The Ruhr Valley
is primarily an area of heavy manufacturing industry,
such as steel manufacture, chemical production and engineering. Over the past half century the car manufacture industry has also
grown massively in the area, as well as food processing and oil refining. However, with the natural
resources slowly declining, there has had to have been a move towards more hi-tech industries locating in the area.
This has helped the area, however there is still a problem of unemployment due
to the traditional industries, upon which
the area relies so heavily, having to become more mechanised and efficient.