Industrial Location – Change over time

As time goes by some industries may need to change their location.

This may be because they have changed their production methods, need new services and infrastructure, labour might be cheaper elsewhere etc.

For example, in the past most industries needed to be close to coal mines because coal was the main source of power.

So...What happens when a locational factor

becomes less important in a particular area?

This is called industrial decline

When an area experience growth in industry, this is called industrialisation

The British Iron and Steel industry

Think Time!

Can you tell me what the inputs, processes and outputs of the iron and steel industries might be?

Inputs: Iron Ore

Processes: iron ore is melted down into liquid steel and moulded into bars and sheets

Outputs: the bars and sheets are sold to engineering companies who make, cutlery, cars, and steel products.

The British Iron & Steel Industry In the late 1700’s Britain began to develop its Iron and Steel

industry.

Britain had large amounts of coal and iron ore. These were the raw materials used to make iron and steel.

All of the steel mills were built beside the coal mines, because coal is a bulky, heavy raw material. It was expensive and time consuming to transport it.

Britain was the leading country of the industrial revolution, mainly because of all the coal and iron ore it had.

It used the steel to make railway tracks, trains, engines, ships, factories, machines, and weapons.

All of these things helped Britain to become the most powerful country in the world.

What else was happening in the 1700’s?

The British Iron and Steel Industry

1. Before the Industrial Revolution

Early ironwork factories were situated in forests eg: The forest of Dean near Bristol.

These forests provided the following resources: Local rocks – rich in iron ore Forests –provided wood which you could get charcoal

from. Rivers-provided water power as well as river transport

The British Iron and Steel Industry

2. By 1800, most of the forests had been cut down and a better source of power had been found...

Do you know what this source might have been?

The British Iron and Steel Industry

2. This new source of power was coal- New factories were built near Britains

great coal mines. E.g South Wales & Yorkshire.

The British Iron and Steel Industry

3. From 1950’s Onwards- iron and steel industries were located

on the coasts

-Can you guess what source of energy they were using now?

HINT: it is one we already looked at!

The British Iron and Steel Industry

By the 1950’s the coalfields began to suffer industrial decline

They moved to coastal sites eg. Port Talbot

Why did they do this? Coal and Iron ore mines were almost used up Oil had become more efficient than coal Coal, iron ore and oil were all being imported by sea

into Britain so it was easier to be near the coast.

British Iron & Steel Industry

The Iron and Steel Industry was a very important part of the British economy until the middle of the 20th century. There were thousands of people employed in the coal mines and the steel mills.

However, in the last 50 years the steel industry in Britain has almost disappeared. Nearly all of the coal mines and the steel mills have been closed down.

Decline of the Steel Industry

Decline of the Coal IndustryThe coal mining industry peaked in 1913 when there were over 2500 coal

mines in Britain. In 1913 the railways moved over 226 million tons of coal.

In 1947 there were still over 450 deep mines in operation. Mines continued to close in the 1960’s as the easily accessible coal was mined out.

The availability of cheap oil and North Sea Gas in the 60’s and 70’ reduced demand for coal.

By the end of 1995 there were less than 30 mines, only 2 being deep coal mines, left in Britain.

Steel Workers in the 1930’s

Modern Steel Mills

Mining Iron Ore today

Study Note!By now, you should be able to describe how

the importance of location can change over time.

Your example is the British Iron and Steel industry