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Difficulty: EasyManufacturing Industries and Location Factors

Match each manufacturing industry on the left with its primary industrial location factor on the right.

  • Cement manufacturingHeavy weight-losing raw materials requiring location near quarries
  • Soft drink bottlingBulk-gaining process requiring proximity to consumer markets
  • Aluminium smeltingExtremely high energy requirements needing cheap hydroelectric power
  • Garment makingFootloose industry driven primarily by flexible labor and market fashion trends

Answer

Cement manufacturing matches with heavy weight-losing raw materials; Soft drink bottling matches with bulk-gaining process requiring market proximity; Aluminium smelting matches with high energy requirements near hydroelectric power; Garment making matches with footloose industry driven by labor and market trends.
Each manufacturing industry is correctly paired according to its primary locational determinant under classical industrial location theory: cement processing is raw-material oriented due to limestone weight loss; soft drink bottling is market-oriented due to weight gain; aluminium smelting is power-oriented due to heavy electrolysis demand; and garment manufacturing is footloose due to high spatial flexibility.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Evaluate raw material weight loss for bulk industries
Limestone loses substantial weight during cement production.
Weight-losing industries reduce transport costs by locating directly at the raw material source.
2
Evaluate weight changes in assembly or liquid processing
Bottling adds water at the factory, greatly increasing finished product weight.
Weight-gaining industries minimize finished-goods shipping costs by locating near urban consumer markets.
3
Identify heavy power-consuming smelting processes
Aluminium reduction relies on intensive electricity consumption.
Power costs outweigh raw material transport expenses for smelting operations.
4
Identify footloose industries with low transport sensitivity
Garment fabrication uses light textiles and supplies flexible urban markets.
Footloose industries are not spatially tied to raw materials or specific power locations.

Key Concept

Industrial Location Factors and Weberian Weight Index
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Topics

Manufacturing Industries and Location Factors

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