What is Manufacturing Industry - Concept Building
The manufacturing industry as the name suggests deals with the manufacturing of finished new products from raw materials or essential parts. This process of transforming raw materials or unfinished products to new finished products can involve physical, chemical, or mechanical transformations.
Manufacturing does not always mean the use of machines and equipment, they can be manufactured by hand also as in small scale industries of handicrafts, hand baked items, hand manufactured edibles like jam, pickle, etc.
The present and future economy of the country depends on two main pillars: one is the agricultural industry and the other is the manufacturing industry. In Fact, both are dependent on each other to some extent and when they togetherly run smoothly they can develop the country as a whole. Students should be aware of these two industries to know their country better and be a responsible citizen in the future when they can play their respective role in improving the condition of the country both economically and professionally.
Manufacturing Industry and Example of Food Manufacturing
The food sector of manufacturing transforms agricultural or livestock products into products for consumption examples are baked goods, grains, fruit and vegetable preserves, and animal meat.
Beverage and Tobacco Products Manufacturing
Beverage products include those that are non-alcoholic, and that are alcoholic through the fermentation or distillation process. Tobacco products are loose tobacco products and those that are in cigarette or cigar form.
Textile Manufacturing
Textile manufacturers turn fibres into usable fabrics that will eventually be transformed into consumer goods, examples are fibre, yarn, thread, and fabric mills.
Apparel Manufacturing
Apparel manufacturers fall into two main types: the first one is cut and sew and the second type involves knitting the fabric and then cutting and sewing it.
Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing
This sector deals with the manufacturing of leather and leather substitutes such as rubbers or plastics.
Wood Product Manufacturing
Wood manufacturing covers products like lumber, plywood, etc.
Paper Manufacturing
Paper manufacturers make pulp, paper, or converted paper products.
Petroleum and Coal Manufacturing
This industry deals with transforming crude petroleum and coal into usable consumer products.
Chemical Manufacturing
Chemicals manufacturing encompasses several different industries and this manufacturing process is the transformation of organic or inorganic materials into a unique product.
Examples are pesticides, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, soaps, cleaning compounds, and more.
Plastics and rubbers Manufacturing
This manufacturing sector makes rubbers and plastics and they are lumped together because they are used as substitutes for one another.
Metal Manufacturing
The metal manufacturing sector produces metals like iron, steel, aluminium, etc.
Fabricated Metal Manufacturing
Metals are transformed into other end products, examples are cutlery, hand tools, hardware, springs, screws, nuts, and bolts.
Machinery Manufacturing
This sector of manufacturing creates machines that apply a mechanical force that is created through processes like forging, stamping, bending, forming, welding, and assembling of parts.
Computer and Electronics Manufacturing
This sector is rapidly growing and continues to grow. The insatiable demand for electronics makes this a highly competitive industry because of the use of integrated circuits and miniaturized technology.
This grouping includes computers, communications equipment, and audio and visual equipment.
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
Nearly everything related to transporting goods and people is produced in this manufacturing sector and this is a huge sector of the manufacturing industry, encompassing motor vehicles, planes, trains, and ships.
Transportation equipment generally qualifies as machinery. The manufacturing process is extremely complex and requires many different components to be made in the same factories.
Furniture Manufacturing
This sector includes the production of various furniture and all other related products like mattresses, blinds, cabinets, and lighting. Goods that are manufactured in this sector are functional and have a well-thought-out design.
There are many processes that can go into manufacturing furniture examples are cutting, shaping, finishing, and attaching wood to make a table.
Different Types of Manufacturing Companies
Clothing and Textiles
Companies that process raw wool, cotton, and flax to make cloth come under the clothing and textiles sector. This sector also applies the use of wool and cloth to make clothes, outerwear, upholstery fabrics, and bedding.
Petroleum, Chemicals, and Plastics
The process of turning chemicals, coal, as well as crude oil into usable products. Also the making of soaps, resins, paints, and pesticides. The manufacturing of medicines belongs to this sector of manufacturing.
Electronics, Computers, and Transportation
These fields are closely related, but they are usually treated as two different sectors of manufacturing. Most of the products in this manufacturing sector use electric power.
Food Production
The inclusion of agriculture into manufacturing in modern society shows how agriculture has changed over the past years and imitates more of a food production factory than an organic-style farm of a century ago. As the simplest of all manufacturing industries, it includes all forms of food production. From the farm to the dinner table and that includes such work as canning and purifying.
Metal Manufacturing
Oil and chemical manufacturing, and also metals belong to the heavy industry.
Wood, Leather, and Paper
Wood production deals with all forms of manufacturing floors or housing, and also sawing and laminating.
Under leather industries, one will find all the tanning and curing. But the creation of leather clothes belongs to clothing and textiles.
The paper production process is classified by the cleansing of raw wood pulp into paper products.
