Annie Minoff

According to John's reporting, some within Nike hoped that the Mexican factory would serve as a stepping stone.

According to John's reporting, some within Nike hoped that the Mexican factory would serve as a stepping stone.

To help them set up that Guadalajara factory, Nike partnered with a company called Flex.

To help them set up that Guadalajara factory, Nike partnered with a company called Flex.

To help them set up that Guadalajara factory, Nike partnered with a company called Flex.

One of the people who worked on that Apple project was Tom Fletcher.

One of the people who worked on that Apple project was Tom Fletcher.

One of the people who worked on that Apple project was Tom Fletcher.

Tom would go on to work on the Nike factory. So you'd built complicated stuff in North America before?

Tom would go on to work on the Nike factory. So you'd built complicated stuff in North America before?

Tom would go on to work on the Nike factory. So you'd built complicated stuff in North America before?

And so going into this project of trying to build shoes in North America, how are you feeling? Did it seem doable?

And so going into this project of trying to build shoes in North America, how are you feeling? Did it seem doable?

And so going into this project of trying to build shoes in North America, how are you feeling? Did it seem doable?

Tough but possible?

Tough but possible?

Tough but possible?

Tom's main challenge was to figure out how to replace humans with robots. His goal was to have fewer than 3,000 workers. To start, he flew to China, Indonesia, and Vietnam to tour Nike's factories there. And he saw firsthand the scale of the human labor that Nike was used to.

Tom's main challenge was to figure out how to replace humans with robots. His goal was to have fewer than 3,000 workers. To start, he flew to China, Indonesia, and Vietnam to tour Nike's factories there. And he saw firsthand the scale of the human labor that Nike was used to.

Tom's main challenge was to figure out how to replace humans with robots. His goal was to have fewer than 3,000 workers. To start, he flew to China, Indonesia, and Vietnam to tour Nike's factories there. And he saw firsthand the scale of the human labor that Nike was used to.