Industries by inputs, output and ownership

Industries can also be grouped by their inputs (raw materials), their outputs (products), and their ownership.

By raw materials:

• Agro-based: processing farm products into finished goods: food processing (dairy, fruit and vegetables), sugar, beverages, vegetable oils, textiles, rubber. Agri-business is commercial farming on an industrial scale, financed by business and run like a factory: 'agro-factories'.
• Mineral-based: using ferrous metals (containing iron: the iron and steel industry), non-ferrous metals (aluminium, copper, jewellery), or non-metallic minerals (cement, pottery).
• Chemical-based: using natural chemical minerals or products such as petroleum: petro-chemicals, salt, sulphur and potash industries, plastics, synthetic fibres.
• Forest-based: using timber, bamboo, grass, lac and resin: paper (from wood and bamboo), furniture, pharmaceuticals.
• Animal-based: using hides, skins, wool and ivory: leather and woollen textiles.

By output:

• Basic industries make products that are raw materials for other industries: iron and steel, for example, are used to make machines.
• Consumer goods industries make products used directly by consumers: bread, biscuits, tea, soaps, toiletries, televisions.

By ownership:

• Public sector: owned and managed by governments.
• Private sector: owned by individuals or companies.
• Joint sector: run jointly by the government and private firms.