Conclusion
Manufacturing industry has changed the scenario not only of agriculture, but textile and petrol. It brings positive change to the economy of the country, and better study about it will help to bring more innovation.
FAQs on What are Manufacturing Industries?
1. What are manufacturing industries, as defined in geography?
In geography, manufacturing industries refer to the activities in the secondary sector that involve processing raw materials into more valuable finished goods on a large scale. This process, known as manufacturing, adds value to primary products by transforming them. For example, converting raw cotton into textiles or iron ore into steel are primary examples of manufacturing.
2. Why is the manufacturing sector considered the backbone of a country's economic development?
The manufacturing sector is considered the backbone of economic development for several key reasons:
It modernises agriculture by providing essential tools, fertilisers, and machinery.
It reduces heavy dependence on agricultural income by creating a large number of jobs in secondary and tertiary sectors.
The export of manufactured goods expands trade and commerce, bringing in valuable foreign exchange.
It helps in eradicating unemployment and poverty, leading to a higher standard of living.
3. How are manufacturing industries broadly classified?
Manufacturing industries are broadly classified based on several criteria:
On the basis of raw materials: Agro-based (e.g., cotton textiles, sugar) and mineral-based (e.g., iron and steel, cement).
On the basis of capital investment: Small-scale industries (investment up to ₹1 crore) and large-scale industries (investment over ₹1 crore).
On the basis of ownership: Public sector (owned by the government), private sector (owned by individuals/groups), joint sector (jointly run by state and individuals), and cooperative sector (owned by producers/suppliers).
On the basis of the final product: Basic or key industries (supply products as raw material to other industries, like iron and steel) and consumer industries (produce goods for direct consumption, like sugar and toothpaste).
4. What is the primary difference between agro-based and mineral-based industries?
The primary difference lies in their source of raw materials. Agro-based industries derive their raw materials from agricultural products. Examples include the cotton textile, jute, sugar, and vegetable oil industries. In contrast, mineral-based industries use minerals and metal ores as their primary raw materials. Examples include the iron and steel, cement, aluminium, and petrochemical industries.
5. How are agriculture and manufacturing industries interdependent in India?
Agriculture and manufacturing industries in India are deeply interdependent. Agriculture provides essential raw materials like cotton, jute, sugarcane, and oilseeds to agro-based industries. In return, the manufacturing sector supports agriculture by producing vital products such as fertilisers, pesticides, irrigation pumps, PVC pipes, and farming machinery like tractors and tillers. This interdependence boosts the productivity of both sectors and creates a robust economic cycle.
6. What are the key factors that influence the location of an industry?
The location of an industry is influenced by a combination of geographical and economic factors. Key factors include:
Availability of raw materials: Industries are often located near the source of raw materials to reduce transportation costs.
Labour: A steady supply of affordable and skilled labour is crucial.
Power supply: Uninterrupted and cheap power is essential for running machinery.
Capital: Access to finance and investment is necessary for setting up and running industries.
Market proximity: Being close to markets reduces the cost of transporting finished goods.
Government policies: Favourable government policies, subsidies, and infrastructure support also play a significant role.
7. How do manufacturing industries contribute to environmental pollution?
Manufacturing industries contribute to four main types of pollution:
Air Pollution: Caused by the emission of harmful gases like sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide from factories, smelters, and chemical plants.
Water Pollution: Occurs when untreated organic and inorganic industrial effluents are discharged into rivers and water bodies.
Thermal Pollution: The release of hot water from factories and thermal plants into water bodies can harm aquatic life.
Noise Pollution: Industrial machinery, generators, and construction activities create unwanted sound that can cause stress and hearing impairment.
8. What steps can be taken to control environmental degradation caused by industries?
Several steps can be taken to minimise the environmental impact of industries. These include treating industrial effluents before discharge, fitting factory smokestacks with electrostatic precipitators and scrubbers to reduce air pollution, using silencers on machinery to control noise, and adopting water harvesting techniques to meet water requirements. A key strategy is to adopt a system of reuse and recycling of waste materials.
9. Provide some examples of industries classified by ownership.
Industries classified by ownership include:
Public Sector: Owned and operated by government agencies, such as Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) and Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL).
Private Sector: Owned by individuals or companies, like Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) and Reliance Industries Ltd.
Joint Sector: Run through a partnership between the government and private entities, for example, Oil India Ltd.
Cooperative Sector: Owned and managed by producers or suppliers of raw materials, such as the Amul dairy cooperative in Gujarat.
10. What is meant by the term 'agglomeration economies' in the context of industries?
Agglomeration economies refer to the benefits that firms and businesses gain by locating near one another. When many industries cluster together in urban centres, they can share infrastructure, labour pools, and services like banking, insurance, and transport. This clustering leads to cost reductions and increased efficiency for all the industries in that area, creating an 'agglomeration economy'.
