All along the chain sectors of tool and equipment manufacturers and computer and communications manufacturers provide equipment to the different business in the different sectors of an industrial value chain.
An Industrial value chain describes the industrial structures in an economy connecting industrial sectors that transform resources from nature into products for customers
When a new technology creates a new functionality, an industrial structure will grow to supply products to the customer embodying the new functionality. The concept of industrial structure provides a way to analyze the economic leveraging of the new technology. Not only are new firms established to produce the new technology, but also news firms are established to provide supplies and parts to that firm. New firms may also be established to distribute and service the new product. Thus, the total market creation of a new functionality technology goes far beyond the market itself of the final product. Also an industrial value chain can be used to identify all the kinds of technologies necessary to an industrial value chain in order to satisfy customer needs derived from the resources provided by nature. Moreover, the science base relevant to industrial value chains can then be traced from these technologies.