New project from Adidas: custom shoes made in store<

(AFP) - The German sports equipment manufacturer Adidas is working on a concept of automated manufacturing of custom-made sports shoes directly in its stores, an executive of the group announced in the press on Thursday.

"Customers will have shoes completely adapted to their needs and which correspond perfectly to their feet and their way of moving", explained in an interview published Thursday with the daily Handelsblatt the member of the executive board Glenn Bennett.

After having their foot measured by high-tech machines, the consumer can order and have the shoe they want made directly in the store. A few minutes later, an automaton will deliver the product to him, ready to be used.

A team of 35 people is currently working on this project, dubbed "Store Factory" by Europe's largest sneaker producer, and which should be launched within two years.

This strategy, in addition to surprising the consumer, will allow the manufacturer to reduce problems related to production planning and inventory management. These "mini-factories", however, are not intended to replace the huge Asian production sites of Adidas, specifies the Handelsblatt.

Adidas, faced with the dissatisfaction of its shareholders, put on track a few months ago a new strategy which should allow it to stand up to Nike. The Bavarian group wants in particular to be more present in digital, and closer to consumers, with whom it wants to strengthen interactions.

The "Store Factory" project is part of this line: "we will get to know our customers like never before", projects Glenn Bennett, also responsible for purchasing within the company. According to him, the project could even eventually be extended to clothing.