The factory was established in the year 1952 and started its production in the year 1955, on October 2nd. The factory was inaugurated by the then and the First Prime Minister of India, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru in 1955. The Integral Coach Factory is owned and operated by the Central Government of India (Union Ministry of Railways). India’s Integral Coach Factory became the largest manufacturer of Rail Coaches in the World, after surpassing the top Chinese Manufacturers. During the period from April 2018 to February 2019, India manufactured 2,919 coaches as compared to 2,600 coaches by the Chinese manufacturers.

During this period, India produced 40% more coaches as compared to its own figures of the previous year. Integral Coach Factory manufactures a range of coaches like Linke-Hofmann-Busch (LHB), Self-Propelled rain Seats (SPTs) such as Electrical Multiple Units (EMU). ICF also exports railway coaches to other countries and it includes Philippines, Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Myanmar, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Mozambique, Angola, and Sri Lanka.

In manufacturing division, Integral Coach Factory consists of two main divisions i.e. Shell Division and Furnishing Division. The Shell Division manufactures the external structure of the rail coach, whereas, the Furnishing Division maintains the coach interior and amenities. The factory premises also had a Regional Railway Museum. The museum had a collection of models of most common rail coaches as well as the developing coaches too. The 80% of Electricity requirement of the ICF plant has been fulfilled by windmills installed ICF in Tirunelveli District in 2011.

Apart from Integral Coach Factory (ICF), the other Rail Factories in India are Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala, Punjab; Modern Coach Factory (MCF), Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh; and Diesel Electrical Multiple Unit (DEMU), Haldia, West Bengal.