The production of a single unit of a unique product with many nonstandard components using complex sets of activities that must be completed in a specific order within a given time period and within a given cost estimate. Generally, products produced by project manufacturers tend to be assembled in a fixed position layout because they are too large or too heavy to be produced on an assembly line. These products include ships, locomotives and aircraft.

Project manufacturers rely on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems that allow project-centric planning and tracking of sales, inventory control, shop floor control, MRP, purchasing and manufacturing cost control.