Swiss shoe manufacturer multiplies production capacity in South Korea
Swiss sporting goods manufacturer On has opened its second LightSpray production facility near Busan in South Korea. Equipped with 32 robots, the plant will increase global production capacity for robot-injected shoe uppers by a factor of 30 compared to the first factory in Zurich, which opened in July 2025.
The first shoe to be produced in the new factory is the LightSpray Cloudmonster 3 Hyper. A limited edition will be available online and in stores in North America starting March 5th. The worldwide launch is planned for April 16th, 2026.
The LightSpray technology, introduced in 2024, enables the automated manufacturing of upper materials and represents a core element of On's production strategy. The new factory in South Korea demonstrates the technology's scalability on an international level and is intended to pave the way for the establishment of further sites in the coming years, including in the USA. South Korea was chosen as the location due to its expertise in robotics and automation, as well as existing regional partnerships.
The factory is part of On's strategy to expand its LightSpray technology to other product categories and scale production globally. The combination of robotics and standardized manufacturing processes is intended to increase efficiency, quality, and flexibility. The existing production facility in Zurich, which uses four robots, will continue to serve as a development and pilot site.
On's co-founder Caspar Coppetti described the opening as an "important milestone" for the globalized production of robot-injected shoes. The South Korean factory represents a crucial step towards expanded, industrial production.
The new LightSpray system does not represent the entire shoe production process: the soles and other components continue to be manufactured conventionally, meaning that fully locally produced shoes are not yet a reality. However, in the long term, the technology could also enable the individual customization of shoes.
