Founded in 2010, On Holding AG has become a leading global sportswear brand. As it has grown, the Zurich-based company needed to optimize inventory management. On today announced a strategic collaboration with Verity, which offers autonomous drones and artificial intelligence to improve warehouse efficiency.
“We are excited to partner with Verity to transform our supply chain operations,” stated Caspar Coppetti, co-founder and executive co-chairman of On. “Verity is a pioneering brand in the field of AI and robotics and a perfect fit with On’s values of harnessing innovation for the benefit of the customer experience.” “
“By leveraging innovative technological solutions, we aim to improve our operations’ efficiency further, become a more sustainable brand, and take customer satisfaction to new heights,” he asserted. “The collaboration of two pioneering Swiss brands can only mean an explosion of innovation!”
On sells footwear, apparel, and accessories for running, tennis, and all-day activities including its award-winning CloudTec technology. The company said it has made strides in design and the circular economy, and it is present in more than 60 countries.
Verity inventory drones already delivering for On
On said identified Verity as its preferred partner because Verity’s systems have performed millions of fully autonomous inventory checks each month in more than 80 warehouses operated by different clients worldwide. It is using fleets of Verity drones to track inventory in real time and minimize stockouts, misplacements, and shrinkage and ensure order fulfillment for retail and e-commerce.
Founded in 2014, Verity said it “delivers AI-powered mobile intelligence, enabling complete operational visibility through fleets of fully autonomous drones.” The company, which has offices in Zurich and Chapel Hill, N.C., said its team includes some of the top minds in AI and robotics, supply chain, and drone technology.
Qualcomm was among the participants in Verity’s $43 million Series B fundraising round last year. Verity is also providing inventory drones for Maersk North America.
The company said its fleet is already live at a U.S. facility, scanning On products on a daily basis. It ensures full availability of stock for customer fulfillment, according to the partners.
Verity added that its system is already improving key performance indicators (KPIs) and supporting On’s goal of providing a more sustainable supply chain by reducing CO2 emissions. Its clients have reported reductions of 1,000 tons of CO2 emissions per warehouse each year, on average.
The collaborators said they are exploring technologies to drive operational excellence and enhance inventory visibility, with On bringing Verity onboard with its third-party logistics (3PL) partners.
Swiss partners report results
Verity said it immediately improved product availability across On customer touchpoints—at physical stores and online—and maximized order fulfillment by improving on-time and accurate deliveries. Verity clients have seen their operational issue rates reduced from 5% to 12% to less than 1%, significantly increasing their warehouses’ labor efficiency.
By further digitizing On’s supply chain, Verity said it has strengthened its data accuracy and improved the quality and speed of decision-making.
“At Verity, we are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of AI and robotics to drive operational excellence,” said Raffaello D’Andrea, co-founder and CEO of Verity and co-founder of warehouse robot pioneer Kiva Systems (now Amazon Robotics).
“We share the same goals with On, in particular that of delivering an exceptional customer experience,” he said. “This synergy is further amplified by our highly robust systems, boasting better than 99.99% reliability rates.”
The two Swiss companies said their collaboration “underscores their shared DNA of using groundbreaking technology to deliver a superior customer experience.”