That some people are motivated by honorable reasons: such as keeping track/a written record of their characters clothing and equipment, even if it is barely more than standard.
That some people just use the factory because they have fun making things, even if those things never really get used.
That some people use it to make a unique version of something for their character, such as a personal ship.
That some people do it to encourage an arms race, which creates the vicious cycle of one-up-manship that gives people headaches.
In other words, people use it for varying reasons, some noble and some less than noble. The point of all of this was to bring out the fact that there ARE some people who use the factory for nefarious reasons that aren't motivated by IC, and to remind people that this is a game that is NOT about winning everything. If someone won everything, the game would eventually end. If your mentality for using the factory is to win every engagement, you will ultimately be writing a flat character because that mentality will not allow your character to change. It affects your fellow RPers as well.
Don't stop using the factory, just make sure that you know why you are using it and how that can affect you, your characters, and your fellow RPers.