Part 4/12:
The Crumbling Pillars: Manufacturing, Construction, and Retail
Understanding the decline of these local economies hinges on examining their three primary industries, all of which are now faltering:
Manufacturing
Factories in county towns, once powered by cheap land and labor, have largely moved overseas or consolidated near coastlines with government backing. These plants provided vital employment, tax revenue, and a sense of purpose to local communities. Their disappearance leaves behind rusting industrial sites, with signs that once boasted of innovation now remnants of a bygone era.