Chapter 175 The Problem of Shipping
Robert added: "However, because the scale of our investment this time is not small, you may also need to expand the scale of investment, that is, build a new glue factory."
"New factory?" Yang Wendong thought for a while and said: "This is not a problem, but you have to give me a certain guarantee, right? Otherwise, after I build it, you don't want my glue anymore, then I But it's a loss."
Robert said with a smile: "The initial cooperation does not require you to purchase a new production line immediately. If there are no quality problems, then we can sign a long-term supply agreement."
" Okay." Yang Wendong nodded and said, "That shouldn't be a big problem."
"OK, we will discuss it later when we choose a place to invest." Robert said with a smile.
"Okay." Yang Wendong smiled, this was only a small cooperation.
Compared with how much money he can earn, he is more optimistic about the fact that companies like 3M invest in Hong Kong and use Hong Kong as an industrial production base, which will definitely create a lot of jobs and economic growth.
It may not have much impact on him, but it is different for ordinary Chinese. It is always a good thing that benefits the Chinese.
My own butterfly effect can be considered to have played a good role.
Robert paused and then said: "Eric, originally we came to Hong Kong for this matter, but now, there may be one more thing."
"What is it?" Yang Wendong asked .
Robert said with a smile: "The day before yesterday, I saw the trolley suitcase you invented at the airport, and I realized that you had invented another new thing.
I really admire you, you How did you come up with so many inventions? Post-it notes, sticky hooks, and the rotating mop. "Maybe it's just talent," Yang Wendong explained "confidently." It's okay to talk like this in front of Westerners.
Talent is something that is difficult to explain clearly, and it is normal for people to differ tens of thousands of times.
"Indeed." Robert said again: "This suitcase of yours has just been launched on the market, right? How about we cooperate again like sticky notes?"
"You are Want to be an agent for luggage? I remember you don’t have similar products, right?” Yang Wendong was not too surprised to be approached so quickly.
The suitcase is different from products such as sticky hooks. After it is bought, it will be carried around by others, so it is very likely that it will quickly attract discerning people.
It’s just that I didn’t expect that this person was actually from 3M. It happened that they were preparing to invest in Hong Kong and discovered this.
Robert said: "Yes, although our 3M company does not involve products such as suitcases, with our channel resources, it is not difficult to sell this product;
Eric, we have been working together for more than a year. Yes, I think you also know our company's attitude towards partners, so I think this will be a new cooperation between us."
"It can be discussed," Yang Wendong thought for a while and finally said. .
Overseas countries all rely on dealers. Large items such as suitcases require very high channel and transportation costs. Without sufficient strength, this is impossible.
"Okay." Robert said happily: "I will go back and discuss this matter with the board of directors. I think when they see your suitcase, they will definitely agree."
"I hope so." Yang Wendong smiled.
Now we are just setting a direction for cooperation. It is hard to say how we will cooperate in the future.
After Robert and Robin left, Yang Wendong quickly called Qian Shangde, who was in charge of the glue business and technology, and told him the matter.
After listening, Qian Shangde said: "There is no technical problem. The glue required for general tapes is ordinary glue with strong viscosity. We can also make it ourselves.
If the supply is large, , then just purchase another production line from overseas.”
"Do we have our own patent?" Yang Wendong asked.
Qian Shangde said: "Yes, in the past year, we have also purchased some different patents, mainly for new products of sticky mouse boards, which are used to make tapes. There is not much difference, unless 3M has Special request."
"Yes, that's okay." Yang Wendong nodded and said, "You will be responsible for negotiating with them when the time comes. I still hope that their project will be implemented."
< br>"Okay, no problem." Qian Shangde agreed.
Yang Wendong asked Wei Zetao next to him: "Old Wei, do you know Robert's movements in the next few days?"
Wei Zetao said: "They are planning to visit Tian's Chemical Factory in the past two days. They probably want Tian's Chemical Factory to produce tape films."
"That's not bad. If Tian's can do it, then Hong Kong can also There is a tape industry." Yang Wendong nodded.
Tian Ka Ping, the boss of Tian's Chemical Factory, is also a celebrity in Hong Kong. Like Yang Wendong, he is an "Industry King" level figure and is known as the "Chemical King".
The main products are thermal insulation films used in construction and agriculture.
Qian Shangde smiled and said: "Theoretically it can be done, but you may need to invest some extra money to purchase equipment like us. It depends on the conditions proposed by 3M."
Wei Zetao added: "If 3M establishes the adhesive tape industry in Hong Kong, I estimate that many people will also engage in this."
"Normally, this is a good thing for the Hong Kong economy. " Yang Wendong smiled and said: "This is also good for our glue business. "With a local industrial chain, businessmen will naturally find ways to expand their business."
This is why in many countries, the government takes the lead in developing the industrial chain. After it matures, internal enterprises will develop normally on their own.
