On Opens World's First Robotic Spray-On Shoe Factory in South Korea

Swiss sportswear brand On Holding AG has made a strategic breakthrough by opening the world's first fully robotic factory for spray-on shoes in South Korea. The facility located near the city of Busan, equipped with 32 robots, is intended to be a milestone in the company's quest to redefine the global model for apparel and footwear production. "Speed to market, sustainability aspects, and the simple fact that we are running out of places with cheap labor – all of this speaks for automation," explained Caspar Coppetti, co-founder of On, during the facility's presentation. According to the company's statement, production capacity for the key LightSpray technology will increase thirtyfold with the new factory compared to the four test robots previously operating at the headquarters in Zurich. The main driver of this multi-million dollar investment is the desire to become independent from geopolitical and logistical risks that have repeatedly shaken the global supply chain in recent years. Rising US tariffs and dependence on factories in Southeast Asia and China have forced many Western brands to seek alternatives. The nearshoring strategy, i.e., moving production closer to the end customer, is intended to ensure faster and more flexible deliveries, as well as reduce costs and emissions associated with long-distance transport. On's new business model involves creating regional production centers, such as the one in South Korea, which will serve the Asian market and serve as a model for planned similar investments in Europe and both Americas. The choice of South Korea is not accidental – the country is renowned for its advanced technologies, high expertise in robotics, and a developed advanced materials industry. The technological heart of the project is the patented LightSpray technology, which enables the production of a uniform, seamless shoe sole using a spray-on method of specially developed fibers. The flagship model, the LightSpray Cloudmonster 3 Hyper, is made from 40% bio-based foam and consists of just eight components, which, according to the company, significantly reduces the carbon footprint and the amount of production waste compared to traditional methods that require gluing, sewing, and assembling dozens of parts. The 30-krotnie — thirtyfold increase in production capacity for LightSpray technology achieved with the new factory demonstrates the scale of the brand's ambition, which wants to accelerate the global commercialization of this product line. This investment is part of a broader strategy that tightly links business goals with ecological ones. Through full automation, On aims not only to speed up the production cycle and avoid problems with the availability of cheap labor but also to create a more sustainable and resilient operational model. Since the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, shoe production has largely remained a labor-intensive craft, dependent on skilled labor. The shift of most of this production to Asia in the second half of the 20th century created long and vulnerable supply chains, which are now being redefined under the pressure of automation and sustainability demands. For consumers, this means that LightSpray shoes, previously available in limited quantities, will soon enter global distribution.