Heavy industry makes heavy/bulky finished products from heavy/ bulky raw materials, e.g. ship-building.
Light industry makes small, lightweight finished products from small raw materials, e.g. the pharmaceutical industry.
Multinational corporations (MNCs) may have their headquarters in one country but be present in many countries, e.g. the US company Google has its European headquarters in Dublin and offices around the world.
Question Time
1. (a) Name the organisation which helps overseas companies to set up in Ireland. (b) Explain one way in which they do this.
2. How does funding help Irish industry to set up and attract overseas industry to come to Ireland? 3. What type of country has its headquarters in one country and locations in many more? 4. What could companies who receive funding use this money for? 5. What is a footloose industry?
Manufacturing Industry
Footloose industry is not tied to one location.
Footloose industries can set up successfully in a wide variety of places. They are usually light industries, as their resource materials are light and easy to transport. Most modern industries are footloose because:
Improved roads allow for better movement of industrial products over long distances
Most people have cars, meaning most workers can commute to and from work.
Advantages of footloose industries include: They can set up in more than one location, meaning they can have access to a larger market
Land on the edge of cities is cheaper than in the inner city, which reduces the costs of setting up.
Pharmaceutical companies that make light products such as medical equipment and medicines are examples of footloose industries.
Case Study: Heavy Industry – Banagher Precast Concrete Managing information and thinking
Examine this photo of Banagher Precast Concrete. What evidence can you see that this is a heavy industry?