Key facts
- On plans to deploy automated manufacturing systems that can create a shoe in 15 minutes.
- The LightSpray technology uses robotic arms to spray molten plastic onto a foot mold to form the shoe upper.
- On's technology reduces shoe construction to seven parts, eliminating an estimated 200 to 300 hours of human work.
- The company has filed approximately 200 patents related to footwear, apparel, and manufacturing technologies.
- On reported annual revenue exceeding 3 billion Swiss francs and a market capitalization of roughly $15 billion following its 2021 IPO.
- Asia-Pacific is On's fastest-growing market, accounting for 17% of global sales.
Swiss sportswear maker On is set to implement a fully automated manufacturing system, dubbed LightSpray, capable of producing a shoe in approximately 15 minutes. This technology, which involves robotic arms spraying molten plastic onto a foot mold, aims to significantly reduce production time and human labor compared to traditional methods.
On's co-founder and co-CEO Caspar Coppetti stated that the company is not trying to adapt existing shoe styles for robots but has designed a manufacturing process that can only be achieved through robotics. This engineering-first approach has led On to file around 200 patents annually across footwear, apparel, and manufacturing technologies.
The LightSpray system can create a shoe's upper in about three minutes, reducing the construction to seven parts and eliminating an estimated 200 to 300 hours of human work from the development and production cycle. The company has already opened a facility in Busan, South Korea, utilizing this technology to produce its LS Cloudmonster 3 Hyper running shoe at scale.
Founded in 2010, On has grown rapidly, achieving over 3 billion Swiss francs in annual revenue and a market capitalization of roughly $15 billion after its 2021 New York Stock Exchange debut. While footwear generates over 90% of its revenue, the Asia-Pacific region is its fastest-growing market, contributing 17% of global sales.