Adidas ramps up production in new Speedfactory

This summer, sporting goods manufacturer Adidas has launched the production of sports shoes made partially with 3D-printed materials.

“Speedfactory combines the design and manufacture of sporting goods in an automated, decentralised and flexible production process. Thanks to this flexibility, we will be able to get closer to our consumers in the future, and produce on site in our key markets. As a result, we are reaching new potential and can choose where and when we produce our products, continuing to drive innovation in our industry,” said Herbert Hainer, CEO of Adidas Group.

The Speedfactory is located in Ansbach, Germany, and is managed by plastic processor Oechsler, the same company responsible for its construction. The facilities, including a in a second factory currently under construction in Atlanta, US, are expected to deliver 500,000 pairs of shoes annually.

The Speedfactories will help the German giant launch new products and react faster to new trends and customer needs. At the moment, Adidas takes roughly 18 months to develop and finally sell a new style of trainers, said spokesperson Mandy Nieber. The Speedfactories will dramatically reduce the lead time to just a few hours. Competitors like US sportswear brand Nike are also investing in new technologies.