Investigating The Reasons for the Original Location of the Iron and Steel Industry in South Wales

Investigating The Reasons for the Original Location of the Iron and Steel Industry in South Wales

Since it was first established in the 18th and 19th century, the iron

and steel industry has changed its location in South Wales. The

earlier location of this industry in the area was along the northern

edge of the South Wales coalfield where there were readily obtainable

supplies of the raw materials required for iron and steel production.

These are coking coal and blackband iron ore, which were both easily

available from the valley floors and sides of the Welsh mountains and

were often found within close proximity of each other, meaning the

area was very suitable for industrial development. Also, limestone

was required, which could be easily obtained from only a few

kilometres north of the site. For this reason a line of steel towns

grew up in the valleys of this area, where the coal could be extracted

from under the valley floors and transportation of limestone was much

easier. These included Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil and Ebbw Vale. By the

1860’s there were over 35 iron and steel works operating in the Welsh

valleys. These industries produced a large amount of steel, which

could then be transported overland to ports on the South Wales coast,

where it was exported to an expanding overseas market.

However, towards the end of the 18th century the large volume of iron

ore that was previously available in the area, began to run out. In

order to keep up production, the northern steel towns were forced to

rely upon iron ore imported from elsewhere by sea to the South Wales

coast. The transportation of this bulky, heavy raw material was n...

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...unsightly due to the previous manufacturing industries located

there, such as lower Swansea Valley. This creates a more pleasant,

and attractive area for new, modern industries.

Finally, regeneration after the decline of the iron and steel

industries in South Wales has been achieved by the building of new

industrial estates, including those at Port Talbot and Bridgend.

These estates provide new companies with brand new, ready made or

custom made buildings, excellent access, and possible grants or

reductions in rent for locating there, thus attracting new companies

into the South Wales region and aiding its regeneration.

All of the above attempts to restore the region have proved

successful, and by the end of the 20th century South Wales had a much

more varied and broad economic base than it had ever had before.