UK Chemical Industry - All Our Working Lives Flashcards
During the First World War, the Germans were able to extract what commodity from air? Why was this significant?
Nitrogen - through the Haber-Bosch process. This meant the Germans were self-sufficient in explosives, whereas the British had to import nitre rock from Chile.
Where was the Victorian chemical industry located, and why?
The Mersey, the Clyde and the Tyne - near major rivers and ports
In 1914, on what German products did the UK textile industry depend?
Dyes - the UK depended on Germany for 80% of its needs.
Through what innovation did Brunner Mond win 90% of the UK ‘alkali trade’?
A process for making soda from salt.
Despite poor working conditions, the chemical industry in the UK in the early twentieth century was relatively free from labour disputes. Why?
There was relatively low use of piece-work (because of the indivisible processes) and relatively high use of team working.
What innovation in the management of labour had Brunner Mond introduced in the 1890s?
Cutting the working day to 8 hours and introducing a week’s paid holiday.
In what year was the German congolmerate IG Farben created?
1925
In what year was Imperial Chemical Industries formned, merging which companies?
1926: Brunner Mond, United Alkali Company, the British Dyestuffs Corporation, Nobel Industries
After World War Two, the UK chemical industry was characterised by an increasing use of what base commodity?
Oil. In the the 10 years from 1950 the proportion of chemicals based on oil rose from 6% to 50%.
Whereas the increase of automation in other areas of manufacturing often led to deskilling, the application of advanced technology in chemicals often led to ‘upskilling’. What other feature of the work and working practices characterised the industry?
Relatively low use of demarcation; rather than insisting workers stick to one narrow job, unions and workers were prepared to accept a relatively large amount of flexibilty. This is a function of the particular technological character of chemical plants, and is in contrast to, say, the car industry.
