Chapter 104 No concessions and new mutually beneficial cooperation
“The U.S. market has just begun. Isn’t it a bit too early to rush to other markets now?” Yang Wendong said with a smile.
He had actually guessed the purpose of Robert's visit this time. Either he wanted to purchase his patent at a high price, or he wanted to win the exclusive agency rights of other places.
Or maybe you want to talk about whether it can be produced in the United States...
In short, it must be because of the huge market potential of post-it notes that they came here. Maybe they could only see it before. Post-it notes would be popular, but now that they have actual sales data, it is estimated to be much larger than they expected.
There were huge interests involved, so people were sent to Hong Kong to find him.
Robert smiled and said: "That's why we will give you enough funds to ensure that you can increase production capacity at a faster speed.
While satisfying the US market, we We can also gradually develop other markets. Isn’t it an idea to get the best of both worlds?”
“It’s indeed a good idea,” Yang Wendong said with a smile, “But if I’m short of money, given my current business situation, I’d rather start with it. It is not difficult to get bank loans in Hong Kong.
In fact, the factories and equipment that the two of them are seeing now are all rented or bought with loans from Hong Kong banks. Bankers are not the only ones in the United States. ”
When there is no ability to control terminal channels, the safest way is not to let one channel dominate. Unless it is like other factories in Hong Kong, which must rely on channels, then there is no way.
Giving 3M the exclusive distribution rights in the U.S. market was the best choice because 3M had the strength and funds, and he also needed 3M to expand the market so as to gain maximum benefits for himself.
But at this time, it doesn’t have to be 3M. Although Yang Wendong said that he would negotiate with 3M about markets outside the United States in the future, he was just saying that unless there were other big benefits, he would not Then give 3M the distribution rights in other countries.
Of course, doing business still depends on returns. If the benefits are sufficient, or it can help you complete some crucial things, then it can be discussed.
Robin smiled lightly and said: "Eric, the fund we provided is 1 million US dollars, and the interest is very low. This fund is enough for you to build the largest factory in Hong Kong and purchase a lot of equipment. .
We can even help you connect with American banks and ask them to give you a loan. As far as I know, in Hong Kong, the local banks don’t seem to like to cooperate with Chinese companies, right? It’s also great to work with Bank of America. "
"Thank you very much for 3M's kindness. Bank of America will not consider it now. "Yang Wendong naturally had some reverie after hearing this number, but he quickly recovered. He knew the true value of sticky notes.
Besides, the Bank of America must be much stricter, even if the funds are finally provided. Yes, the process must be very slow and far less convenient than the unregulated banks in Hong Kong.
So he said very politely: "But whether it is this cooperation or this loan, interest is not the most important. ”
For ordinary people and ordinary companies, they naturally attach great importance to loan interest from banks or other financial institutions. It is not an exaggeration to say that this is their lifeline, including real estate companies.
But for Changxing Industrial, which currently holds a huge dividend market patent, as long as the interest rate is not too high, the loan amount is more important.
Hong Kong banks are very cautious about such loans without collateral. Even if they have a record of cooperation with overseas giant companies, they do not dare to lend too much and hope to pursue stability. Yang Wendong said There is no good way to do this. If he were a bank, it would certainly not be possible for him to make a large unsecured loan for an industry he didn't understand.
In this regard, 3M, a large group that knows all the specific situations, must be much more generous, because they know that there are almost no risks.
However, for Yang Wendong, this "generosity" is not enough to impress him.
Robert and Robin looked at each other, and then said to Yang Wendong: "Perhaps, we should discuss this topic in more depth."
In fact, the two of them also knew that there were not many cards in their hands that could impress Yang Wendong.
You can’t use the US market to threaten the other party, right? Not to mention that this low-level method will cause huge losses to 3M, and the company's reputation will definitely be greatly affected. If this is really done, who will dare to cooperate with 3M in the future?
What limits capitalists is never conscience, but interests. Even if you really do some things, you must abide by basic rules, otherwise you will ruin your reputation and the losses will only be greater.
This is also the reason why 3M does not directly infringe on the Post-it Note patent. Even if the benefits are huge, if it does so, it will be a huge blow to the company's brand. Obtaining the exclusive distribution rights of Post-it Notes will, at a certain point, To a certain extent, it is legal and reasonable to obtain profits from this product, which is the optimal solution for well-known companies.
"Okay, please come this way." Yang Wendong smiled, not to mention whether the cooperation intention can be reached, the basic face must be given.
Several people came to the conference room together. Although it was not as good as an ordinary office environment, it was much better than offices outside or in factories.
Su Yiyi made two cups of coffee and two cups of tea for the four of them, and then sat next to Yang Wendong;
After taking a sip of coffee, Robert asked: "Eric, why not To put it bluntly, what conditions do you need before you are willing to give up the distribution rights of sticky notes in other countries outside the United States? Us?”
Yang Wendong asked: “Which countries do you want the distribution rights for?”
