Global Industrial Sectors: Heavy, Capital Goods, and Light Industries

Heavy Industry

In heavy industry, raw materials are transformed into semi-finished products that are then used in other industries. Heavy industries require large capital investments and occupy vast areas near energy sources and raw materials.

Types of Heavy Industry

• Heavy Chemical Industry

  It uses many different raw materials (e.g., coal, hydrocarbons, sulfur, salts) to produce essential materials for other industries (e.g., fuels, fertilizers, acids, explosives).

• Metallurgy

  It transforms non-ferrous minerals into metals (e.g., aluminum and copper) and semi-finished products (e.g., laminates, shaped, and molten metals) for other industries.

• Ferrous Metallurgy

  It transforms iron into steel to make machinery, rails, and other elements required by many industries.

• Energy Producers

  All industries that produce energy using different sources, such as thermal power stations.

Capital Goods Industry

This industry uses products from heavy industry as raw materials to make the equipment and machinery required by other industries. It also requires large industrial complexes, significant investment, and a skilled workforce.

Sub-sectors of Capital Goods

• Metallurgical Processing Industry

  It manufactures industrial machinery for light and heavy industry, as well as agricultural, transportation, electrical, and computer parts.

• Cargo Transportation Industry

  It includes the aeronautics industry (aeroplanes, helicopters), the naval industry (ships), and the railway industry (carriages, rails, and train components).

• Construction Industry

  It produces materials for buildings and public works.

• Aerospace Industry

  It manufactures satellites and spacecraft.

Light Industry

Light industry focuses on producing consumer goods and services, often requiring less capital and occupying smaller areas compared to heavy industry. Key sectors include:

Key Light Industry Sectors

• Textile and Clothing Industry

  It converts raw materials of animal origin (wool, leather) or plant origin (cotton, linen, hemp) into fabric. This fabric is then used to make clothing. Synthetic or artificial fibers (acrylic, polyester, nylon) are also used.

• Automotive Industry

  It manufactures all types of vehicles: cars, lorries, and motorbikes. This industry is dominated by large multinational corporations, which often share different parts of the vehicle production process across facilities in several countries.

• Food Industry

  It transforms raw materials from fishing, crop farming, and livestock farming, preparing them for consumption.

• Light Chemical Industry

  It produces cosmetics, detergents, plastics, insecticides, paint, and more.

• Electronics Industry

  It manufactures high-tech products, such as computers, audiovisual equipment, and domestic appliances.

• Other Industries

  There are as many industries as there are products on the market (e.g., furniture industry, book and printing industry). The number of light industries is therefore very high.