Genon expands in Indonesia after successful Nike production validation

Artificial intelligence (AI) solutions company Genon is expanding its manufacturing automation business in Indonesia after passing production validation for Nike footwear inspections and securing follow-on projects covering additional quality checks and robotic automation.

The company said Wednesday that its AI vision inspection system detected defects in Nike outsoles with accuracy rates of 99.7 percent and 99.2 percent across two footwear styles, clearing final validation for Nike footwear production.

Genon began developing the system last year, using high-resolution industrial cameras and specialized lighting to capture product surfaces, which AI analyzes to identify defects and classify products according to quality standards.

The validation was designed to assess performance in real production conditions, rather than merely test technical capabilities, Genon said.

The company is preparing to develop production-ready models this year, with plans to deploy the technology on manufacturing lines beginning in 2027 and gradually expand its use across products and facilities.

Building on the results, Genon has secured another contract to inspect shoe uppers, where stitching and bonding can produce subtle defects that are difficult to detect visually.

The project will use ultrahigh-resolution cameras and multiangle lighting to identify flaws in complex structures, with plans to extend automated inspection to midsoles and finished footwear.

Genon has also won a project applying physical AI to outsole pressing, combining collaborative robots with vision cameras to automate repetitive manufacturing tasks.

The system is designed to help robots recognize work pieces and adapt their movements, while learning skilled operations through demonstrations remotely performed by human workers.

The company aims to improve production efficiency and eventually support continuous, round-the-clock operation of manufacturing equipment.

Genon’s Indonesian subsidiary, established this year, is targeting profitability in its first year as the company pursues commercial deployment of its Nike inspection technology and additional local business opportunities.

Beyond footwear, Genon is developing an AI solution for global marine engineering company IKM Group that analyzes ship-related documents and automatically generates work-planning reports.

The company said practical manufacturing expertise and the ability to deploy technology on production lines were as important as technical accuracy, adding that it would strengthen local partnerships and expand its overseas business.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.