Masks/Respirators, Gowns, Face Shields) (HLAHANAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Disposable Protective Apparel (Coveralls, Gowns, Shoe Covers) (CRAAALAM), Protective Disposable Wear (Masks, Gloves, Shoe Covers, Hairnets) (CRADALAJ)
Keywords
Where Cofra is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Barletta
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Cofra business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Safety Footwear Sales: Primary revenue from manufacturing and selling industrial safety footwear under multiple product lines (NITROGENIUM, LIGHTECH, AGGRESSIVE, WORKMATE, PERFORMANCE, etc.) to B2B customers across 80+ countries
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Portfolio: Revenue from comprehensive PPE product lines including workwear/clothing (35 lines), gloves (6 lines), safety helmets, eye protection, respiratory protection devices, and fall protection equipment
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Cofra product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cofra designs, manufactures, and distributes a complete range of personal protective equipment (PPE) led by safety footwear, with complementary lines in workwear, protective gloves, safety helmets, eye protection, respiratory protection, and fall protection devices. The company sells primarily to B2B industrial customers in construction, manufacturing, oil & gas, forestry, and food/chemical processing across 80+ countries. Core proprietary technologies include nitrogen-injected supercritical foam soles (NITROGENIUM), graphene-integrated puncture plates, and non-metallic safety constructions.
Product overview
COFRA is an international group specializing in personal protective equipment (PPE) and comprehensive work safety solutions. Founded in 1938 in Italy, the company develops and distributes safety footwear (Calzature), workwear (Abbigliamento), protective gloves (Guanti), safety helmets (Elmetti di protezione), eye protection (Protettori dell'occhio), respiratory protection (Protettori delle vie respiratorie), and fall protection devices (Dispositivi anticaduta). The product portfolio includes major lines like NITROGENIUM (nitrogen-injected sole technology), LIGHTECH (ultra-lightweight), AGGRESSIVE (ergonomic comfort), WORKMATE, PERFORMANCE, and LIGHT BOOTS for footwear; JEANS, VIDAGO for workwear; BLANKET for winter gloves; NEWOLUTION for helmets; BAYONAIR and SLIMTECK for respiratory protection; and various fall protection systems. The company operates across 80+ countries serving industries including automotive, food, chemical, and petroleum sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- COFRA: Main brand for industrial safety footwear and personal protective equipment including footwear, clothing, gloves, safety helmets, eye protectors, respiratory protectors, and fall protection devices.
Products and services
- Safety Footwear (Calzature)
- Workwear (Abbigliamento)
- Protective Gloves (Guanti)
- Safety Helmets (Elmetti di protezione)
- Eye Protection (Protettori dell'occhio)
- Respiratory Protection (Protettori delle vie respiratorie)
- Fall Protection Devices (Dispositivi anticaduta)
- NITROGENIUM Footwear Line
- LIGHTECH Footwear Line
- LIGHT BOOTS Footwear Line
- AGGRESSIVE Footwear Line
- WORKMATE Footwear Line
- PERFORMANCE Footwear Line
- NEWOLUTION Helmet Line
- COFRA MOVE (Sports/Casual Footwear Sub-brand)
- COFRA DEFEND (Defensive/Protective Footwear Sub-brand)
Quantifiable outcome
- 851 footwear products, 1251 clothing items, 80 gloves, 62 fall protection devices, 29 respiratory protection products in catalog
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Cofra
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Cofra technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Cofra partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Francesco TotticoreBrand ambassador partnership with legendary Italian football player Francesco Totti. Partnership launching Spring 2026 with integrated marketing campaign across TV, digital, print, and social media. Aimed at consolidating market leadership and promoting workplace safety culture with contemporary messaging targeting new generations of professionals.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cofra competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Diadora Utility: Italian heritage sportswear brand's workwear/safety footwear line, a direct peer in the European EN-certified work footwear segment with overlapping customer base in construction and manufacturing.
- Base Protection (BETA Group): Italian direct competitor in safety footwear, offering EN-certified work boots and shoes to industrial B2B customers across Europe. Closest geographic and product peer to Cofra within Italy.
- Uvex Safety Group: German-headquartered manufacturer of safety footwear, gloves, eye protection, and hearing protection. Direct peer in industrial PPE with similar multi-category portfolio, B2B distribution, and EN-certified product lines targeting the same European industrial customers.
- Aimont: Italian safety footwear brand with comparable product lines targeting construction, manufacturing, and logistics end-markets. Directly competes with Cofra in the European EN-certified safety footwear segment.
- Safety Jogger (Cortina Group): Belgian safety footwear and workwear brand owned by Cortina Group, with comparable global distribution to B2B industrial buyers and an overlapping product catalogue of EN-certified safety shoes and workwear.
- Bata Industrials: Global manufacturer of industrial safety footwear serving construction, manufacturing, oil & gas, and logistics — directly comparable to Cofra's core footwear business with similar multi-country distribution.
- Mascot International: Danish workwear manufacturer offering trousers, jackets, and safety footwear for industrial and construction buyers. Comparable to Cofra's workwear and footwear portfolio with similar B2B distribution in Europe.
- Elten Safety: German specialist in safety and occupational footwear, comparable to Cofra's footwear-led product strategy with a strong focus on EN-certified work boots and shoes for construction and industrial buyers.
Broad incumbents
- Ansell: Global leader in hand and body protection with significant overlap to Cofra's gloves, workwear, and respiratory protection categories; a much larger publicly listed incumbent serving similar industrial B2B customers.
- 3M Personal Safety Division: Global PPE incumbent offering respiratory protection, eye protection, hearing protection, fall protection, and safety footwear through a much larger R&D and distribution footprint than Cofra. Overlaps in respiratory, fall protection, and eye categories.
Market position
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cofra social profiles
Digital presenceCofra compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance24 records
Cofra financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cofra leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Cofra subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Cofra funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cofra M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cofra
What does Cofra do?
Cofra designs, manufactures, and distributes a complete range of personal protective equipment (PPE) led by safety footwear, with complementary lines in workwear, protective gloves, safety helmets, eye protection, respiratory protection, and fall protection devices. The company sells primarily to B2B industrial customers in construction, manufacturing, oil & gas, forestry, and food/chemical processing across 80+ countries. Core proprietary technologies include nitrogen-injected supercritical foam soles (NITROGENIUM), graphene-integrated puncture plates, and non-metallic safety constructions.
Is Cofra a public or private company?
Cofra is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Cofra founded?
Cofra was founded in 1938. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Cofra based?
Cofra is headquartered in Barletta, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does Cofra make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Safety Footwear Sales are the primary driver. The others are personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Portfolio.
Who are Cofra's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Diadora Utility, Base Protection (BETA Group), Uvex Safety Group, Aimont, Safety Jogger (Cortina Group), Bata Industrials, Mascot International and Elten Safety. Broad incumbents are Ansell and 3M Personal Safety Division.
Does Cofra have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cofra.
What industry is Cofra in?
Cofra's product category is Industrial Safety Footwear & Personal Protective Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAHANAF, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (Gloves, Masks/Respirators, Gowns, Face Shields), with a secondary code of CRAAALAM, Disposable Protective Apparel (Coveralls, Gowns, Shoe Covers). Its NAICS code is 3162 and its SIC code is 3021.