Chapter 331 The ambition of the paper industry
“Understand, the market potential of this woven bag is indeed very large.” Wei Zetao smiled and said: “Yang Sheng, there is one more thing. There has also been new progress in investing in paper mills.”
Yang Wendong asked: "Have the land and policies been negotiated?"
Unlike the Hong Kong government's "free market" policy, other local governments will have restrictions on overseas capital that comes to invest. The most basic support is cheap land, tax incentives, etc.
As early as the mid-1950s, the Bayan government began to implement policies to attract foreign investment. By the 1960s, many foreign-funded companies came to invest, which was somewhat similar to the reform and opening up of the mainland in the 1980s and 1990s. .
The scale of Changxing Industrial's investment this time is not small. It is directly preparing to build the first paper mill in Wanwan. Naturally, some conditions need to be negotiated before investing.
Wei Zetao replied: "Yes, the Taiwanese government gave us a piece of land near the sea in Taipei City, but this location is very remote, far away from cities and even towns."
Yang Wendong asked : "Is it because our paper mills pollute too much?"
"Yes, even if we have pollution recycling measures, the discharged water is still toxic." Wei Zetao explained: "So the bay What the Bay side means is that this factory will be built on the beach in an uninhabited area. After the sewage is treated, it will be discharged directly into the sea. "
Yang Wendong asked again: "What about the other paper mill in the Bay? ? Did you do the same? ”
Wei Zetao replied: "Yes, Yongsheng Paper Mill is located in Kaohsiung, and it is also close to the sea. Some large-scale paper mills in the world are actually built near the sea.
It is also because it is not possible to process clean paper now. Sewage must not be discharged into the river inland, which will cause serious ecological disasters. ”
"Then build it on the seaside?" Yang Wendong nodded: "But the location is too remote, are there any problems with water, electricity and transportation?"
No one wants pollution, everyone wants to have a pollution-free and high-profit business industry, but the reality is that it cannot be done. Many industries are accompanied by pollution, and even power generation, which is the basis of industry, is extremely polluted in this era.
If you want to develop the economy and industry, you must sacrifice a certain price. Compared with an agricultural society where there is almost no food, clothing or warmth, a little damage to the environment can be exchanged for jobs and cheap industry. Products, a large amount of food, electricity, running water, and even home appliances and cars are naturally cost-effective, and many countries cannot do so even if they want to trade the environment.
Only after the economy improves can we consider environmental management or moving heavily polluting factories to other countries. This is the recurring history of humankind in modern times. From Europe and the United States to Japan to the mainland of the future, every country has come this way.
"Water and electricity are all accessible. Taipei is not big. This place is remote, but it is actually not very far from the main city." Wei Zetao said: "It's just land transportation, there is only one trail, and you can't walk on this road. For big trucks, the Bayan government means to let us build a small dock nearby, and then all the large materials will be transported by sea."
Yang Wendong said: "Then build a dock, there is this. "Is there such a condition?"
Wei Zetao said: "This is true. What we want to build is a small dock that can allow boats to approach. In the future, we will produce waste paper, wood pulp or Paper can be transported through the pier.
If it involves something that is not very heavy, you can just drive overland. ”
"It's quite troublesome." Yang Wendong said with a frown.
Wei Zetao said: "Yang Sheng, this is actually how investing in the Bay Area is. Economically, Taipei in the Bay Area is only equivalent to Hong Kong 10 years ago, and the infrastructure is still very poor;
< br>No one dares to place heavy-polluting industries, especially those that produce large amounts of wastewater, near cities. It is normal for the infrastructure to be poor, and it is actually similar in Southeast Asian countries."
"Well, then. Okay, how big is this land? What’s the price?” Yang Wendong asked again.
If it is waste gas pollution, then there may be the possibility of bargaining, as long as you choose the downwind outlet of the city; it is true that you cannot mess with polluting water sources. Many cities are either built on water, and if fresh water is If it is polluted, the economy will be even more ruined.
It is said that after the reform in the previous life, Shanghai City closed down or relocated many water-polluting enterprises in order to control water pollution in the Yangtze River.
Wei Zetao said: "The land provided by Wanwan totals 250,000 square feet (25,000 square meters), and the price per square foot is 0.5 yuan in Hong Kong dollars."
"50 cents per square foot? So the total is only 125,000?" Yang Wendong asked.
Wei Zetao said: "Yes, this is basically half sale and half free. It is estimated that if it is not free due to policy reasons, everyone in Wanwan would like to make it free.
And in terms of taxation On the market, they also proposed a half-tax policy for the first five years after opening.”
"Even half tax can't compare with Hong Kong." Yang Wendong smiled: "But Hong Kong is indeed not suitable for building such a heavy-polluting enterprise."
"Yes." Wei Zetao added: "In addition, my After some research, we found that the chemical industry in Wanwan is also very good. The strong acids, alkalis and some compounds needed for papermaking can be purchased. Basically, as long as we build the factory and have the raw materials, we can start work."
"Okay, that's it." Yang Wendong nodded and said: "Entering the paper industry is also an important milestone for our Changxing Industrial this year. In the future, we cannot only rely on creative products;
Conventional Although the product competition is fierce, the market is large enough and we have many opportunities.”
Creative products are indeed very profitable, especially those with patent protection. Even if they are pirated, they are much better than conventional products.
