Neskid 4Allfeet spotlighted in Holland’s Day of the Entrepreneur

Orthopaedic footwear company ‘Neskid 4Allfeet’ and its founder Joost Pijnenburg was chosen as the entrepreneur to be highlighted at this year’s Day of the Entrepreneur.

Held on November 18, MKB-Nederland organised the yearly Dutch event whose purpose is to put entrepreneurs in the spotlight and thank them for their contribution towards the prosperity of the Netherlands. Many Dutch organisations, such as municipalities, provinces and employers’ organisations, are involved. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs embraces this initiative and therefore Embassies are encouraged to participate.
Together with the Chamber of Commerce, Joost Pijnenburg was chosen as the entrepreneur to be highlighted. “We wanted to recognise someone who has business in both the Netherlands and Portugal and who distinguishes themselves within the sector they operate.
The shoe market is particularly important in the north of Portugal, the location (in the interior of the country), and the relation with the community (established for some years in Portugal).
Joost Pijnenburg is the owner and CEO of orthopaedic footwear company ‘Neskid 4Allfeet’ and clog manufacturer ‘Gerla’, both SMEs. Even though the companies are established in the Netherlands, they have two factories in northern Portugal.
Gerla Products BV was founded in 1904 in the Netherlands and, to its great pride, on its 100th anniversary in 2004, it was awarded the designation “Supplier to the Court by Royal Decree” by the Dutch Royal family.
Gerla has been the market leader in the production and sale of clogs for decades. In 2013, the Portuguese production company Gerla Lda. was founded for the serial production of the clogs, using high-tech production techniques such as polyurethane direct injection molding and robots.
‘Neskrid 4Allfeet BV’ was founded in 1924 in the Netherlands as a manufacturer of children’s footwear and later, work and safety footwear. In 2014, Neskrid transformed into a sales and production organization for individual (semi-) orthopaedic work and safety footwear, special work and safety footwear, and orthopaedic insoles. In 2016, the Portuguese production company ‘4Allfeet Lda’. was founded for one-off production, using high-tech production techniques such as 3D scanning, 3D modelling, 3D milling, and AGO machine production.
Portugal is considered by Gerla and Neskrid as the ultimate production country for footwear due to the presence of the desired vocational training, availability of good professionals and craftsmen, expertise of organisations such as CTCP, and Apiccaps, wide choice of suppliers, and top technological companies in the shoe industry. The pleasant manners and warm family ties of the Portuguese people are also greatly appreciated.