As far as I know, most manufacturing before the industrial revolution was done either by artisans or through cottage industry, shipping raw resources to households and paying families to refine them.
But were there any instances of factories before the industrial revolution? By factories I mean large buildings where paid workers went to refine goods. If it helps make my question clearer, I'm imagining a gigantic room full of spinning wheels right now.
Adam Smith visited his famous nail factory in the mid-18th Century, well before steam power was a useful way of powering factory equipment.
Earlier 'industrial' enterprised were water-powered, and focussed on using cams and hammers to process fabric, crush ore, as well as other uses. They were rediscovered by religious types around the 12th Century, but were known in China and Rome far earlier.
I think some of the largest industrial enterprises before industrialization were dockyards for large ships. These facilities employed hundreds of people building ships and ship parts including sails, ropes, and cannons as well as handling repairs and supplies for long voyages. Just the ropeyards to make the ropes would count as pre-industrial factories.
Portsmouth Dockyard
This yard was established in 1495 and used throughout Henry VIII's reign. It was then neglected until the Civil War when new buildings were erected and permanent officers appointed. Extension and improvement of facilities continued during the Dutch wars, and again between 1684 and 1690, 1694 and 1704, and 1716 and 1723. This expansion, plus transfer of major naval operations to the Western approaches, made Portsmouth the most important dockyard from the mid-18th century. During the 18th century the yard had more than doubled in size.
Even earlier than that was the Venetian Arsenal. It built and maintained Venice's large medieval fleet starting in the 13th century.