{"id":28414,"date":"2018-11-12T11:30:52","date_gmt":"2018-11-12T16:30:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/3d-printed-sneakers-and-mass-customization-is-adidas-there-yet\/"},"modified":"2018-11-13T14:15:02","modified_gmt":"2018-11-13T19:15:02","slug":"3d-printed-sneakers-and-mass-customization-is-adidas-there-yet","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/3d-printed-sneakers-and-mass-customization-is-adidas-there-yet\/","title":{"rendered":"3D Printed Sneakers and Mass Customization \u2013 Is Adidas There Yet?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The advent of cost-efficient 3D printing machines is transforming the way we design and manufacture physical goods. Over 20% of goods 3D printed are now final products and the share is expected to grow to 50% by 2020.[1]<\/a> The process known in the industry as \u201cadditive manufacturing\u201d (in contrast to traditional, \u201csubtractive\u201d way of cutting and drilling) requires less materials, labour and retooling. Adidas, a sporting goods giant, is seeing it as a huge opportunity for disrupting footwear product development and supply chain. In its boldest vision, the firm wants to win the market by offering mass customers a sneaker tailored to individual foot and gait \u2013 shortly after placing order. Is it another marketing gimmick or imminent future?<\/p>\n

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Source: Adidas<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Additive manufacturing offers a full-fledged competitive advantage – customization on mass scale offers products precisely adjusted to the individual customer specification, while keeping costs and manufacturing time lower than with conventional process. [2]<\/a> Why is it important for firms like Adidas? Because customers\u2019 feet are all different; sizes and shapes vary, but footwear products still come in single form and discrete size. Weight, posture and style of walking also play a role. With mass 3D printing, Adidas could give its everyday customers the same comfort and performance that currently only elite athletes can afford.[3]<\/a> Stakes are big and Adidas is betting on additive manufacturing with two goals. First, to compete with its rival Nike in existing markets, it wants to change rules of the game. Cheaply produced variations of standard products that are closer to the tastes of customers will be critical to take the lead. Shortened cycle time, reduced excess inventory and shipping costs will also boost the bottom line. Second, moving into new lines and markets will be easier and faster by using additive to develop, test and modify new ideas. Further technology developments will offer previously unseen shapes and structures that may reinvent existing product offering.[4]<\/a><\/p>\n

Adidas is taking big leaps to get ahead in additive manufacturing. Firstly, the firm is already addressing the problem of inefficient 3D printers, incapable of pivoting from prototyping one-off designs to mass production. Pairing up with Carbon, a Silicon Valley start-up, the firm is taking advantage of \u201cDigital Light Synthesis\u201d technology that \u201cuses light and oxygen to make plastic objects like the sneaker midsoles from a pool of resin, without any messy waste or need for injection molding\u201d.[5]<\/a> As a result, midsole can be produced in less than 30 minutes and no cleaning is required – a paradigm shift in the industry.[6]<\/a> The tandem claims that the new production process will ultimately help craft a better performing shoe and create previously near-impossible assemblies.[7]<\/a> Secondly, Adidas has already tested 3D shoes on the market by releasing \u201cFuturecraft\u201d series earlier this year. While still a proof-of-concept, the batch sold out immediately and it provided important sandbox for the company creatives in their scale-up and market fit endeavour.[8]<\/a> Lastly, in medium term Adidas is developing its concept of \u201cSpeedfactories\u201d located in developed economies, where highly automated production lines churn out shoes in a day compared to 2-3 months in Asian facilities. Adidas will ultimately add Carbon\u2019s 3D printers in each Speedfactory to achieve the ultimate goal: customised footwear \u2013 on mass scale, on-the-spot. [9]<\/a><\/p>\n

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Source: Exposure.net<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While promising, Adidas\u2019 efforts should be viewed more as a statement of intent rather than a viable business solution. There are several critical issues Adidas needs to address before it can shake up the sneakers industry and reap commercial benefits. Firstly, the speed, reliability and cost of 3D printing at high volumes is still a limiting factor. While its new printing process is supposedly \u201c100 times faster\u201d than the traditional 3D shoe printing[10]<\/a>, the automated \u201cSpeedfactory\u201d plants will manufacture only 1m pairs of the total pool of 360m that the firm sells globally.[11]<\/a> Incremental automation may help transform Adidas factories faster. Secondly, the shoes developed with additive manufacturing have received mixed reviews from customers so far.[12]<\/a> To reach full utilitarian potential of customizable shoes, Adidas needs to come up with a retail experience that would convince the customer about the idea and then smoothly, yet precisely, measure her foot, movement and other data points.[13]<\/a> Soliciting aftersales feedback should help calibrate best design to retain customers for long.<\/p>\n

