3oTrimestre11 | PROTECCIÓN LABORAL 68 Trade reports needs, focusing on the development of foot- wear for technical niches, and differentia- ted in design and comfort. It currently has got 60 employees, and in 2011 will reach its peak production, that will surpass 350,000 pairs. “Our goal is not other than giving service to European workers, that they feel comfortable with their working footwear” What evolution has followed the com- pany? The company grew over the past five years more than 600% and it is expected that the pace of growth achieved in recent years will keep also expanding this year. This strong growth is closely related to the nature of the products and the conti- nued investment in new developments and technologies. It is also important to note that the trust in the projects by our customers is what has allowed the growth of the brand and the company in recent years. How have you organized the selling system and what are the main export markets for the company? For strategy, 2work4 sells in the European market primarily to distributors on an exclusive basis by country / region. Usually, they are very demanding markets that reward comfort and design. Our objective is providing a service to European workers, that they feel comforta- ble with their working shoes and not just feel the need to use them only when they are in their jobs, but also throughout the day, either at work or outside it. In this regard, we have popularized the sentence “Let your feet in our hands” (Deixa os teus pés nas nossas mãos). What would you highlight in the footwe- ar offer of your company? We can’t help telling the importance of the Sport line, which gave us notoriety in our first A + A, which we did in 2005. Still not a day passes without making articles of that line. As most recent item we highlight our Safety Sneakers (safety shoes), that we laun- ched on the occasion of A + A 2009, and which have contributed significantly to the growth of the brand and company. What do you think of Portugal as a pro- ducer of PPE-footwear? Portugal is a renowned shoes producer that in recent years has put a clear emphasis on the brand and quality. Surely, today the “Made in Portugal” is a big advantage in the European market. What prospects do you envision for the PPE manufacturing industry in the short / medium term? The coming years will see an increase in the production of safety footwear in Europe, especially in traditional producer countries. I am convinced that the market will conti- nue its evolution in the demand for innova- tive products and services. 139