Chapter 633: Courtesy first, then attack
Antoine is still not convinced now. After comparing the price war, after visiting the Torch Group Industrial Park, he has given up hope.
But Antoine feels that in the future high-end metal lighter market, without those knock-off products, old European and Zippo lighters will definitely be able to find a way to survive.
As for the Torch Group, although Antoine is wary, he believes that as long as there is no price war, the Torch Group cannot win.
In fact, this means that subconsciously, Antoine still does not regard the Torch Group as a real opponent, and only thinks that the Torch Group will fight a price war...
Li Dongling didn't want to refute anything. There was no need to argue with Antoine. Only when they launched Zorro lighters would they know what the Torch Group was going to do.
What Torch Group and Zorro need is a level playing field. Lighter brands from Old Europe, America, Nippon and other places can no longer use any tricks on Zorro.
If Zorro's real skills are not as good as others, and Zorro cannot conquer old European users, then Torch Group has nothing to say, but if it loses to shady means, Li Dongling doesn't mind, and let the high-end metal lighter market also A "black label" brand emerged.
Antoine and Rousseau stayed in Pingyang for three days and continued to communicate with both parties. It was not until three days later that a preliminary agreement was finalized.
“I hope we can have a pleasant cooperation in the future!”
Looking at the signed agreement, Antoine stood up and shook hands with Chang Hsiao-cheng. With this agreement that BAK entrusted the Inland Lighter Import and Export Association to manufacture lighters, he would represent BAK Group in the lighter business. , completely surrendered to the Torch Group.
BAK has lost a lot, including the old European disposable lighter market, the voice, standards, pricing power of old European disposable lighters, etc., but fortunately, BAK lighters are still alive.
It is better to earn less than to die. It is better to die than to live. As long as there is a glimmer of life, who is willing to bury himself?
The replacement of the old and new overlords cannot be completed immediately. It requires time and process. The Torch Group also has enough time to slowly replace Bic and gain control of the old European disposable lighter market.
“If the Torch Group wants to do any new projects in the future, BAK will definitely stay away and never compete with the Torch Group!”
Before leaving, Antoine said in a joking tone to Chang Hsiao-cheng, Li Dongling and others. This was half true and half false, and also somewhat tentative.
"Perhaps, Torch Group should cooperate with some inland steel mills to develop self-developed ballpoint pen refills and launch self-developed domestic ballpoint pens..."
Li Dongling looked at Antoine and thought of his wife in his previous life. The incident of steel making a pot of ballpoint pen refills. Because too much was made, supply exceeded demand, and the global ballpoint pen refill market collapsed. I told him with a smile.
Since Taiyuan Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. and Xiaomi launched Juneng Pen, no matter whether it is a foreign brand of ballpoint pen or a domestic one, there are no problems such as falling off the core of the ballpoint pen, leaking oil, breaking the ink, or being expensive. There's a problem. The prices of ballpoint pens imported from Japan to China have also plummeted...
Antoine and Rousseau, who had just turned around and raised their feet, stumbled and almost fell to the ground, looking at them with horror on their faces. Li Dongling.
At present, domestic ballpoint pens still rely on imports, and will continue to import them for many years, especially ballpoint pen tips, inks, etc.
Whether Li Dongling’s words are true or not, they are not sure whether the Torch Group can develop domestically produced ballpoint pens, gel pens, etc., but Piccolo cannot afford to gamble.
The ballpoint pen business is the business in which the BAK Group made its fortune. Especially after the lighter business was half-dead, it became the lifeblood and source of cash flow for BAK.
If this business is destroyed again, then the entire BAK Group will be left with only the razor business. If the Torch Group continues to kill them all, it will stab Bik’s razor business again. With just one knife, there was no need to resuscitate Bic, and he could go directly to France-Lachaise Cemetery.
"Just kidding, the Torch Group and Piccolo will be allies in the future. The Torch Group will not go to war with its allies, but the premise is that they are allies and will not do anything that violates the covenant!"
Li Dongling also said to Rousseau and Antoine in a joking tone, but Rousseau and Antoine did not dare to really take this as a joke.
The car drove towards the provincial capital airport. Antoine and Rousseau were about to transfer back to Paris.
There was silence in the car for a while. Rousseau, who still felt his scalp was numb, said to Antoine in French, "Do you think he was joking just now?!"
"I I don’t know!”
Antoine smiled bitterly, “Currently, the mainland does not have the technology for ballpoint pens, and there is a big gap between the brands of Bic and Nippon ink.”
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"But if the Torch Group does it, no one knows whether it can be done. Would Bick dare to bet?"
Rousseau and Antoine were both a little silent. Do they dare to bet?
The Torch Group can fail many times, but as soon as it is developed and mass produced, what awaits Piccolo is a devastating blow.
The meaning of Li Dongling's last words just now is very clear. From now on, Piccolo will just work as a pawn for the Torch Group.
If Piccolo still dares to play two-faced tricks, what awaits Piccolo is not only the loss of the lighter business, but also the loss of ballpoint pens, razors and other businesses. The Torch Group will not make money, and it will also have to rush in. Give it a few scratches and beat it to pieces!
...
After Antoine, Rousseau and others left, Li Dongling saw Zhang Xiaocheng, Wu Yaoguo, He Heng and others, and they all looked at him with burning eyes.