As we look forward to the future, two important questions arise. Firstly, as manufacturing goes digital and costs of entry into the business fall, should Adidas worry about losing customers to 3D printer producers and easier-than-ever IP infringements?[14]<\/a> Secondly, will automated mass customization bring jobs back to developed countries which outsourced them few decades ago? Will it disrupt emerging economies and logistics businesses as we know?<\/p>\n

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[1]<\/a>\u00a0“The printed world.” The Economist<\/em>, 11 Feb. 2011, https:\/\/www.economist.com\/briefing\/2011\/02\/10\/the-printed-world<\/a>, accessed Nov. 2018.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a>\u00a0Richard A. D\u2019Aveni, “The 3-D Printing Playbook.” 性视界 Business Review<\/em>, Jul.-Aug. 2018 issue,\u00a0https:\/\/hbr.org\/2018\/07\/the-3-d-printing-playbook<\/a>, accessed Nov. 2018.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Diana Budds, “3D-Printed Shoes For The Masses Are Here.” Fast Company<\/em>, 07 Apr. 2017,\u00a0https:\/\/www.fastcompany.com\/90109145\/3d-printed-shoes-for-the-masses-are-here<\/a>, accessed Nov. 2018.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Richard A. D\u2019Aveni, “The 3-D Printing Playbook.” 性视界 Business Review<\/em>, Jul.-Aug. 2018 issue,\u00a0https:\/\/hbr.org\/2018\/07\/the-3-d-printing-playbook<\/a>, accessed Nov. 2018.<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> Andria Cheng, “How Adidas Plans To Bring 3D Printing To The Masses.” Forbes<\/em>, 22 May 2018,\u00a0\u00a0https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/andriacheng\/2018\/05\/22\/with-adidas-3d-printing-may-finally-see-its-mass-retail-potential\/#422b7d024a60<\/a>, accessed Nov. 2018.<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> Mark Wilson, “How Adidas Cracked The Code Of 3D-Printed Shoes.” Fast Company<\/em>, 11 Sep. 2017,\u00a0https:\/\/www.fastcompany.com\/90138066\/how-adidas-cracked-the-code-of-3-d-printed-shoes<\/a>, accessed Nov. 2018.<\/p>\n

[7]<\/a>\u00a0“The perfect fit: Carbon + adidas collaborate to upend athletic footwear”, 07 Apr. 2018,\u00a0https:\/\/www.carbon3d.com\/stories\/adidas\/<\/a>, accessed Nov. 2018.<\/p>\n

[8]<\/a>\u00a0“adidas Futurecraft: The Ultimate 3D-Printed Personalized Shoe”,\u00a0https:\/\/www.materialise.com\/en\/cases\/adidas-futurecraft-ultimate-3d-printed-personalized-shoe<\/a>, accessed Nov. 2018.<\/p>\n

[9]<\/a>\u00a0Mark Wilson, “How Adidas Cracked The Code Of 3D-Printed Shoes.” Fast Company<\/em>, 11 Sep. 2017,\u00a0https:\/\/www.fastcompany.com\/90138066\/how-adidas-cracked-the-code-of-3-d-printed-shoes<\/a>, accessed Nov. 2018.<\/p>\n

[10]<\/a>\u00a0Andria Cheng, “How Adidas Plans To Bring 3D Printing To The Masses.” Forbes<\/em>, 22 May 2018,\u00a0https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/andriacheng\/2018\/05\/22\/with-adidas-3d-printing-may-finally-see-its-mass-retail-potential\/#422b7d024a60<\/a>, accessed Nov. 2018.<\/p>\n

[11]<\/a>\u00a0Tom Hancock, “Adidas boss says large-scale reshoring is \u2018an illusion\u2019.” The\u00a0Financial Time<\/em>s, 23 Apr. 2017,\u00a0https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/39b353a6-263c-11e7-8691-d5f7e0cd0a16<\/a>, accessed Nov. 2018.<\/p>\n

[12]<\/a>\u00a0Jennifer Bissell-Linsk, “Nike\u2019s focus on robotics threatens Asia\u2019s low-cost workforce.” The\u00a0Financial Time<\/em>s, 22 Oct. 2017,\u00a0https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/585866fc-a841-11e7-ab55-27219df83c97<\/a>, accessed Nov. 2018.<\/p>\n

[13]<\/a> Diana Budds, “3D-Printed Shoes For The Masses Are Here.” Fast Company<\/em>, 07 Apr. 2017,\u00a0https:\/\/www.fastcompany.com\/90109145\/3d-printed-shoes-for-the-masses-are-here<\/a>, accessed Nov. 2018.<\/p>\n

[14]<\/a> “The printed world.” The Economist<\/em>, 11 Feb. 2011,\u00a0https:\/\/www.economist.com\/briefing\/2011\/02\/10\/the-printed-world<\/a>, accessed Nov. 2018.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Adidas, a sporting goods giant, believes 3D printing is huge opportunity to disrupt footwear product development and supply chain. 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