ABSTRACT
The dominant regional industries that must be dealt with lie in the metal manufacturing, metal goods, vehicle and engineering orders of the Standard Industrial Classification. These play a key role in manufacturing in all parts of the region and their functional organisation exhibits the characteristics of agglomeration. Examination of the formal pattern of industries within the metal and engineering sector of the region has suggested a concentration near to the conurbation and Coventry. The regional industries, in the broader definition as the metal manufacturing, metal engineering, electrical goods, motor vehicles and metal goods manufacture, have generally been the growth industries in the study towns in the recent period. Plant locations, products and operating linkages have been examined and there remains the problem of plant size in the study towns. The relative pattern of firm sizes in the study towns is one with fewer workers in both small and large firms compared with the principal regional centre of industry.
