In the last third of the 19th century, new technologies transformed the face of manufacturing in Europe, leading to new levels of economic growth and complex realignments among industry, labour and national governments. Like Europe’s first industrial revolution, which began in the late 18th century and centred on coal, steam and iron, this “second” industrial revolution relied on innovation in three key areas: steel, electricity, and chemicals. For instance, steel, which was harder, stronger and more malleable than iron, had long been used as a construction material. But until the mid-nineteenth century, producing steel cheaply and in large quantities was impossible. That changed between the 1850s and 1870s, as new and different processes for refining and mass-producing alloy steel revolutionized the metallurgical industry. Although iron did not disappear overnight, it was soon eclipsed by soaring steel production. So, steel began to be used for various purposes. In Britain, for example, shipbuilders made a quick and profitable switch to steel construction, and thus kept their lead in the industry. Germany and the US, however, dominated the rest of the steel industry. By 1901, Germany was producing almost half as much steel as Britain and was able to build a massive national and industrial infrastructure.