From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishlight industryˌlight ˈindustry noun [countable, uncountable] TIindustry that produces small goods, for example computers, in small factories using light machinery → heavy industry
Examples from the Corpus
light industry• Chester, in particular, is making loud noises about converting some of its greenbelt for housing and light industry.• Now it is a prosperous place, making its living from light industry and the visitors who come to tour the battlefields.• About 80 per-cent of farmworkers were women, he said, and over 90 percent of workers in light industry.• Out of this there soon came the normal development of light industry.• These communities have an average population of between 200 and 700 and an economic base of agriculture plus some light industry.From Longman Business Dictionarylight industryˈlight ˌindustry [countable, uncountable]COMMERCEMANUFACTURING an industry needing only light machinery, small factories etc, for example electronics, or these industries considered as a wholeLight industries grew at 12.1% last year, fuelled by rising demand for televisions and washing machines. → industry