Mega production plants

These are the largest factories in the world

Dörte Neitzel Dörte Neitzel Dörte Neitzel Editor TECHNIK+EINKAUF
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Fabrikhallen für die Produktion: Wo steht die größte Fabrik der Welt?
Factory halls for production: Where is the largest factory in the world?

The largest factory in the world is as big as a small town! In the ranking of the largest factories worldwide, you will learn which production sites exceed all expectations.

With an area of up to 6.5 million square meters, which is 6.5 square kilometers, the largest factory in the world is as large as a small town. But it is not just about manufacturing: the factories house enormous production lines and are simultaneously workplaces and residences for up to 500,000 employees.

The largest factories in the world have their own fire departments, ports, or hospitals and function like real cities with their own road networks and a downtown area. Among them are many technology and automotive manufacturers.

Where are these giga-factories located? And what is produced there? You will find out in our ranking of the largest factories in the world.

Image gallery: These are the largest factory facilities in the world

latz 12: NASA Das Gebäude zur Montage der NASA-Raumfahrzeuge (VAB) befindet sich im Kennedy Space Center in Florida und ist das höchste einstöckige Gebäude der Welt. Es ist 160 Meter hoch und wurde 1966 gebaut, um die Mondrakete Apollo/Saturn V zu konstruieren. Mit 32.374 Quadratmetern beherbergt es die zehntgrößte Produktionsfläche der Welt. (Bild: NASA)
Rank 12: NASA. The Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for NASA spacecraft is located at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and is the tallest one-story building in the world. It is 160 meters high and was built in 1966 to construct the Apollo/Saturn V moon rocket. With 32,374 square meters, it houses the tenth largest production area in the world.
Platz 11: Tesla Gigafactory 2 Teslas 111.500 Quadratmeter große Gigafactory 2 befindet sich im US-Bundesstaat New York. Im Jahr 2017 übernahm Tesla das frühere Stahlwerk war, um dort Solarzellen zu produzieren. Das einstöckige Gebäude steht auf einem 35 Hektar großen Gelände am Buffalo River. Die Kosten lagen bei 935 Millionen Euro. (Bild: Tesla)
Rank 11: Tesla Gigafactory 2. Tesla's 111,500 square meter Gigafactory 2 is located in the state of New York. In 2017, Tesla took over the former steel plant to produce solar cells there. The one-story building is situated on a 35-hectare site on the Buffalo River. The cost was 935 million euros. (Image: Tesla)
Platz 10: Lauma Fabrics 111.500 Quadratmeter groß ist das Fabrikgelände von Lauma Fabrics in Lettland. Hier wird Unterwäsche produziert. (Bild: Lauma Fabrics)
Rank 10: Lauma Fabrics. The factory site of Lauma Fabrics in Latvia is 111,500 square meters large. Underwear is produced here.
Platz 9: Airbus-Werk Jean-Luc Lagardère 122.500 Quadratmeter groß ist das Airbus-Werk Jean-Luc Lagardère in Toulouse. Mit einem Fassungsvermögen von 6,8 Milliarden Liter beherbergt das Werk Jean-Luc Lagardère darüber hinaus eine Produktionsanlage für Flüssigkeiten und Energieerzeugung. (Bild: Duch / Wikimedia Commons)
Rank 9: Airbus plant. Jean-Luc Lagardère The Airbus plant Jean-Luc Lagardère in Toulouse is 122,500 square meters large. With a capacity of 6.8 billion liters, the Jean-Luc Lagardère plant also houses a production facility for liquids and energy generation. (Image: Duch / Wikimedia Commons)
Belvedere Assembly parc
Rank 8: Belvidere assembly plant. The assembly plant was built by Chrysler, today it belongs to Stellantis. The 330,000 square meter factory site is located in the state of Illinois. It was built in 1965 to assemble Chrysler's C-platform vehicles. Today, 780 robots do the job.
Platz 7: Boeing-Werk Everett. Etwas außerhalb von Seattle (USA) stellt Boeing in der Everett Factory die Flugzeugmodelle Boeing 767, 747, 777 und 787 Dreamliner her. Das Produktionsgelände ist 398.000 Quadratmeter groß und damit die fünftgrößte Fabrik der Welt.
Rank 7: Boeing plant Everett. Just outside of Seattle (USA), Boeing manufactures the aircraft models Boeing 767, 747, 777, and 787 Dreamliner in the Everett Factory. The production site is 398,000 square meters large, making it the fifth largest factory in the world.
Platz 6: Austal USA Austal USA ist die amerikanische Niederlassung der gleichnamigen australischen Werft. Die Produktionsanlage in Alabama ist die größte Fabrik des Unternehmens. Sie umfasst eine Fläche von rund 467.000 Quadratmetern. (Bild: Austal)
Rank 6: Austal USA. Austal USA is the American branch of the Australian shipyard of the same name. The production facility in Alabama is the largest factory of the company. It covers an area of approximately 467,000 square meters.
Platz 5: Tesla-Fabrik in Fremont Teslas Gigafactory im kalifornischen Fremont erstreckt sich über eine Fläche von 490.000 Quadratmetern. Hier werden die Tesla-Modelle S, X und 3 hergestellt. Bis 1982 gehörte die Fabrik zu General Motors und wurde danach von Toyota übernommen bevor sie Tesla 2009 kaufte.
Rank 5: Tesla factory in Fremont. Tesla's Gigafactory in Fremont, California, spans an area of 490,000 square meters. The Tesla models S, X, and 3 are manufactured here. Until 1982, the factory belonged to General Motors and was later taken over by Toyota before Tesla bought it in 2009.
Platz 4: Tesla Gigafactory Nevada In Nevada war die erste Gigafabrik von Tesla. Dort produziert der Autohersteller das Modell 3 sowie Lithium-Ionen-Batterien. Die Fabrik hat eine Betriebsfläche von 490.000 Quadratmeter bei einer Grundfläche von rund 180.000 Quadratmetern.
Rank 4: Tesla Gigafactory Nevada. In Nevada was Tesla's first gigafactory. The automaker produces the Model 3 and lithium-ion batteries there. The factory has an operational area of 490,000 square meters with a footprint of approximately 180,000 square meters.
Platz 3: Kia-Werk Hwaseong 3,3 Millionen Quadratmeter groß ist die Fabrik Hwaseong in Südkorea von Kia. Sie wurde 1990 errichtet und ist die größte Fabrik des Autoherstellers Kia. Das Unternehmen besitzt insgesamt 13 Werke auf der ganzen Welt.
Rank 3: Kia plant Hwaseong. The Hwaseong factory in South Korea by Kia is 3.3 million square meters large. It was established in 1990 and is the largest factory of the automaker Kia. The company owns a total of 13 plants worldwide.
Platz 2: Hyundai-Werk Ulsan Fünf Millionen Quadratkilometer misst die Fabrik von Hyundai in Ulsan (Südkorea). Sie ist der Hauptproduktionsstandort des Autoherstellers. Auf dem Betriebsgelände befinden sich ein eigener Hafen, eine Feuerwache und ein Krankenhaus. (Bild: Machineporn - Reddit)
Rank 2: Hyundai plant Ulsan. The factory of Hyundai in Ulsan (South Korea) measures five million square kilometers. It is the main production site of the automaker. The site includes its own port, fire station, and hospital.
Platz 1: VW-Werk Wolfsburg. An seinem Hauptsitz in Wolfsburg besitzt Volkswagen eine Fabrik mit insgesamt 6,5 Millionen Quadratmetern Betriebsfläche. Hier werden elf Automodelle hergestellt. Aber noch eine Berühmtheit wird hier hergestellt: die Volkswagen-Currywurst. Sie steht in allen 30 Kantinen des Autoherstellers auf dem Gelände auf dem Speiseplan.
Rank 1: VW plant Wolfsburg. At its headquarters in Wolfsburg, Volkswagen has a factory with a total operational area of 6.5 million square meters. Eleven car models are manufactured here. But another famous product is also made here: the Volkswagen currywurst. It is on the menu in all 30 canteens of the automaker on the site.

