Factory Planning

As a manufacturing leader, you’re building tomorrow’s capacity while managing today’s operations. Factory planning demands a balance between strategic vision and technical reality – together we can bring operational excellence to your greenfield and brownfield investments.

Greenfield and Brownfield Factory Planning: Realizing your Vision from Concept to Launch

Factory planning today carries high stakes. One wrong decision in footprint, scale or sequencing can turn a multi-million-dollar investment into a liability. Delays, capex overruns, integration gaps or misaligned infrastructure can stall production, strain supply chains and damage market credibility – especially when speed to market and sustainability compliance are non-negotiable.

EFESO is on your side to help you handle the pressure. We’ve successfully guided industry leaders through the same challenges – helping them to navigate uncertainty, speed up execution and turn factory investments into real competitive advantage. Our experts work with you to translate strategy into operational detail, streamline digital-physical integration and de-risk complex builds with modular and scalable approaches. Whether your site is greenfield or brownfield, we help your teams to move faster, make better decisions and deliver stable, future-ready operations.

Meet our Factory Planning Leaders

Bas Koetsier

Managing Director & Senior Partner

Dr. Kai Magenheimer

Partner

Start the Conversation

Real Results Achieved with our Clients

40%

Faster manufacturing ramp-ups

25%

Lower capital requirements via modular architectures

15-point

OEE improvements sustained beyond year three

A Tailored and Pragmatic Approach that Fits your Reality

From greenfield sites to existing production lines, we work alongside your teams through every factory planning phase – strategic footprint design, equipment specification, layout optimization, and operational ramp-up. Your engineers master 3D layout simulation, operations teams develop equipment ROI expertise and project managers implement structured commissioning protocols. Through hands-on collaboration, we transfer capabilities while building production systems that flex with market demands.

With us, you can realize best-in-class factories around six areas of action for factory planning and layout planning. From the first planning idea to the start-up of the factory or logistics centre. This includes strategy development and site selection in the run-up to the entire project, through to implementation and the onboarding of local suppliers in the ramp-up phase. Our range of services includes:

Location search and selection

Selection of suitable regions

Production and logistics planning

Future-oriented value streams in manufacturing and assembly

Scenario and layout planning

Master planning scenarios and expansion options for locations

Smart Factory

Horizontal integration from product design to delivery / paperless factory

Zero Emission Factory / Industrial Sustainability

Implementation support

Tendering, supplier selection and contract award

Real Results Together

Location search and selection

Selection of suitable regions (factor costs, labor market and supplier structures, infrastructure, regulatory framework, economic development)
Search for suitable properties (land, building developers, existing properties)
Recruitment of personnel for the planning and construction phase
Technical due diligence of properties and locations for technical feasibility and risks
Brownfield / greenfield projects: Differentiation and specialized approaches for existing sites versus new builds

Production and logistics planning

Future-oriented value streams in manufacturing and assembly
Line and plant planning
Material supply and disposal systems
Storage and transportation systems
Preparation of tenders
Supplier selection and integration
Planning of inventory management concepts
CapEx planning: consider capital expenditures (CapEx) in production in the planning phase, for example with regard to capacity and space productivity
Dimensioning and technology integration: detailed dimensioning of production facilities and integration of specific technologies
Infrastructure and supply planning: integration of energy, water and supply systems in production
Material flow and logistics simulation

Scenario and layout planning

Master planning scenarios and expansion options for locations
Design and detail of overall layout: greenfield and brownfield, rough and detailed
Area and spatial planning for value and support areas, infrastructure, office spaces, social areas and outdoor areas
Building structure
Digital planning in 2D and 3D
Scenario evaluation: economic efficiency calculations and concept simulations

Smart Factory

Horizontal integration from product design to delivery / paperless factory
Advanced operator support, cobots and exoskeletons
Digital visualization in the factory
Automated storage and retrieval systems / smart automation
(Partially) autonomous transport of materials and assemblies
Open / flexible office concepts
IT infrastructure requirements

Zero Emission Factory / Industrial Sustainability

Energy-efficient technologies and production facilities
Sustainable supply concepts
Planning of low-emission buildings and infrastructure (CO2-neutral)
Energy recovery
Circular economy considerations
Building certifications according to international standards (DGNB, BREEAM, LEED)

Implementation support

Tendering, supplier selection and contract award
Coordination and support during production ramp-up
Qualification requirements and training for employees and suppliers
Project management and project control
Claim and risk management: processes for actively handling project risks and claims during the construction phase
Handover management: clear processes to ensure operational readiness after completion of construction and realization phases

Factory Planning Client Results

Explore Business cases & Client Results

Chemicals

One Operations Community: Strong Performance on Every Playground

A global chemical company launched a joint performance improvement initiative with EFESO across twelve plants on four continents. Significant improvements in cost drivers and margins were achieved.

Automotive and Commercial Vehicles

End-to-End Profitability Program for Global Automotive Supplier

Automotive supplier needed profitability improvement for complex drive components. We established end-to-end value optimization, supplier collaboration, and cost engineering, improving margins across entire value chain.

Automotive and Commercial Vehicles

Private Equity

Automotive Supplier Doubles Scale Through Strategic M&A Integration

Industrial machinery manufacturer faced complexity in custom equipment production. We implemented modular design principles, standardized components, and optimized project management, reducing lead times by 40%.

The EFESO Touch

For over four decades, EFESO has delivered more than 1,000 factory transformations – from greenfield automotive sites to high-spec pharmaceutical cleanrooms. We turn manufacturing investments into long-term operational advantages through modular designs and phased automation roadmaps.

What sets us apart? We don’t just design factories – we build them with you. Our industrial engineers work directly on your shop floor, transferring proven methods while your teams master 3D simulations, ROI tools and structured commissioning. We’re by your all through the ramp-up phase until you’ve established of stable operations, embedding capabilities that last.

Clients choose EFESO because we bridge strategic vision and operational reality – fast. Our methods deliver quick impact, minimize ramp-up risk and ensure seamless execution with one integrated team – from concept to full realization.