17 Updated Products Dian Safe, comfortable, certified hostelry work footwear can be truly affordable long hours on their feet, or walking around most of the time.Throughout our years in business, our expertise has been built upon research as we found out in what ways footwear for hostelry workers was not at all suitable for peo- ple had accidents, felt tired, had foot or back problems that caused absenteeism, etc. On many occasions we found they’d walk on slippery floors, or noisy ones and that footwear would not truly sup- port the foot in the right way as it was not ergonomically designed for specific roles. Of course, we found that foot- wear was seldom certified to CE stan- dards.Then we realized we had what it took, in terms of the technical and bio- mechanical information resulting from research and the many tests our pro- ducts passed when tested at many he- alth-at-work departments. So we significantly expanded the number of models for hostelry workers, and all of our products are certified to CE stan- dard EN ISO 20345, fully guaranteeing safety”. When Dian entered the marketplace twenty five years ago, it did so with a goal: to fill the void in high-quality, com- fortable footwear for healthcare wor- kers, at reasonable prices.The company started distributing its products among orthopedist stores and pharmacies, and built up a quality image for itself, for professionals star ted recommending fo- otwear by Dian. Shortly after, hospitals and health care centres started placing orders for wor- kers needed comfortable, safe footwear that would prevent accidents at work, such as those caused by slippery floors, potential sprain hazards, etc. In order to meet the needs of this sector Dian de- signed a number of footwear models subjected to tests by the corresponding work hazard departments. More certified models, with the European eco label Since then, the company has continued to grow and expand its lines, with new products like those designed for wor- kers in the hostelry sector, currently re- presenting the largest portion of sales volumes as footwear is designed for specific roles: kitchen staff, cooks, wai- ters, housekeeping, receptionists. Dian makes many models certified by the Ecolabel that means footwear has been manufactured with great environ- mental awareness, and not by conven- tional processes. Dian is the company with the largest number of Ecolabel certified articles “Made in Spain”, synony- mous to quality, continuity, and adapting to the needs of individual clients In fact, Dian was the first European company to be granted the Ecolabel, and in Europe it is the company with the largest number of Ecolabel articles. Today, the firm looks abroad, and has one of the largest distributor network in Europe. Service is prompt at the com- pany keeps over 50,000 pairs in stock, with immediate delivery. And then, Dian entered the hostelry market sector All product lines by Dian are 100% Made in Spain. This means ever y pro- duct will be subjected to strict quality tests and controls. Joaquín Mataix tells us at the end of our interview that,“We are confident and in fact, sure that we can offer clients the best quality-price ratio in the market- place and this positions us above our competitors.Those buying from us can prove it when they find out products last much longer without impairing technical and esthetic properties.And this means saving money in the medium term”. Joaquín Mataix, manager of Dian, tells us,“Our experience in the healthcare footwear sector, with the improvements made to protection and safety, optimi- zing our products, was a great advan- tage to us when we decided to expand into the hostelry sector for this group implies similar hazards. People at work will walk on wet - as in kitchens – or waxed floors – as in restaurants. And depending on their role, they’ll be carr- ying or pushing heavy objects like suitca- ses, or carts, and climbing stairs or pushing them up ramps.What is most important is that these people spend And that products exceed European standard requirements. The company’s catalogue featured hos- telry footwear that is truly light in weight, flexible, with soft, shock-absor- bing soles. Footwear is made of natural and technical, synthetic materials, specifi- cally designed for improved breathabi- lity, humidity management and thermal regulation.This makes our products su- perior in comparison to conventional shoes, designed for urban use. In addi- tion, most of our hostelry footwear mo- dels may be washed, so they stay clean and remain impeccable throughout their lifetime. Our technical and biomechanical information is the result of the many tests to which our products have been subjected by health at work departments JOBWEAR 61 2o TRIMESTRE 2012