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How can factories adapt sustainability strategies?
gettyA car factory that runs on hydropower in the Norwegian woods. A solar plant in China using advanced manufacturing to reduce emissions. A cleaning-product facility in Belgium built from 90% recycled materials.
It’s not science fiction—these are real factories operating at scale today. Together, they prove that manufacturing, despite its reputation as a sustainability slacker, can be a catalyst for real climate progress.
It’s not just good for the world—it’s good for business, as consumers increasingly see the worth in sustainable products. Nearly half—46%—say they’re buying more sustainable products to reduce their environmental impact, PwC found last year, while 80% say they’re willing to pay more for sustainably produced goods.
While not every manufacturing operation will have the cash to do some of the innovative things happening in the below examples, every operation can begin to make changes and think differently about sustainability. Allow these eight factories—some of the most sustainable in the world—to spur some new thinking.
1. The Plus by Vestre
Set deep in the Norwegian forest, The Plus is one of the most environmentally innovative factories in the world, a furniture maker built in the shape of a massive plus sign, with meaningful sustainable design touches throughout. It runs on local hydropower, allowing it to consume 60% less energy than a conventional plant, while releasing 55% less greenhouse gases. Add to that 900 solar panels and closed-loop water system that help the glass-walled building function as one-part production facility, one-part public showroom for green manufacturing.
2. Ferrari E-Building
Featuring 3,000 solar panels, rainwater storage and recycling systems, and green spaces throughout, Ferrari’s Maranello, Italy-based E-Building is where “the sports cars of tomorrow will be produced.” Even the air conditioning at the 450,000-square-foot factory runs on renewables. Assembly processes and machinery seamlessly flex to go from producing gas-powered to hybrid to fully electric cars.
3. IKEA’s Zbaszynek plant
One of the largest furniture plants in the world, IKEA’s Zbaszynek plant in Poland sources wind, biomass, and solar to power its more than 4 million-square-foot factory entirely on renewable energy. Tweaks to production lines, added insulation, and lighting changes have improved efficiency significantly at the plant through the years. And all those changes have only made the factory more productive, pumping out as many as 125,000 pieces of furniture per week.
4. Ericsson’s 5G smart factory
Another factory running on 100% renewable energy, Ericsson’s Lewisville, Texas-based 5G smart factory leverages automation and the latest manufacturing technologies as “part of our strategy for a more resilient and sustainable global supply chain,” an executive at the company says. It has the numbers to back it up. The factory is 24% more energy efficient than the baseline. It utilizes 40,000-gallon water tanks to reuse rainwater, while 17% of its energy comes from on-site solar panels.
5. LONGi Jiaxing factory
LONGi’s solar solutions factory in Jiaxing is a testament to how boosting operational efficiency can and should run hand-in-hand with improving sustainability. By weaving technology like AI, digital twin, and IoT sensors throughout, the plant cut energy consumption per unit by 20%, boosted product quality by more than 40%, and achieved an 84% reduction in production and delivery cycles.
6. Subaru’s plant in Indiana
Subaru’s Lafayette, Indiana operation was the first zero-landfill factory in the U.S. As it makes hundreds of thousands of cars each year, the factory—like all automakers—builds up massive amounts of waste. But it has found a way to cut waste generation significantly—from 459 pounds per car to 210 pounds. These days, of the waste that does come from each vehicle, more than 99% gets recycled.
7. Ecover’s circular factory
Long before “going green” became a catchphrase, Belgian cleaning-product maker Ecover designed its facility in Malle to embody circularity. It was built in 1992 from reclaimed wood and European pine, rather than steel and concrete, with ‘eco’ bricks for the walls. All in all, the factory is built from 90% recycled or renewable materials. Ecover has continued to set a high bar for sustainability in manufacturing since the building went up, powering the plant with renewable energy and chasing new and innovative ways to reduce its water footprint.
8. ASSA ABLOY’s Connecticut plant
A door hardware factory based in Berlin, Connecticut, ASSA ABLOY has infused a range of sustainability initiatives throughout its operation. The headliner is a sprawling solar farm that generates 75% of the factory’s electricity. It backs that up with aggressive recycling, reduced water use, and a commitment to working with sustainable suppliers across the supply chain. Those efforts added up to a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2024, as compared to the year prior.
Of course, none of the above factories have all the answers. But together, they point to what’s possible when manufacturers treat sustainability as a core business strategy rather than an afterthought. For the industry, the lesson is clear: Sustainability isn’t just a responsibility. It creates a competitive edge.