A major industry for a long time in Kent has been cement production, with several large firms, such as Lafarge, operating plants in the county, however this has declined in recent years.

Although many heavy industries have slowly disappeared from Kent, the development of the Channel Tunnel railway link and importance of its ports have attracted many majors firms. Other longstanding businesses still remain in the area, such as the Silver Spring Mineral Water Company in Folkestone and a GlaxoSmithKline base in Dartford. The opening of Bluewater Shopping Centre, the UK’s second largest, at Greenhithe in 1999 has given a dramatic boost to the local economy.