The light industrial and heavy industrial sectors have key differences and similarities. Understanding these characteristics helps determine which industry you want to build a career in.
The light industrial and heavy industrial sectors are similar because they produce products. However, they differ in industry capital and environmental impact.
Defining the Light Industrial Sector
The light industrial sector produces goods for personal consumption. Examples include coffee, clothes, and phones. Light industrial products are smaller and require fewer resources than heavy industrial products.
Defining the Heavy Industrial Sector
The heavy industrial sector produces goods for business purposes. Typical customers are corporations and governments.
Examples of heavy industrial products include:
- A material that will be further processed to make goods, such as a steel plate, to create a car’s body.
- A machine that will be used for production in the textile industry, such as a spinning machine to turn cotton into yarn.
- An object that will be used for business, such as a container ship that transports goods
Light Industrial and Heavy Industrial Capital
The amount of capital required to produce light and heavy industrial products differs between the sectors. This capital can include:
- Necessary materials and components
- Required workforce
- Production machines, tools, and facilities
- Time needed to produce the product
Light industrial capital
Light industrial products require less capital than heavy industrial products:
- Because light industrial goods are for personal consumption, they typically are smaller and require fewer materials and components to create.
- The small size of light industrial goods requires small production machines, tools, and plants.
- The fast processes require a small workforce.
Heavy industrial capital
Heavy industrial products require more capital than light industrial products:
- Because heavy industrial goods are for industrial purposes, they typically are larger and require more materials and components to create.
- The large size of heavy industrial goods requires large production machines, tools, and plants.
- The complex production process and performance demands require a large workforce with diverse skills.
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