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  1. A initiates discussions with B to build a factory for producing aluminium strips.
  2. A initiates discussions with B to build a factory to produce aluminium strips.

I am not certain whether this is a question well asked, or ever worthy of being answered. Is it a matter of which preposition should be used to modify factory?

Could you tell me which preposition is better here and why.

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    Given the idiosynchrocies of prepositions in the language, I don't see why it would be an unworthy question. In this particular case, I (US raised and educated, liberal arts but not an academic in English) don't see any meaning difference between these two sentences. I don't even see any connotation difference, in other words, I don't see any shade of difference in the meaning between the two. Does anyone have a different perspective, from Great Britain perhaps? (the spelling of aluminium is British, I presume, in the US it's spelled and pronounced aluminum.)
    – rcook
    Commented Dec 29, 2018 at 15:51
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    Possible duplicate of "To do this" or "For doing this" to start explaining something? Also “To do” or “For doing” and “For doing” vs. “To do”, and doubtless others.
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Dec 29, 2018 at 17:11
  • @FumbleFingers But the first one provide no substantial explanation. The second line seems better. However, honestly speaking, it did not drive away my doubt completely.
    – Mike Philip
    Commented Dec 31, 2018 at 7:24

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The conveyed meaning is the same in both sentences. I parse them slightly differently, but the difference is inconsequential.

...to build a factory for producing aluminum strips.

In the first example, the purpose of the factory is the production of aluminum strips.

...to build a factory to produce aluminum strips.

In the second example, the production of aluminum strips is the purpose of building the factory.

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