HRH The Duke of Gloucester unveils centenary sculpture at SATRA

SATRA has formally recognised its centenary with a visit from HRH The Duke of Gloucester and the unveiling of a specially commissioned external sculpture designed to represent 100 years of research and testing.

After being welcomed by SATRA’s chairman, Stephen Etheridge, His Royal Highness marked the occasion with a speech to staff and one hundred guests before meeting and discussing the work with the artist, Martyn Steele.

The Royal party, along with local dignitaries and guests, were hosted on a tour of SATRA’s testing laboratories and test methods that play a role in helping manufacturers to make their products safer, better performing, and more sustainable.

Austin Simmons, Chief Executive of SATRA, said: “Today marks a truly momentous occasion. SATRA was created 100 years ago by forward thinking visionaries who realised that the footwear industry needed a strong technical resource to enable it to develop new materials and manufacturing techniques.”

“We have always been immensely proud of the intellectual prowess of our people, without whom SATRA would not have been able to make the contribution it has to industry over the last 100 years.”