Distribution of Industrial Zones (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Geography)

Distribution & Location of Factories & Industrial Zones

• Every day, companies make decisions about where to locate their industries

• Different industries require different inputs,

• But they also require them to be readily and cheaply available 

• Most companies look for the least cost but highest profit location

• Manufacturers need to find the optimum location that will produce maximum profit

• This depends on a number of factors—physical, human and economic

Physical factors

• Raw materials: industries that need heavy or bulky materials will locate as near as possible to these materials

• Site availability and cost of land are important. Large factories need flat, well-drained land with or without the potential for expansion later on

• Climate: industries such as aerospace and film benefit from sunnier climates. A good climate also reduces energy bills and a better quality of life

• Energy-demanding industries may relocate to countries/areas with readily available or cheaper energy

• Natural routeways—harbours, motorways, airports and railways—provide good locations for ports and industrial complexes, which create good access points for inputs but also outputs

• Water supplies: some industries (paper and cotton processing, etc.) require a lot of water in their manufacturing and so need to be near a reliable water supply such as lakes, rivers, etc. 

Human and economic factors

• Capital: some areas naturally attract inward investment as the returns will be higher

• Markets: location and size of the potential market are major influence for some industries

• Government influence—incentives, grants and policies can make areas attractive for industries to invest in

• Transport: the cost of transport is expensive and accessibility for easy access helps to reduce those costs. Central to motorways, railways, ports and airports can influence where industry locates

• Communications: being able to communicate effectively and quickly with customers and suppliers is vital to successful manufacturing

• Labour force: quality and cost of labour are central to effective manufacturing; having a reliable workforce is necessary, but also mobility, turnover and reputation are also factors

• Quality of life: highly skilled workers will prefer areas where the work/life balance is good

High-tech industry

• High-tech companies are involved in research and development, aerospace technology, weapons guidance systems, medical robotics, software, computer hardware, and other technically advanced products

• High-tech industries are usually grouped together in science parks

• Usually close to the university or a research centre with good security systems

• Purpose built to encourage research and development (R&D), high-tech industries and other quaternary activities

• Close to transport networks (including airports) to allow for knowledge transfer

• Further away from housing estates and retail parks to reduce sound, air and visual pollution 

Changes to manufacturing and location over time

• Raw Materials: sources of raw materials often run out

  • Manufactures will move in response

  • Infrastructure means business not tied to energy centres—coalfields, etc.

• Rising costs: wage levels, laws, etc. means costs go up in MICs so work moves elsewhere (e.g. manufacturing)

• Transport: commuting & migrating easier because there are now fewer barriers to travel

• Competition: fewer people are needed to complete work now, e.g. banking uses ICT

• Technology: advances in ICT mean more work from home, air travel, etc.

• Outsourcing: saves money; work sent elsewhere to save costs (e.g. call centres)

• As an economy advances, the proportion of people employed in each sector changes

• Places like the UK and the USA are ‘post-industrial societies’, where most work in the tertiary or quaternary sectors

• Places such as China and India are ‘industrial societies’, where many people work in the secondary sector

• Bolivia and Mozambique are ‘pre-industrial societies’, where most people work in the primary sector

Case Study: Manufacturing Industry: Pakistan’s Iron & Steel Industry

Location

• Pipri, near Gharo Creek, Flat, cheap land near Port Qasim, which has a natural harbour to import raw materials and export steel

• Close to market: steel-using industries in Karachi, such as tool making

• Along a railway: Karachi-Pipri-Kotri and metalled road

Inputs

• Iron ore

• Coke

• Limestone

• Scrap iron

• Water required for making steel brought from Lake Haleji

• Economic assistance from Russia: technical expertise and capital

• Availability of cheap labour from Karachi

• Energy source from Pipri thermal power station and Karachi nuclear power station

Processes

• Heating of ore to separate iron

• Burning coke

• Rolling into sheets and cutting into lengths 

Output

• Cast iron and pig iron

• Slag

• Gases: sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, hydrogen sulphide  

Impact

• Noise pollution from machinery 

• Visual pollution due to large, ugly factory buildings

• Air pollution from burning iron ore

• Water pollution from contaminated cooling water, scrubber effluent and ships supplying raw materials

• Depleted fresh water supplies 

• Risk of fire and explosions