Interview with Giorgio Pira, Global Sales Director Utility, who tells us why technology and innovation are the cornerstones on which the brand’s philosophy is developed.
It is always thought that the most important tools for a worker are only the hands, but this is not exactly the case: just as much care and attention must also be paid to what supports the body on a daily basis, namely the feet. This is why investing in a technologically advanced and qualitatively excellent footwear allows one to improve one’s performance, as well as guaranteeing important safety protection against potential hazards in the working environment. Diadora, a key player in the global sports footwear market, has made continuous research its founding value and has translated this same principle into the workwear world with the Diadora Utility brand, giving rise to a range of products that combine technology and safety with unparalleled comfort and highly distinctive design.
What are your latest innovations presented at Safety Expo?
“At the expo we presented several new products related to the world of clothing and footwear. The most recent is definitely Shark, the line of safety shoes equipped with a new cushioning technology. The Stable Impact System, patented by Diadora, thanks to the cushioning-reactivity combination, regardless of the size of the shoe and irrespective of the weight of the user, allows stable and uniform cushioning. The special geometries in the design of the sole allow the footwear to relieve all the stresses that come from rough terrain, jumps, or offloading that an operator must do during his or her workday. Launched in the first quarter of 2022, the Shark line is having a very successful run in the market. The best feedback we are receiving is from the users themselves who are recommending its purchase.
But the objectivity of the parameters is what still makes the difference….
“Absolutely yes: communication is important, but to be credible it must be supported by a well-researched, high-performing product based on objective, expressible data.”
Ethics or aesthetics?
“Aesthetics matters a lot, but we must not forget that we work with PPE, so regulated footwear. These devices have a considerable impact on the person, first of all because they are designed to protect, but above all because they are worn from 8 to 12 hours a day and consequently they must be considered, by those who use them, a fundamental tool not only for their safety but also for their well-being. For Diadora Utility, design is important but it must be put at the service of performance – this is our driver. Our products are created from a real need of the end user. So we believe that what really matters is to return highly innovative solutions that meet what are today the primary needs of a worker such as getting home without being fatigued and especially without developing physical problems in the future.”
The Fair It is going well…
“The Fair is going very well, we are happy with the many visits we received at the stand. We have encountered a lot of curiosity in people. There is a desire to learn more about the evolution that our industry is experiencing especially from a technological point of view. Events like Safety Expo allow people to have a direct interaction, to touch products with their hands and to understand how companies are facing the future. A future that will surely hold important challenges that we will support with the resourcefulness and positivity that have always characterized us.”
What is then the biggest challenge for you?
“The challenge today for those in our industry is to face the present with tenacity and optimism. We want to instil confidence in the entire supply chain-from raw material suppliers to service providers to our sales force to the distribution network. We are trying to transfer those values that also stem from the sport that is the hallmark of Diadora, it is our DNA. Everything we do has a component that is related to the sporting environment. Competition brings stresses, yes, but they have to be faced with determination and intelligence. We were established as a sports company, and for this reason we host many athletes who daily give us stimuli and suggestions in the development of products, a very important know-how that we also transfer to the safety sector.”
What are you working on now?
“We have major projects in the making that will touch on both footwear and apparel. We are doing this with a very clear driver: to satisfy a consumer who, depending on the sector in which he or she operates, has different needs. Diadora Utility’s focus on the different needs of working men and women is an indispensable aspect that will be reflected more and more tangibly in new products.”
DIADORA UTILITY – www.diadorautility.com
Giorgio Pira, Global Sales Director Utility