diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/FactoryBase.h b/Cantera/src/base/FactoryBase.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1fbc08707
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/FactoryBase.h
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+#ifndef CT_FACTORY_BASE
+#define CT_FACTORY_BASE
+
+#include <vector>
+
+#if defined(THREAD_SAFE_CANTERA)
+#include <boost/thread/mutex.hpp>
+#endif
+
+namespace Cantera {
+
+    /**
+     * Base class for factories. This class maintains a registry of
+     * all factories that derive from it, and deletes them all when
+     * its static method deleteFactories is invoked.
+     */
+    class FactoryBase
+    {
+    public:
+        virtual ~FactoryBase()
+            {
+            }
+        
+        static void deleteFactories()
+            {
+                std::vector< FactoryBase* >::iterator iter ;
+                for ( iter = s_vFactoryRegistry.begin(); 
+                      iter != s_vFactoryRegistry.end(); 
+                      ++iter)
+                {
+                    (*iter)->deleteFactory() ;
+                }
+                s_vFactoryRegistry.clear() ;
+            }
+    
+    protected:
+        FactoryBase()
+            {
+                s_vFactoryRegistry.push_back(this) ;
+            }
+
+        virtual void deleteFactory() = 0 ;
+        
+    private:
+        static std::vector<FactoryBase*> s_vFactoryRegistry ;
+    };
+}
+
+#endif
+