Abstract
A SURVEY of Industrial Development for 1937 recently issued by the Board of Trade includes particulars of factories opened, extended and closed in 1937 with some figures for 1936, and indicates the extent to which industrial development in the form of new factories and factory extensions took place in Great Britain in 1937, together with the areas in which it occurred and the nature of the trades contributing to such development (H.M. Stationery Offices. 9d. net). The survey is limited to factories where 25 or more persons are to be or have been employed, and Government establishments set up in pursuance of the rearmament programme are excluded. The Survey shows that 541 new factories, employing 46,700 people, were established in 1937, as against 542 in 1936, employing 49,500 people. The number of factory extensions, however, increased from 185 to 237 and the number of factories closed decreased from 394 to 361. 94 of the new factories represent transfers from other areas and 66 of these are in Greater London. An attempt was made to ascertain the reasons for the location of the new factories. Convenience of premises was the reason given in 212 of the 416 cases for which particulars were obtained, suitability of labour coming next (67), proximity to other factories in the same industry (41), proximity to markets (34), cheap land, low rent or low rates (34), accessibility of raw materials (26), being the other reasons assigned in the relative order indicated.
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Industrial Development in 1937. Nature 142, 699 (1938). https://doi.org/10.1038/142699c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/142699c0