On Running company launched a robotic sportswear factory in South Korea

On Running, a manufacturer of sportswear, has opened a factory in Busan, South Korea, to produce running shoes using robots. It is planned to launch several more robotic factories in the USA and Europe.

Increased tariffs imposed by the United States, supply chain disruptions and geopolitical risks are forcing some retailers and brands to explore the possibility of moving production to regions closer to the end consumer, writes xrust.

Caspar Coppetti, co-founder of On, said:

• automation allows the brand to produce shoes faster;
• with less impact on the environment;
• closer to key markets compared to the standard shoe production model.

The usual scheme is the delivery of finished shoes from factories in Southeast Asia and China to buyers in the USA and Europe.

“The speed to market, the sustainability of products, and the fact that we're running out of cheap labor are all in favor of automation and getting closer to consumers,” Coppetti said.

EXPANDING AUTOMATED PRODUCTION

The company debuted its «LightSpray» marathon running shoe, created using a robotic arm that sprays material onto a mold to create a sock-like upper, during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The Busan plant, equipped with 32 robots, represents a significant expansion from On's first such plant in Zurich, which had just four robots and began production in July last year.

Thanks to the spray coating method, the traditional 200-step shoe upper manufacturing process performed in several factories can produce about 1,000 pairs of shoes per day, combined into a single automated process.

On, founded in Switzerland in 2010, said planned robot factories in the United States would help reduce its tariff costs.

Heavy U.S. tariffs on sportswear makers in countries like Vietnam and China have hurt the industry over the past year, driving up costs.

Xrust On Running company launched a robotic sportswear factory in South Korea