Which Ford Motor Company plant became the world’s largest industrial complex when it opened in 1927?

The River Rouge Complex became the world’s largest industrial complex when it opened in 1927. Located in Dearborn, Michigan, the site was designed as an integrated Ford manufacturing center.

The Rouge complex combined many industrial operations in one enormous facility. These included receiving raw materials, processing steel, producing glass, manufacturing components, and assembling finished vehicles. Ford’s goal was to control more of the production chain and reduce dependence on outside suppliers.

The complex grew for years and eventually covered a vast area along the Rouge River. Its integrated steelworks became one of the best-known features of the site, which produced components for Ford vehicles as well as complete automobiles.

The River Rouge Complex is not the same as Ford’s Highland Park Plant. Highland Park is famous for the moving assembly line and Model T production, while Rouge became Ford’s landmark integrated industrial complex.