The Board of Directors of ASEPAL (Association of Personal Protective Equipment companies) visited the facilities of the Footwear Technology Center of La Rioja (CTCR) in order to know more about the innovation projects that CTCR is currently developing, as well as other types of multidisciplinary integrated solutions that CTCR offers their more than one hundred associated companies and other customers.
Likewise, the members of the Board of Directors of ASEPAL showed special interest in the physical and chemical laboratories, the most important laboratories in the north of Spain, where analyses are carried out to verify the quality of all the components of footwear for professional use, but also of finished products to obtain the suitable certifications.
The CTCR celebrates its tenth anniversary after its inauguration in 2007, and members of the Board of Directors of ASEPAL were able to verify the good moment that CTCR is living, as well as the relevance, diversity and potential of the R&D&I projects that put in value, mainly, the business community of La Rioja. These are alternatives, not only focused on the applied research to product and/or the conventional aspects of the footwear (materials, shape, etc.) but also to processes, in the field of the industry 4.0 and, above all, for example to control the traceability and to improve the logistics management in warehouses or installations, thanks to the RFID.
ASEPAL and the CTCR have a close relationship, due to their consolidation as a technological centre at the national and international level, but, particularly, by the continuous work of support to the characterization and evaluation of the quality and safety of raw materials, semiproducts and finished products in the footwear sector. Mr. Luis del Corral, President of ASEPAL, stressed that "CTCR projects contribute to improving PPE and, therefore, workers’ safety, as well as putting value into an industry with a significant impact on the economy of the region". In turn, he transferred the director of the CTCR, D. Javier Oñate, the congratulations for the 10th anniversary and the desire that many others come loaded with successes.
