A factory (from Latin facere, meaning "to do"; Portuguese feitoria, Dutch factorij, French factorerie, German Faktorei) was an establishment for factors or merchants carrying on business in foreign lands. Initially established in parts of Medieval Europe, factories eventually spread to other parts of the world in the wake of European trading ventures and, in many cases, were precursor to colonial expansion. Factories could serve simultaneously as market, warehouse, customs, defense and support to navigation or exploration, headquarters or de facto government of local communities. The head of the factory was the chief factor.