As industry shifts towards system-led structures, Korea stands at the centre of that transformation.

WRITER Yve

Summary

Zurich, 25 February 2026 — On has announced the opening of its second robotic production facility in Busan, South Korea, expanding its LightSpray™ technology. The decision is not simply about increasing production capacity, but about reducing supply-chain risk, improving market responsiveness and advancing automation-led manufacturing. As artificial intelligence and robotics reshape industrial structures, Korea is emerging not merely as a consumer market, but as a production environment defined by execution capability.

(Image: on-running)

Hundreds of production steps are consolidated into a single automated system, enhancing both speed and consistency. This represents more than cost reduction; it marks a transition towards greater precision and predictability. In an automated environment, margins of error narrow and standards remain stable. Quality is not adjusted after production — it is designed into the system from the outset.

Automation is no longer about replacing labour. It is a method of redesigning production structures. In a landscape shaped by tariff shifts, logistics disruption and geopolitical tension, external variables are expanding. What matters is controllability. Automation is less an efficiency upgrade than a strategy to limit exposure to volatility. A production system that can be internally calibrated becomes a mechanism for maintaining competitiveness.

As manufacturing moves from labour-centred models to system-led frameworks, Korea is increasingly recognised not only for cultural influence but for its ability to translate technology into industrial execution. As the industrial centre of gravity shifts towards systems, Korea stands as an environment where that transformation is actively realised.