What is a factory facility?

A factory facility refers to the entirety of buildings, facilities, and machinery, including the land used for the industrial production of a factory. It encompasses all the physical components required for the manufacture of goods and can extend over a large area. Factory facilities are often equipped with complex technical systems and can include both manual and automated processes.

Factory facilities are closely linked to the concept of the factory, which is characterized by highly mechanized production, usually for the anonymous market. The planning and construction of a factory facility require comprehensive planning, as they provide the infrastructure for the production of goods in large quantities. Modern factory facilities often use technologies such as robotics and automation as well as artificial intelligence to increase efficiency and productivity.

giga-factories automation markets manufacturing industrial production technology

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FAQ - Factories worldwide

What is the largest factory in the world?

The largest factory in the world is the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg, Germany. With an area of around 6.5 million square meters, it is larger than the Principality of Monaco and employs tens of thousands of employees.

Where are the largest factory facilities worldwide?

The largest factories are located in countries like Germany, South Korea, the USA, and China. Examples include Hyundai in Ulsan, Boeing in Everett, and Foxconn in Shenzhen.

Which industries dominate the largest factories?

Primarily the automotive and electronics industries operate the largest production facilities. These include plants from Tesla, VW, Hyundai, and Foxconn, which manufacture millions of products annually.

How do such mega-factories work?

These facilities are highly automated and often organized like small cities - with their own infrastructure, fire department, and even hospitals. They consolidate all production steps in one place, significantly increasing efficiency.

What impact do these factories have on the environment and society?

Large factories consume enormous amounts of energy and resources, posing ecological challenges. At the same time, they create jobs and promote the economic development of entire regions.

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