The formation and development of a metallurgical district in Valladolid: c. 1842-1951

Abstract

This work proposes a long-term temporal journey to find out the causes that explain the development and importance of the metal-mechanic industry in Valladolid since the end of the 19th century. This city made good use of the advantages arising from its geographical location, the means of transport —Canal and Railways—, and the electrification process at the beginning of the century, to gradually distance itself from a development path that was excessively dependent on the agrarian sector. In this locality, many of the characteristics proposed by the literature on industrial districts are presented. Among others, they emphasise the predominance of small companies specialised in the manufacture of metallic products, the existence of subsidiary industries, an intense participation of local social institutions in the technical training of workers, and the non-codified knowledge. Since the 1940s, there has been a certain transformation in the supply of companies towards the manufacture of other products oriented to the material transport sector, especially the automobile. This process of transformation, which can be understood as an internal mechanism for adapting the district to external changes, has been common in other cases.