On's LightSpray robot sprays marathon sneakers in London pop-up

Swiss sportswear brand On has brought its LightSpray robot to London for a pop-up at Hanover Square, coinciding with the London Marathon on 26 April. The robot constructs sneaker uppers in a single three-minute step by coating a shoe last with a single-filament polymer, eliminating the traditional 200-step assembly process. The technology, trademarked as LightSpray, was first used on the Cloudboom Strike racing sneaker worn by Kenyan runner Hellen Obiri when she won the 2024 Boston Marathon. The latest model, the Cloudmonster 3 Hyper training shoe, is the first produced at a new factory in Busan, South Korea, which houses 32 robots and increases production volume 30-fold. On president Scott Maguire calls the facility a 'robot farm' and says the brand plans to scale LightSpray beyond elite athletes to the wider community. The pop-up, created with PlayLabs, offers visitors the chance to see the robot in action, try on sneakers, and join movement sessions. Obiri, a four-time marathon major champion, will make her London Marathon debut this Sunday. The LightSpray sneakers are available in limited-edition drops.