Textile Industry: Consolidation and Limitations
Consolidation and Limitations of the Textile Industry
The textile industry faced two limitations: shortage of coal mining Catalan and the difficulties of transport to supply coal from Asturias. This stimulated the proliferation of industrial estate situated on the banks of the rivers to take advantage of hydroelectricity. The weakness of the Spanish market (peasant classes), is a great demand too tied to agricultural production. The textile industry became a sector that the government constantly demanded the enactment of protectionist measures to face competition from foreign tissues.
Textile Industry Expansion
The growth phase of the textile industry was affected only by the Succession War, due to hunger. Cotton could not import raw materials in Spain. Starting in 1874 began a new phase of expansion: due to the mechanization of the fabric, the renewal of the industrial structure and the emergence of industrial estate. The growth of the cotton industry was able to move, because it was cheaper and more quality in the cotton textile industry in Spain. The dimensions of the cotton sector were Catalan Catalonia enough to industrialize, but not to drag the whole of the Spanish industry.
The Steel Industry
The steel industry was the steel sector, in the second half of the nineteenth century was accompanied in the textile sector developing the industry. It was very tied to the development of iron and coal mining, because the high temperatures needed to get in blast furnaces, the fuel needed. The first modern steel industry took place in Andalusia and Malaga. Andalusian steel production was dominant in the peninsula over thirty years. Failed to use coal plants face the difficulty to acquire coking coal. The high costs of production made unsustainable competition with areas that could more easily cover of this mineral. Asturias became the center steel to Spain. The iron production grew rapidly. Although the absolute volume of production was reduced, the steel of Asturias maintain its primacy until the last decades of the nineteenth century.
Hegemony of Biscay
From 1876, with the arrival of Welsh coal coke Galés in Bilbao, was to consolidate the steel industry in the Basque country. The consolidation of the commercial axis between Bilbao and Cardiff, based on the export of iron ore imports in the UK and Welsh coal for the Basque country, had a large role in the industrialization of P. Basque. They constitute the major steel companies Basque: Vizcaya Altos Hornos SA Iron and Steel Factory and Bilbao. More forward and introduced new machinery.
Slow Industrial Expansion
During the last third of the nineteenth century, the Basque Country and Catalonia had already developed a modern industrial structure, based on the textile and steel. The predominant farming made possible the food industry tinguera an important role, had a large volume. In Valencia, the profits generated by the development of export agriculture stimulated industries. In Aragon, the decline of traditional textile opened the way for the creation of a milling industry. Madrid also started with a certain industrial dynamism typesetting and publishing industry as a sector leader. New sectors such as metallurgy and chemicals, were gaining ground. Regarding the process of urbanization should mention the gas industry. The chemical industry also grew.
Mining Production
Between the years 1874 – 1914 saw the massive exploitation of underground mining sites of Spanish. Increased demand for coal was favored by the steam engine and the development of the steel. In Asturias the mining of coal reached a further development because of the abundant resources and easy access to shipping. The mining sector was a rro faith that had a significant expansion primarily from the spread of the Bessemer converter, without requiring a mineral phosphorus, which had the Basque iron. The ore had to lower the cost of transport also. The rise of exports tions made Spain the leading supplier of iron ore to Europe.
The Seizure of the Underground
The Mining Act of 1868 meant the end of a rigid regulation of mining concessions and liberalization sector that started the massive exploitation of the Spanish sites. The expansion of mining production TRS explained by factors: increased demand