Unfortunately, Hong Kong does not have this environment, and the British Hong Kong government will not do such a thing.
Qian Shangde said: "Yes, the greater the sales volume of glue, the lower the costs in all aspects, especially the cost of raw material procurement."
"Well, that's it, just cooperate with 3M later. "Yang Wendong said: " Lao Wei, our core task now is to increase the production capacity of trolley cases. Especially if we can reach a cooperation agreement with 3M, the order volume will inevitably exceed the production capacity."
"Okay, but now the transportation will be. I have a big question "Wei Zetao said: "I checked the cost of goods from Hong Kong to the United States yesterday. The price per cubic meter is US$21, and one cubic meter can hold up to 10 suitcases.
That's it. Shipping cost, one box It’s about 12 Hong Kong dollars, plus the cost of port transportation, it will be too expensive in the United States.”
“This problem is indeed troublesome.” Yang Wendong nodded. Before the emergence of containers, the ocean. Transportation costs are extremely high.
Even global free industrialization was possible in the 1970s because containers significantly reduced costs.
However, even though he knows about containers, this thing is not a creative problem, but an infrastructure problem. The concept of container ocean transportation has long been proposed.
In the United States or Europe, there are actually container ships, but there are very few ports that can unload cargo.
This requires a step-by-step container revolution on a global scale. In Hong Kong, it should start in the late 1960s, which is still a long time ago.
Perhaps in the future, he will have a chance to get involved, but he still can't do it now. With just the investment in a port terminal, he can't get it even if he is worth ten times more.
Wei Zetao added: "Yes, it's not just a matter of cost. At worst, it's a little more expensive in the United States. This is a new thing, and 3M also has this capability.
The biggest problem is that our suitcases take up too much space. Space, if we export on a large scale, we may not even be able to book a space on the ship in many cases, because the ship space for export is also very tight now.”
Yang. Wendong thought for a while and said, "So you mean to buy a boat yourself?"
"If you want to do well in the luggage market in Europe and the United States, I think this is necessary." Wei Zetao nodded and said: "Otherwise, transportation alone will choke us."
"Shipping?" Yang Wendong thought for a while and said, "What kind of ship should we buy?"
"Second-hand." Wei Zetao said: "A not very old second-hand ship of 10,000 tons usually costs about 500,000 US dollars. The internal space is close to tens of thousands of cubic meters. Our suitcase is square and can easily fit 50,000 to 70,000 tons.
If you follow the normal quotation and include fuel and operating expenses, you can make back your money by running 10 times a year.
Not to mention, if you have your own boat, There won’t be any big problems in terms of time, and everything can be controlled within your plan.”
“50,000 to 70,000 suitcases at one time?” Yang Wendong thought for a while and said, “This business. It’s really good.”
Wei Zetao added: “Yes, it is definitely a good deal economically. The only disadvantage is that because it is not a new ship, there is no way to get a loan from Japan;
Banks here in Hong Kong will basically not lend to us. We have to pay for it ourselves unless we use other assets as collateral. "
Yang Wendong asked: "What is the price of a new ship? "
Wei Zetao replied: "A new 7,000-ton ship produced in Japan is priced at US$1 million. If it is 10,000 tons, it will cost US$1.5-2 million, and it will take more than a year to wait. ”
“Forget it, it’s really expensive, and we can’t afford to wait that long.” "Yang Wendong shook his head. Sure enough, shipping requires a lot of capital.
The status of the shipping king in this era is greater than that of the real estate or industrial king.
Wei Zetao said with a smile: "Actually, second-hand ones are more cost-effective. At most, the maintenance cost is higher and the fuel consumption is higher. Now the oil price is not very expensive."
"I can still afford $500,000." Yang Wendong didn't care about this and said: "But how to operate the ship after buying it? We have to hire a complete team."
Wei Zetao said: "As long as you are willing to spend money, it is not difficult to recruit people. Compared with The cost of buying a ship is nothing. A captain in Hong Kong generally only earns two to three thousand Hong Kong dollars in monthly salary, and a sailor usually only earns three to four hundred Hong Kong dollars. "
"Well, let's negotiate cooperation with 3M first. Let the news out that we need to recruit a captain." Yang Wendong paused and said, "These two times will not be too short, and they will happen at the same time; when the ship is available, we will recruit people."
< br>The shipping industry still has great potential in the next 20 years, far exceeding that of real estate. Especially when the war in the Middle East broke out in 1967, it is said that the shipowners at that time made huge profits.
Now we have entered the game since 1960, and after 7 years, the scale will be almost the same.
If you wait a few years, you may miss the golden opportunity.
It just so happens that your own exports can ensure that your shipping company can still do business even if sea freight rates plummet, and it can also reduce export costs when sea freight rates rise sharply.
Would kill two birds with one stone.
Wei Zetao smiled and said: "Okay, I will first find a headhunter to hire a shipping professional."
(End of this chapter)