Situation Factors: Proximity to Inputs
Location, location, location. This statement is true for businesses and factories alike. Human Geographers call this "Situation Factors". What this means is where something is located so that it is easier to transport goods or materials to and from the factory. There are two parts to this: proximity to inputs and proximity to markets.
Proximity to inputs is the first factor in determining where a factory or foundry will be located. Inputs can be many things, including raw goods such as iron ore, energy, such as hydroelectric power, and any supporting services located nearby.
Transport is very expensive so it is important to be physically close to inputs. It goes without saying that the farther away a factory is, the more it will cost to bring the goods or services to help fulfill its needs. It also must be as close as possible to send whatever finished or manufactured goods to the market.
A bulk-reducing industry is an industry where the final product that is created is smaller or lighter than the inputs used to create it. So, if a factory is in the bulk-reducing industry, it needs to be closer to the inputs than to the market. All industry uses inputs at some level. Here are some examples of these industries.
Copper: Extracting ore is naturally a bulk-reducing industry because much of the ore itself is waste. There are several processes that copper production must go through. This includes the mining, concentration, smelting, and refining. All of the mills or factories needed need to be close to the inputs, except for the refineries, who receive the more purified copper at a reduced weight and volume and so are not needed near inputs.
Steel: Steel has two main ingredients in its production- iron and coal. Iron s the main ingredient in making steel while coal is needed to heat the iron and start the process in making iron. Therefore, a factory needs to be near two inputs. Pittsburgh grew into a steel powerhouse due to its location near iron deposits and coal fields. Its access to the river system for transport increased its dominance of the steel industry in the United States in the 19th century. Other steel production sites sprung up around the Great Lakes region for the same reasons.
Both of these industries needed energy and so it was important that factories and foundries had access to inexpensive power, either through their proximity to coal or hydroelectric power from rivers and dams.
Proximity to inputs is the first factor in determining where a factory or foundry will be located. Inputs can be many things, including raw goods such as iron ore, energy, such as hydroelectric power, and any supporting services located nearby.
Transport is very expensive so it is important to be physically close to inputs. It goes without saying that the farther away a factory is, the more it will cost to bring the goods or services to help fulfill its needs. It also must be as close as possible to send whatever finished or manufactured goods to the market.
A bulk-reducing industry is an industry where the final product that is created is smaller or lighter than the inputs used to create it. So, if a factory is in the bulk-reducing industry, it needs to be closer to the inputs than to the market. All industry uses inputs at some level. Here are some examples of these industries.
Copper: Extracting ore is naturally a bulk-reducing industry because much of the ore itself is waste. There are several processes that copper production must go through. This includes the mining, concentration, smelting, and refining. All of the mills or factories needed need to be close to the inputs, except for the refineries, who receive the more purified copper at a reduced weight and volume and so are not needed near inputs.
Steel: Steel has two main ingredients in its production- iron and coal. Iron s the main ingredient in making steel while coal is needed to heat the iron and start the process in making iron. Therefore, a factory needs to be near two inputs. Pittsburgh grew into a steel powerhouse due to its location near iron deposits and coal fields. Its access to the river system for transport increased its dominance of the steel industry in the United States in the 19th century. Other steel production sites sprung up around the Great Lakes region for the same reasons.
Both of these industries needed energy and so it was important that factories and foundries had access to inexpensive power, either through their proximity to coal or hydroelectric power from rivers and dams.
|
Related Links: Industry- Situation Factors Quiz Situation Factors: Proximity to Markets and Transport AP Human Geography Quizzes AP Human Geography Notes |