Oh yes they will. If you type "refinery" into the search bar, you will find a small but fair amount of simulations that deal with.... well.... refining. A similar thing occurs with "factory" and similar words. While many of the results will not be actual refineries, they, more often than not, seem to do so.
Currently, I think they are limited by the amount of things that can be "refined." By allowing for more elements to be "manufactured," you would encourage more of these "factories." I myself would be eager to make a gunpowder or thermite factory, especially since those two things would mean that the factory could blow up in a fantastic manner :D.
So, it would encourage the growth of what has previously been a small group.