Even though I have more than the required amounts of the resources I need for each factory, and full employment inside them, they still don't make any money?
Everybody needs liquor. It makes your soldiers gain more morale and your factory workers happy. Nobody cares about canned food in peace time. No wonder, because it taste awful.
I second this. You can never go wrong with (producing) booze! (in Victoria II, not IRL)
I've found that concrete, wine, ammunition, and small arms tend to be pretty consistent as well, though not as much as liquor. What were you making in your factories?
Industry is almost worthless before 1870. Not enough global demand (and money in pops hands to fulfill those demands) and bad input/output efficiency.
Military goods are mostly for helping build/supply your troops, not to make money. AI GPs overproduce things like canned food heavily and drive prices down. Luxury, booze/wine and later modern inventions pay off handsomely.
Many times you are bottlenecked by non-availability of certain raw materials. For instance you basically need to have silk in your sphere to run luxury clothes factory. Tropical wood (luxury furniture) is easier to get from world market.
After 1890 industry becomes truly sweet. But by then if you don't already control significant chunk of rubber/oil you are left with scraps.
RGOs are easier and more reliable money makers. Not ever boosting craftsmen is wise.
Booze in real life is pretty profitable too
I always industrialize early for RP and to try and get a jump on everyone else (no idea if Ai factors in demand for goods before building factories) If your playing vanilla, build paper (you print money basically but need loads of lumber) furniture clothes and the luxury versions and liquor. Then when new stuff comes I drop the clothes and paper to get fuel and other new stuff except electric components
I haven't done much with paper. Is it any good in AHD?