BIRMINGHAM ECONOMY |
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The Industrial Revolution flourished in Birmingham and the surrounding
Midlands towns, allowing many factories, foundries and businesses, including
sword, gun and pistol manufacturers, watchmakers, jewellers, goldsmiths,
attorneys, physicians, surgeons, apothecaries and chemists to prosper.
Birmingham remains an important manufacturing centre, the main products from
Birmingham include: Motor vehicles, vehicle components and accessories,
weapons, electrical equipment, plastics, machine tools, chemicals, food,
jewellery and glass.
Manufacturing is still important to the city - over 25% of UK exports
originate in the greater Birmingham area - however in recent years the local
economy has diversified into service industries, in particular, professional
and financial services and tourism are growing quickly. More details about
the Birmingham economy. |
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The city's workmen designed and constructed railway carriages, steam engines,
and even - unusually for somewhere so far from the sea - ships, which were
made as pre-fabricated sections, then assembled at the coast. Famous brands
from the "city of a thousand trades" include Bird's Custard, Typhoo Tea,
Brylcreem, Chad Valley Toys, BSA, Bakelite and the Birmingham Wire Gauge.
Lloyds Bank (now Lloyds TSB) began here in 1765 and The Midland Bank (now
part of HSBC) opened in Union Street, in August 1836. Until 2003, coins were
manufactured at the Birmingham Mint, the oldest independent mint in the
world.
Breweries Ansells, Davenports and Mitchells & Butlers had their origins in
Birmingham, as do Cadburys chocolate, HP Sauce and the MG Rover Group. The
motor and transport industries have played a significant role in Birminghams
economy. The Motor Show takes place every other year, at the National
Exhibition Centre, and in 2003 was moved to May from the usual October. |
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