But after all, the market potential of this type of product is limited. Compared with A4 paper, toilet paper, and carton paper, the demand for sticky notes is more than a thousand times lower. For such an enterprise, even if the profit margin is very low, the total turnover will be very high, and the total profit will not be low, not to mention the employment, front and rear industrial chains, etc. that it can drive.
As long as the scale is large enough, it will be enough to increase its international influence.
Today, with the employment and economic influence we have driven in Hong Kong, it is time to gradually enter the international market.
"Okay." Wei Zetao said with a smile: "There is another thing. I have communicated with the Hong Kong government's education department. They are also willing to add engineering subjects and plan to add 300 engineering students every year. Involving electronics, mechanical design, mold making, factory management and other majors. ”
"300?" Yang Wendong thought for a while and said, "It's still a bit small."
Changxing Industrial currently has 15,000 workers. In the future, there will be Honor Electronics, plus industries driven by new ideas in the future. It is estimated that in the 1970s, it had at least 40,000 to 50,000 workers.
Wei Zetao explained: "Yang Sheng, the land area of the Chinese University of Hong Kong is also limited. It can add 300 students, which also reduces the number of liberal arts students. This is basically the limit."< br>
"Okay." Yang Wendong nodded.
There is indeed no need to force too much. In a small city like Hong Kong, the technology and quantity of talents are limited. If you want to focus on various technologies in the future, you will probably need to rely on overseas R&D centers or recruit people from overseas. people come to Hong Kong.
It is enough for the local side to provide part of it.
Another week passed, and Wei Zetao came to the Changxing Building on Hong Kong Island.
"Yang Sheng, we have already reached an agreement with Wanwan." Wei Zetao handed over a document and said: "This is the investment contract, including our land purchase fee, Wanwan's tax Post-discount, environmental protection restrictions, etc.
Our first phase plan is to build a paper mill with an annual output of 100,000 tons, mainly producing A4 paper and sticky note paper. ”
< br>Yang Wendong took the document, read it carefully, and then asked: "Has the legal department also confirmed it?"
"Yes, we asked lawyers from Hong Kong and Wanwan to review it together." Wei Zetao replied.
Yang Wendong asked again: "As for the pollution treatment requirements, I can't understand the data. What kind of equipment and costs do we need to bring the wastewater to this required level."
" It is not very high. Such equipment costs about 200,000 Hong Kong dollars. The energy is electricity, which consumes about 500 kilowatt hours of electricity every day. With some neutralizing compounds, most pollutants can be recovered. "Wei Zetao continued: "The principle is. In this way, centrifuge is used to separate heavy metals and some compounds. , this consumes some organic matter and the environmental protection cost of using a single ton of paper is."
Wei Zetao introduced step by step, Yang Wendong also listened carefully. After the introduction, he said: "The cost is not It’s considered high, so let’s settle it.”< br>
Even if factories are built on the seaside and Bayan Bay turns a blind eye to sewage discharge, it is not allowed to discharge directly into the sea without any treatment. There are still some basic restrictions, otherwise these heavily polluted water As the sea flows to other shores, it will be a loss.
Wei Zetao smiled and said: "Okay, it's also because in order to attract investment, Wanwan has less restrictions on environmental protection requirements. Otherwise, based on Japan's current environmental protection requirements, the cost will increase at least five times."
Pollution There is a characteristic of treatment. If the pollution is divided into 100 points, then the first 80 points are easy to deal with. The difficult part is the last 80-100 points. The more you want to clean it, the difficulty will increase exponentially, just like sweeping the floor.
"Yes, I understand." Yang Wendong nodded and asked: "Have you confirmed the equipment with the Japanese equipment factory?"
"The only issue left is the price. You go Look." Wei Zetao took out a bunch of photos and placed them in front of Yang Wendong, pointing to different places and explaining: "This equipment is brand new and uses the latest technology. When the pulp is put in, it can follow the assembly line model. After being produced into paper, it will be automatically cut and packaged.
If it is waste paper raw material, there is also a special equipment for refining waste paper, which is converted into paper through chemical compounds and centrifuges. ”
"Okay, I don't understand this very well. I'll go see it on site later." Yang Wendong smiled.
Although he has ambitions to enter the papermaking market and develop well, this first factory is only a small-scale test, so he will not go to Japan specifically to see it. Look, just let your subordinates handle everything.
It won’t be too late to wait until the equipment arrives in Wanwan and the factory is open.
"Okay." Wei Zetao smiled and said: "Both sides are very fast. I think we can start work in the second half of this year."
"Okay." Yang Wendong nodded, and then Said: "But the market must be prepared. Although Changxing Industrial itself will absorb a lot of production capacity, it is more important to prepare other markets well, otherwise I will not need to do the papermaking industry myself."
Even though the sales volume of sticky notes is measured in hundreds of millions, the consumption of paper is really not that much. Entering the papermaking industry and reducing the cost of sticky notes is only one of the goals. The bigger goal is to grow bigger in this industry.
Wei Zetao said with a smile: 'I understand that the market for paper is too big. If we can really do it well, it will definitely be much bigger than the market for trolley cases. '
"Yes, my goal is to become one of the largest paper mills in Asia." Yang Wendong added: "Now that the Asian economy has begun to develop, the demand for paper will inevitably become higher and higher. This is our opportunity. ’
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(End of this chapter)