Much of the commercial activity and some of the industrial establishments of the region are closely related to farming life: the large freezing works at Longburn and at Feilding, which has also important weekly stock sales; the dairy factories at Otaki, Kuku, Levin, and Bunnythorpe; in particular, the retailing in Palmerston North's Rangitikei Street, which is occupied largely by stock and station firms and the suppliers of agricultural machinery and farm-building materials. The industrial activity of the region displays the increasing interdependence of agriculture and manufacturing, with the production of stainless-steel tanks, machine parts and repair work, wire netting, and concrete products; and at the same time it displays the general trend towards the diversification of secondary manufacturing. Both at Palmerston North and at Levin, textiles and clothing factories are important, metal manufacturing has developed considerably at Palmerston North, while such small boroughs as Shannon, Foxton, and Otaki have attracted industry, and in townships such as Rongotea, Tokomaru, Halcombe, small manufacturing plants have been established.