V12 Footwear Blog

V12 Footwear – A UK Safety Boot Brand with a Global Reach

Written by Matthew Roberts | 27/09/23 15:39

V12 Footwear is an internationally recognised safety footwear brand with a network of distributors around the globe. Because of our network’s reach, we are able to work together, through partnerships, to keep workforces safe and comfortable, whilst improving focus and driving up productivity.  

But why do so many companies around the world choose V12 to keep their workforce safe? Let’s take a look. 

WHY DO SO MANY COMPANIES CHOOSE V12? 

Safety 

When it comes to protecting people, any good Health and Safety Manager understands that quality must come first – in design, manufacturing and testing. And this is where the V12 safety solution shines. 

For example, our industry-leading sole units were developed to give wearers specific slip safety depending on the surface they are working on. If a worker is walking on slippery man-made surfaces that are regularly contaminated, then they’ll need different tread than someone negotiating loose and uneven natural surfaces. This is why we developed our IGS and STS sole units, each designed for top performance on different surfaces. Find out more in this blog. 

We always go above and beyond to ensure that our footwear will protect in the environments that they are being worn in. So we went further with our testing than the safety standards require.

A V12 safety hi-leg with the anti-slip IGS sole featuring hexagonal tread for water dispersal and ladder grips

After developing products with industry experts in fields such as Energy and Oil & Gas, while our IGS sole unit was designed to perform in those environments, we wanted to be sure. Therefore, we carried out extra safety testing on our slip resistance to ensure that those working on surfaces such as scaffold board and Kennedy grating would be protected. This process even included slip resistance testing on surfaces contaminated with drilling mud. 

And this kind of real-world, hazard-specific safety assurance and peace of mind often isn’t provided by many manufacturers. 

Comfort  

A key element of comfort is fit - and we know through experience that over 80% of workforces can often be in the wrong-sized footwear. That is why we worked with a world-renowned lastmaker and combined their traditional skills with innovation, using over 4,000 global foot scans to create a last reflecting universal foot shapes.

This means our footwear accommodates foot shapes across the globe, so we know that the narrower Asian foot shape as well as the wider European foot shape is suited to the V12 Footwear last. This specific contoured support is what gives V12 boots a comfort fit to all wearers.

To find out more about our specialist last and the global foot shapes it accommodates, head to this blog. 

But it’s not just about the foot shape of global feet. It’s also about offering a fit for both men and women - something that is often overlooked in PPE.

True-fitting women’s safety footwear is extremely important because it ensures that everyone is protected to the same standard, no exceptions. Why is it so important? Find out more here 

And it’s this consideration of comfort that has helped employees ensure their teams working in high-hazard roles stay safer, more compliant, focussed on the job and productive.  

Durability  

Do you really want to be replacing footwear every few months, or even weeks, because boots are falling apart?  

V12 pours all of its 25 years of safety footwear expertise and passion for innovation into its boots to take the durability of our products to the next level. Whether it’s our abrasion-resistant scuff caps, full-grain leather uppers, triple-stitched seams or our super strong and reliable toecaps and midsoles, V12 Footwear is footwear customers can trust. 

Finally, the 200-day guarantee on all our products is a sign of the faith we have in our boots, and a symbol to all of the Health and Safety Managers and PPE procurers with whom we work that they can trust in the durability and protective qualities of V12’s footwear. 

WHAT IF YOU WANT V12 BOOTS AND YOU’RE NOT BASED IN THE UK? 

We want as many wearers to have V12 boots on their feet as possible, because our mission is to protect as many people as we can, around the world. 

That’s why we have an international distribution network which can fulfil safety footwear requirements across the globe.

Our international distribution network allows us to work with companies to ensure their teams across the globe have the protection they need to meet the demands of their environment. Take our work with BP.

SERVING THE ENERGRY SECTOR INTERNATIONALLY 

A global force in the Oil and Gas industry, BP work at locations across the world, and due to the extreme working conditions of their locations, BP workers’ boots have to be high-performing in every respect.

We worked closely with BP to develop a product that would suit their environment and would best protect their workforce. They needed a high-specification and extremely comfortable boot which was quick to get on and off and had superb grip to combat the slippery conditions. 

After working in partnership through the development and consultation phase, V12’s footwear was deemed the right boot for the job.

And thanks to our global distribution network, this boot is now the number one choice for several Oil and Gas and Energy companies globally. 

Read the full case study here. 

PROTECTING WEARERS ACROSS THE GLOBE 

V12 Footwear has gone from strength to strength around the globe, and we have recently started working in partnership with companies in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South America and Oceania. The work we are doing within these regions continues to grow and in 2023, we were pleased to be able to work with a company in Africa to provide tens-of-thousands of their workforce top-level comfort and protection through V12 Footwear’s safety boots.

With high demand and a short lead time, we were pleased to be able to offer an outstanding level of service to deliver to this company's requirements. In partnership with our international distribution partners, we are able to improve foot health and safety worldwide.

Over the last 25 years, through a global network of distribution partners we have been able to provide companies in Europe, the Middle East and Africa with outstanding comfort and unrivalled protection. 

Beyond the boots 

For V12 Footwear, safety is more than just a boot. It’s about the whole safety solution – as well as protective components and design, we help teams around the world find the right fit, sizing and arch-support so workers can stay safe, comfortable and compliant. 

Unsure whether your current footwear is the right footwear for your team? V12 are the safety footwear experts, and we can work with you to maximise safety and performance in your workplace. The V12 Foot Health and Safety Assessment is a three-part product suitability assessment where we work in partnership with our distributors to establish the most appropriate safety footwear for your company’s workplace. It features: 

  • an industry-leading audit 
  • a multi-step safety footwear trial process 
  • our expert safety footwear recommendation 

If you’re responsible for PPE procurement at your workplace or in charge of Health and Safety and feel this solution would be beneficial to your workforce, get in touch and our customer service team will gladly facilitate your enquiries with our foot health and safety solution. 

Reach out by clicking below.