THE ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY OF THE PRODUCTION OF A CAN-OPENER

This paper is designed primarily to show the interaction involved among thirty-one centers (Map 1 and Table 1) in the manufacture of one product, a deluxe electric can-opener. This is approached through the problem of transportation in relation to distance between the parts' supplying centers and St. Louis, the site of assembly. The appliance with which this paper deals is a combination "Domestic Electric Can-opener, Knife and Scissors Sharpener," Figure 1: In 1969, over ninety thousand of the can openers were manufactured to retail at $21.99 each