adidas' push towards the future continues today as it has officially unveiled plans for its pilot Speedfactory in Germany.
Conceptualized primarily to cut down production times, the adidas Speedfactory will use robots as a means to get product into the hands of consumers quicker than ever before. Today, the brand announced plans to produce 500 pairs of running sneakers in the Speedfactory for release in early 2016, with plans for larger-scale production following in the near future.
"Ultimately we are at the forefront of innovating our industry by expanding the boundaries for how, where and when we can manufacture our industry-leading products," CEO Herbert Hainer said.
As we've previously reported, the first Speedfactory is set to open in Ansbach, Germany at the top of the year. "The set-up of the first Speedfactory has kicked off in Ansbach, Germany, to propel a global network of automated production which brings cutting-edge technology to cities around the world," VP of Technology Innovation Gerd Manz said.
As fascinating as all of this is from a technology standpoint, it's also part of adidas' ongoing effort to be more eco-conscious. By using Speedfactories that are physically closer to its consumers, adidas will be able to decrease its shipping emissions, and the automated factories will also allow for a considerable reduction in the use of adhesive glues.
From the sounds of this, the future of sneakers could be here sooner than any of us imagined. Stay tuned.
