3D Printing Central to Nike’s Continued Growth, says CEO

Innovation is like a new motto of the well-known manufacturer. The company is renowned for its particular attention to the customers’ feedback. The president of Nike Company Mike Parker views innovations in manufacturing as the major component of the company’s success. The innovation process is always intensive, and so Nike is constantly looking for another inventive product. The company is constantly developing new materials, technologies, concepts and designs in the sportswear area. That’s why the process of finding new better ideas is continuous and maintains the growth of the company every year.

Sports clothes and equipment make up one of the most competitive business sectors, so it means constant change and development for companies. So manufacturing process is supported with innovative technologies. They keep focused on the new products, new techniques of their development and new materials for them.

As the Nike director Mike Parker says, that’s the point where they see some of the marginal opportunities that are likely to change the game. Even the best innovations can’t be worthwhile if they don’t fit in the consumer market. Parker doesn’t work for the company since the day of its establishment, so from the very beginning he started thinking of the ways to improve his shoes. Some sketchbooks which he used in those days are still up-to-date and still serve as the working platform for him to develop new ideas that meet the requirements of his business. That’s the point where he tries to find balance. The improvements and innovations that the company makes it save some money and time and advance the performance of its product.

One of the most exciting improvements that made the project a success is FlyKnit – a new way of applying the classic knitting process entwined with new applications. This new way of production is well-suited to the use of 3D printing. FlyKnit will make Nike sportswear lighter, shoes will become better fitting and more affordable to be developed in countries with developing economies. Parker wants to use 3D printing in the production of their sportswear to harness the potential of 3D printing. Apart from FlyKnit there are lots of innovations that will speed up their productions and the process more sustainable and efficient.

Source: ManufacturingGlobal.com