In business negotiations, even if you don’t want to, you can’t refuse forcefully. Generally, you should be polite. Give partners some face, this is true whether it is foreign or domestic.
And if you want to pretend to be tactful, you must first have a general understanding. Otherwise, you won’t know anything, and even refusing will be stiff.
Besides, Yang Wendong also wants to take this opportunity to test out how optimistic 3M is about post-it notes; otherwise, even if he makes extravagant claims about the future of post-it notes, others won’t believe it. 3M says it can, but it will also make it easier for him to borrow money from Hong Kong banks again in the future.
Robert said: "Europe and Japan."
"Isn't this equivalent to giving you all the global distribution rights?" Yang Wendong asked.
In this era, excluding the Warsaw Pact, almost 30 to 40% of the GDP of other countries is in the United States. Europe is a little worse, and Japan is much worse. But Yang Wendong knows that between Europe and Japan In the next one or two decades, the economy will account for an ever-increasing share of the global economy.
In other words, although the U.S. market is the largest now, it will not be in the future.
But in the end, it is the game of these three companies. The GDP of all other countries combined may not be low, but for a product like sticky notes that relies on a large number of companies, the value is much lower.
As for Southeast Asia and the Middle East taking off in 20 years, it has nothing to do with Yang Wendong. The patent for sticky notes has expired long ago, and even now these countries do not have the concept of patents.
Robert said with a smile: "But it is also in your best interest. I told you this a few months ago, but your factory was too small at that time, and it would be difficult even if you had money. Expanding quickly.
But now, you have the ability to expand rapidly. I have to say, Eric, you are not only an inventive genius, but also a business genius.”
"It's not of any practical help to us to say this." Yang Wendong shook his head and said.
Robert nodded and said: "Well, Eric, let's tell you your conditions."
"There is one aspect, maybe we can cooperate." Yang Wendong paused deliberately Yes, he said.
"What?" Robert's face was filled with joy. As long as the other party has needs that he can satisfy, then we can talk.
Yang Wendong did not answer directly, but said: "Let me make it clear first, the European and Japanese markets will not be discussed for the time being. I can give 3M additional distribution rights in American countries other than the United States."
"Including South America?" Robert was disappointed when he heard that Europe and Japan were not included, but he still asked.
“Yes, including South America.” Yang Wendong nodded.
South America in this era has some economic strength, but it is not the "sick man of America" who will have the largest farmland area in the world a few decades later but its own people will not have enough to eat.
After World War II, many places in Europe and Asia needed to be reconstructed, and various metal ores became popular. South America and a few Asian countries with large mineral deposits suddenly became second only to the West. The country’s “candidate echelon”. Although it is still far behind Europe, considering the population base, it will be a good market.
Robert nodded and asked: "What do you need, Eric?"
Yang Wendong and Wei Zetao looked at each other, and the latter said: "Mr. Robert, we need 3M to provide us with some glue manufacturing technology. , and assist us in building a glue production factory in Hong Kong.”
“Glue factory?” Robert was stunned for a moment, then came to his senses and asked: "Do you want to make glue for your mouse-catching product? Or post-it notes?"
Only when you know yourself and your enemy can you come and negotiate well. As early as the last time you came to Hong Kong By that time, Robert had already learned that Yang Wendong, in addition to sticky notes, also had a product for catching mice.
However, although 3M has many businesses, it really has no involvement in this field, so he has never asked about it and just "knows" it.
Both sticky notes and mouse sticky pads require glue. The difference is that the former is less and more expensive, while the latter is more abundant and cheaper.
Yang Wendong said with a smile: "Since we are going to build a glue factory, it is natural to have all of them. It is better to complete it at once."
Under normal circumstances, Yang Wendong does not even have the most basic glue. I dare to think that without the industrial chain, even if there is national will in later generations, it will be difficult to build relevant factories.
But if you have the cooperation and help of 3M, it will be very easy. 3M can be said to be the global leader in the field of tape and glue. If you just leave some points to yourself, it will be enough to help you build a glue factory. .
Robert frowned and said: "The glue factory is not as simple as a factory that produces sticky notes. Our company is capable of helping you build a factory, but it is difficult for you to run it well.
The most basic thing is technical patents. Except for the glues developed decades ago, all glues in the world are basically protected by patents. If you produce them, you will infringe them.
The glue of decades ago is basically outdated, impractical, ineffective, and polluting seriously. Even if you produce it, you can’t sell it, and you can’t even enter many countries. "
Yang Wendong smiled and said: "Yes, so I also want to ask 3M to buy some glue patents. "
"Eric, you have a very good idea. If you buy our technology, you want us to help you build a factory? "Robert said with a smile.
Yang Wendong said: "But this is nothing to 3M, which has strong technology and related industries; but what it gets is a huge market like post-it notes. I don’t think I need to say more about whether the dealership is a good deal for you. ”
"." After hearing this, Robert did not speak, but became thoughtful.
Yang Wendong is right!
