On opens LightSpray factory in South Korea

(CONNECT) Zurich-based sportswear brand On has opened its second manufacturing facility for the robot-controlled LightSpray assembly process near the port city of Busan in South Korea. According to a statement, On opened the first facility with four robots in Zurich in July 2025. The new production facility expands capacity with 32 fully automated robots, which is expected to increase LightSpray production 30-fold in 2026. On plans to open more LightSpray factories in coastal locations around the world over the coming years, according to the statement.

The first model from the On running shoe family to feature a robot-sprayed upper will be the LightSpray Cloudmonster 3 Hyper running shoe, writes the statement. This is set to be introduced on 5 March 2026 at the South Korean facility. The training shoe, which the company says was designed for long runs and speed training, will initially be available in a limited edition online as well as in On stores in North America. The global launch is planned for 16 April 2026.

LightSpray minimizes the work required in manufacturing the upper material, explains On. The work, which normally involves 200 steps across multiple factories, can instead be condensed into a single, fully automated process. A robotic arm sprays 1.5 kilometers of specialized filament onto a last, creating an ultra-light, one-piece upper in three minutes. According to Scott Maguire, Chief Innovation Officer at On, each robot can be precisely programmed regardless of location, executing perfectly choreographed movements.

Because the process requires less space and reduces waste volume, the upper materials can reportedly be produced with fewer CO2 emissions than other On running shoes. “LightSpray is a pinnacle example of how On continues to innovate through Swiss Engineering, dramatically changing the way we can create high-performance shoes with unmatched efficiency, sustainability, and performance results,” On co-founder Caspar Coppetti is quoted as saying.

The choice of South Korea is explained by the country's highly developed manufacturing infrastructure and strengths in robotics and automation, according to the statement. The planned production growth is also reflected in plans to launch new products and in a reported initiation of production in America. ce/heg