They have always been interested in projects that can earn foreign exchange and provide more tax revenue and jobs. "Brother Li, is Torch Group going to enter the ballpoint pen industry?" Zhang Xiaocheng couldn't help but asked Li Dongling.
Ballpoint pens are also a labor-intensive industry. They are also an industry that relies on large quantities to control costs and suppress costs with sales volume. It is a good fit for the Torch Group.
Hearing this, Li Dongling couldn't help but laugh when he looked at the expressions of Wu Yaoguo and others, "Maybe, but those are things for the future, and the Torch Group has more important things to do!"
Just talked to Piccolo. When a group forms an alliance, it would be a bit embarrassing to openly stab them. But after a few years, when they wear a vest, there won't be so much trouble.
Now Torch Group needs to increase its production capacity and seize the disposable lighter market in old Europe and other places.
Then we will work hard to develop Zorro metal lighters and electronic cigarettes. These two projects are the ones that can really make the Torch Group make money and become a giant!
After staying in Pingyang for several days, seeing that the dust had settled and the overall situation was decided, Gu Xiguang, He Heng, Wang Yongyu and others returned directly to Yanjing.
What they gained in Pingyang this time was enough to report to their respective departments. In a few days at the latest, the central media and domestic official media will report the news about the Torch Group again, telling the country that today's disposable goods in old Europe Who has the final say in the lighter market?
"Brother Li, by winning the old European market, the first goal set for the Torch Group has been achieved ahead of schedule!"
Walking on the sidewalk of the Torch Group Industrial Park, Looking at the industrial park with the endless flow of people and cars in front of me, this industrial park was also built by Wu Yaoguo with his own participation.
For him, this fair industrial park is not only an achievement, but also a sense of accomplishment in watching a tree planted by his own hands grow into a towering tree.
Li Dongling nodded slightly when he heard Wu Yaoguo's words. When the Torch Group was established, the first goal he set was of course to be able to support himself.
There is no need to worry about this since it is put into production. There is a huge domestic disposable lighter market, and Focus Media has created an advertising platform for the Torch Group and printed advertisements on the lighters, allowing the Torch Group's profits to continue to increase.
At that time, the military order issued by Torch Group to the Economic and Trade Commission, Hanxi Provincial Department of Industry and other departments was even reported on the News Network.
That is, within three years, we will achieve an annual production of 1.5 billion lighters and export them, within ten years we will hit a production capacity of five billion pieces, and within fifteen years we will achieve an annual production capacity of ten billion lighters.
This is why the Torch Group attracted so much attention from all parties as soon as it was established. Without these military orders, how could the Torch Group obtain so many resources and get full support from Yanjing and Hanxi Provincial Governments.
And now, the first goal will be achieved in less than three years but only two years!
"The Torch Group cannot do without Brother Wu's support!" Li Dongling praised Wu Yaoguo.
When Wu Yaoguo heard this, he couldn't help but smile on his face. Investing in Torch Group has become Wu Yaoguo's project with the highest return rate since he established Hanxi State Investment.
This does not only refer to dividends and the like. In fact, Hanxi State Investment has not received a penny of dividends and returns from Torch Group.
The Torch Group now needs to expand its production capacity, constantly build new factories and production lines, recruit R&D personnel, sales channels, etc. Although it can support itself, it has not yet reached the point where it can pay dividends to shareholders.
As for Hanxi State Investment, they did not pay attention to the dividends. The existence of Torch Group, the 60,000 jobs in the Torch Group Industrial Park, the foreign exchange earned back, and even the dividends, for Hanxi SDIC is more useful!
The better the Torch Group is doing, the more it proves that Hanxi State Investment's investment vision is still useful, and the more important Wu Yaoguo's status and power will be in Hanxi Provincial Government.
……
“Black label lighters are occupying markets all over Europe at lightning speed. A friend of mine who lives in Spain told me that black label lighters are now the world’s The best lighter.
Its design and technology are more advanced, and it is ahead of some domestic lighter brands!
Moreover, countless lighter OEMs and practitioners in the country rely on undertakings. Only orders for black label lighters can survive.
On the other hand, some domestic brands are still arrogant and unaware that the gap between them and the world's mainstream lighter brands is as big as a chasm!
Is it so difficult to admit the gap? "
Looking at the article he wrote in the newspaper, Yan Lixiang showed a satisfied smile on his face.
During this period, the group of lighters who had previously begged him to "justice" The manufacturers are now gone. After making inquiries, Yan Lixiangrui finally found out the "truth".
That is, a foreign lighter brand placed orders with those lighter manufacturers, which allowed the lighter OEM to survive. Go down.
Yan Lixiang couldn't wait to write this article, which exposed the "truth" of the domestic lighter industry.
Putting down the newspaper, Yan Lixiang prepared to transfer his article to forums such as Tianya to accept the praise of netizens.
But as soon as he opened the Tianya Forum on the computer and saw only one post, Yan Lixiang felt dizzy. He wondered if he was dazzled. After putting on his glasses, those words were still missing. move.
"The Torch Group's lighters are really selling like crazy. In Suifenhe, trainload after trainload of lighters are selling goods to Lao Maozi!"
(End of this chapter)