What if glue or some products with high technical content are difficult? It’s nothing compared to the market value of sticky notes.
There is no way, a piece of paper and a little glue can be combined together. It cannot be simpler, but it is very practical. There are tens of millions or even billions of potential customers around the world, and it is also an office consumable
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There is nothing you can do if you don’t accept it. The market value of technology that hundreds of thousands of people have spent years researching cannot compare to one person’s accidental idea.
This is the reality!
Yang Wendong was not in a hurry and drank tea with peace of mind.
After a while, Robert asked again: "How do you purchase raw materials? Hong Kong does not have these things."
"Japan has it, the United States has it, They are also available in Europe, I can buy them." Yang Wendong paused and said, "Although. Although the raw materials are chemical materials, they are not hazardous chemicals. It is not difficult to enter Hong Kong.
As for the problem of many types, it is more troublesome, but it is not impossible to solve. Just spend more manpower and energy. In addition, the warehouse. Just prepare more inventory.”
In fact, Yang Wendong also knows that Wanwan will develop a chemical industry in a few years, and it will be cheaper to import from there, but it makes no sense to say it now, and he will not tell others.
Robert smiled and said: "In this case, your cost may not be cheaper than buying it directly."
"In the short term, you are right, I agree." Yang Wendong nodded. Head, said: "But in the long run, it may not be possible."
It is more troublesome to build a factory in a place without an industrial chain, but if you want to do a big business relying on sticky notes and mouse pads , the biggest cost is glue, which must be made by yourself.
One is to reduce costs, and the second is to prevent the extremely unlikely problem of insufficient supply.
Therefore, even if you build a small glue factory in Hong Kong first and train relevant talents, you can prepare for the future; otherwise, after the production of sticky notes and sticky mouse pads increases dozens or hundreds of times, you will have to rely on outsiders for all your glue. Don't know what will happen.
Fortunately, although glue belongs to the chemical industry, it is a light chemical industry, and its raw materials are not hazardous chemicals. There is some pollution, but not high.
And in Hong Kong today, there are still many places that are sparsely populated. It is still feasible to open factories in such places. Wei Zetao has also gone to the government departments to inquire about the Hong Kong government’s current awareness of environmental protection. It's not very strong, as long as it's not a highly toxic hazardous chemical.
Robert thought for a while and asked: "Then how big of a factory do you want to build?"
"It doesn't need to be big. I'm going to build a small one first." Yang Wendong said: " An annual output of one thousand tons is sufficient.”
The figure of one thousand tons may seem like a lot, but when averaged out every day, it is only a little over 3 tons.
A sticky mouse board requires about 20g of glue. Today, Changxing Industrial's daily output of sticky mouse boards is as high as 20,000 pieces, and the daily glue demand is about 0.4 tons.
But everyone inside knows that the sticky mouse board is about to have a market explosion this year, because Wei Zetao and others have also found strong dealers in Japan and Europe through their own connections. Just wait. Demand skyrocketed during the summer.
As for sticky notes, each one will have much less, but the future demand for sticky notes will be orders of magnitude higher than sticky mouse pads. When the production capacity reaches several billion, the demand for glue will It will also be very high.
When he really didn't have the ability, Yang Wendong could only import from Japan. But now that he has the opportunity, he will naturally seize it and set up his own glue production factory in Hong Kong, otherwise the scale will become larger and larger in the future. The more likely it is that problems will arise.
Therefore, he is also willing to give up the sticky note market in America. Anyway, 3M can make him money if it gets it. As long as 3M can help him build a glue factory in Hong Kong, he needs to seize the opportunity and learn slowly. .
After mastering the first small factory, we also trained some relevant talents. With the strength of our company, we will be stronger in the future. We can recruit experts from Japan and the United States, and we can rely on Wanwan for raw materials. Over there You can set up your own glue industry in Hong Kong.
Taking a step back, if Hong Kong really can't develop it, then it's okay to go to Bayan, where the chemical industry is okay. In short, the raw materials for our core commodities must still be controlled by ourselves.
Robert nodded and said: "Theoretically, this is a good deal. Let's do this. After I return to the hotel tonight, I will communicate with the US headquarters."
Yang Wendong also said with a smile. : "Okay, I'm waiting for good news, but the premise of this deal is that you really give up part of your patented technology and help us build the factory."
"But the problem is." Robert paused after listening and said, "Assisting you to build a glue factory and training talents will take a lot of time. Is it possible that we can trade again at that time?"
Yang Wendong replied: "The market in South America will definitely come later than the United States. Now it is only the American market, and it will take a long time for us to be satisfied.
As long as the speed is enough Come on, it's definitely too late. Besides, your US headquarters hasn't agreed to this yet, so it's useless to discuss it too much now."
After thinking for a moment, Robert said: "That's okay, then we'll do it. Let’s discuss this matter tomorrow.”
Yang Wendong reminded again: “Robert, the core of our transaction is still related to some patents.”
(End of this chapter)