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secondary economic activities — English
Secondary economic activities, also referred to as the secondary sector of the economy, is that sector of the economy involved in transforming resources into products for consumption in the economy and by society. Secondary economic activities can be divided into two sectors, namely light industry and heavy industry. Light industry is usually more labour intensive, requires smaller amounts of raw materials, and smaller areas for production. Their production is also more focused on end consumers than on other companies, and they usually have a less significant impact on the environment than heavy industry. Examples include food manufacturing, beverage and tobacco product manufacturing, and apparel manufacturing. Heavy industry is usually more concerned with the production of large-scale goods with manufacturing processes of an equally large scale. It requires the intensive use of capital, is based on the consumption of large amounts of raw materials, involves facilities covering large areas, and is associated with more significant environmental impacts than light industry. Examples of heavy industry include petroleum refineries, chemical manufacturing, iron and steel mills, industrial machinery manufacturing, and transportation equipment manufacturing. See “tertiary economic activities”, “quaternary economic activities”, ”resources”, “dual economy”, and “economic development”.
