Answer: Nike, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) is a multi-product sports shoe manufacturer that is among the biggest in the industry ranging from clothing, accessories, sports gear, and much more.
How Are Nike Products Manufactured?
It takes more than just drawing, cutting, and assembling to produce Nike products. No, handling methods and effective procedures that employees must adhere to are necessary for manufacturing.
It is well-known for selling shoes and other products. However, its factories are not owned by the corporation. After starting in Japan, its factory eventually relocated to South Korea, China, and Taiwan. They later relocated once more, this time to China, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand, where labor prices were lower as the economies of the former countries began to expand.
The organization involves millions of people in addition to hundreds of contract manufacturers. It produces at least half a million Nike items annually, which are sent to various locations. The two primary distribution hubs for it are at Foothills Ranch, California, and Memphis, Tennessee.
Nike published the first Manufacturing Map for its sector to openly share data and promote openness in 2005. All of the information regarding the location, merchandise, and labor statistics of the contract factories for Converse and Nike is available on the map.
They have only started disclosing details about the sources of the basic ingredients in their supply chain. Nike, Inc. relies heavily on sourcing and uses many strategies to do so. Its vendors who commit to be sustainable are part of several worker, safety, and environmental programs.
The Procedure for Manufacturing Nike Shoes
The majority of Nike shoes are built using a cold construction method. All that shoe cement is PU glue! Water- or solvent-based PU adhesive and shoe cement are both available. Cemented shoes make up the majority of sports footwear kinds.
Understanding this fundamental shoemaking procedure is essential if you want to understand how to design shoes. The updated, current method of making shoes is called cold cement.
Modern lightweight plastic, foam, and mesh materials can be used in Nike’s cold cement shoe construction since the low temperatures needed to attach the upper to the shoe sole are not present in Vans or Converse’s high-heat vulcanized shoe construction. This cold cement technology is used to make every contemporary high-performance athletic shoe produced by Nike for basketball, jogging, etc. All Air Jordan basketball shoes, ranging from the Jordan 1 to the Jordan 30+, are manufactured using the cold cement method.
De-lasting, Cooling, And Pressing
Three pressing processes usually take place on the shoe using a single machine i.e. side presses, heel and toe presses, and vertical presses. This guarantees that the upper and outsole make complete contact.
A cooling tunnel is often utilized to solidify the glue after the shoe has been pushed together.
Shoe de-lasting is a machine that removes the last remnants of the shoe without causing the upper to wrinkle after the cooling tunnel.
The shoe is finished now. You can now put the footbed in place. The footbed can be made of flat, cut foam sheets or molded EVA with a fabric overlay. Whereas molded footbeds are typically detachable, flat die-cut footbeds are typically glued into the shoe.
Now, the new shoe is prepared for packing, cleaning, a final quality control check, and a short thread check.
The Supply Chain
The three organizational principles of Nike—outsourcing, diversity, and social responsibility—are the foundation of the company’s supply chain operations.
Outsourcing
Nike now fully relies on independent suppliers located outside of the US to manufacture its footwear and clothing. Because of its readiness to embrace outsourcing risk, the company learned the value of competent management, which ultimately helped them save operational expenses. Additionally, by consistently interacting with and assisting its manufacturers, it upholds the principles of “Lean Manufacturing,” which reduces waste while increasing productivity.
Diversification
Nike is becoming more than just a shoe company. Nike provides nearly every sports shoe, clothing, and equipment brand you can imagine in order to efficiently manage risk. But it still looks for ways to make money, like opening up multiple subsidiaries.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Nike, Inc. values corporate social responsibility and uses its influence to affect social change.
Nike Shoes: The Present
Nike has partnered with quite several firms and individuals, including Drake, SUPREME, Undefeated, Dior, and many more. The brand expanded beyond running shoes with the Nike Air Force 1 and the Air Max line, which brought Air-sole footwear to the mainstream and revolutionized the sneaker industry.
Through its effective management processes, the company can manufacture and create a variety of Nike products with unique product designs, ensuring that its clients receive high-quality finished goods.
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