A manufacturing chain includes a building defining a manufacturing area and having a planar floor. A plurality of modular manufacturing stations are positioned in series within the manufacturing area and above the planar floor. An article transportation system includes a plurality of carrier tracks defining a transportation path, having at least one vertical discontinuity, through the plurality of modular manufacturing stations. A first vertical lift device moves a first carrier track, adjacent the vertical discontinuity, in a vertical direction relative to the transportation path.