Chapter 397 The purchase of new ships and the change of position of the Chinese shipping king
“1,000 people?” Yang Wendong thought for a while and said, “This number is a bit too high.”
In Hong Kong, the increase The employment of 1,000 people is not a big problem for the current Changxing Industrial, but in Europe and the United States, this number is very large. Although it is not easy to make a specific comparison, in terms of investment, I am afraid it is equivalent to the increase in Hong Kong 5,000 people are employed.
Sean said: "Eric, this matter is indeed somewhat demanding, otherwise the British government would not make such a commitment;
And I see that your industry in Hong Kong In terms of scale, adding 1,000 people to a factory in the UK is not too much. In itself, Many of your products are not suitable for long-distance transportation. If they are produced in the UK, they can also cover the European and American markets. For us, this is also a multi-purpose product. The British government also hopes that companies investing in it can truly make profits. This is the only way. , to achieve long-term cooperation.”
Solving port workers is an important issue, but more important is restoring the British economy. The British population is very small. If you want to recover, you must focus on exports, so as to promote internal employment.
When Britain was once powerful, industrial products could be dumped in the colonies, but now it is impossible. Not only can they not be dumped, but many companies within the colonies compete with British brands. However, the United States is eyeing the outside world, and Britain is also The principle of free trade within the Commonwealth can only be maintained, otherwise the independent Commonwealth market will fall apart.
In this way, attracting large companies within the Commonwealth to invest in the UK is the best way.
“.” Yang Wendong paused for a while, drank tea, and calmed down the scene. After the meeting, he said: “Mr. Sean, I know that this time the London government also hopes to use this purpose to attract the port’s staff, so I want to ask the person recruiting here, Do you need these people? "
"Yes, the London government will arrange employment people." Sean also understood what Yang Wendong meant and said, "We promise that we will also use them according to their abilities and yours. Consider the company’s needs.”
"If that's the case, then this matter is non-negotiable." Yang Wendong shook his head and objected: "The previous investment funds and employment population can be negotiated, but I will not agree to the recruitment aspect. If you want to If you want me to invest, I will decide where to invest, and it will be limited to the UK. As for the people to be recruited, the same is true.”
Although this is a negotiation, I also hope to achieve a certain degree of cooperation with the UK, but. Everything has a bottom line. If it doesn't work, forget it.
The main reason is that in the past, this factory did not say it made a lot of money, but at least it had to ensure normal operations. Even if it loses a little in the future, as long as it can make profits from other aspects, it is worth it;
Yes The biggest trouble in European and American factories is workers causing trouble. Although I am willing to take care of the workers, I am not without a bottom line. If I don’t handle this matter well now, I will only have endless troubles in the future, and it may even affect my relationship with the British government. Then Not a good deal anymore.
After Sean finished listening, he was silent for a moment and said: "This matter still needs to be negotiated with the London City Government. After all, this proposal was put forward by them, and it definitely requires investment in London. ”
"The current problem is indeed uncertain." Yang Wendong suddenly smiled and said: "But at least we can have initial intentions, and we don't have to finalize all these things today."
When it comes to foreign investment, Even in the 21st century, no matter how fast it is, it will take a few months, and if it is slow, it may take a year or two, so there is no rush.
The important two parties have reached an agreement on some principled issues. As long as this issue is resolved, there will only be some negotiations that will take time.
"Okay, Eric." Sean nodded and said, "I'm glad to meet you. I'm in the UK and will be waiting for your people to come and inspect."
"Okay, I will send someone to London as soon as possible." Yang Wendong promised.
After the intention is reached, an on-site inspection is required, because the investment details are still uncertain, so the negotiation details are naturally uncertain. The next step is for the investor to conduct an inspection, roughly decide on the investment scale, investment location, etc., and then further negotiate.
After Sean and others left, Yang Wendong said to Wei Zetao: "Is Lin Youjing back?"
Wei Zetao replied: "Back, you told me this 5 days ago I asked him to take the nearest flight back."
"Well, let him come over," Yang Wendong said.
Wei Zetao said: "Okay, he is already here."
Soon, Lin Youjing arrived, and Yang Wendong said: "Sit down, Old Wei, and tell Old Lin about the matter."
"Okay, Lin Sheng, it's like this." Wei Zetao told what happened just now Everything was told.
After finishing speaking, Yang Wendong said: "Old Lin, I didn't ask you to come on the spot just now because I thought you would need to go to the UK to do a detailed investigation later. If you show up, I'm afraid that the UK will "I'm prepared."
"Understood, what does Yang Sheng want me to go to England to investigate?" Lin Youyi said.
Yang Wendong said: "The British trade unions and the work attitude of workers are what I am more concerned about. We can invest in the UK, but we must choose a safe environment for production;
Regardless of whether they make money or not, the quality of their production cannot have major problems. If some people have a bad attitude, then try to avoid recruiting these people. ”
If there is a problem with the products produced in one place, it will definitely drag down the entire brand. This is why many international brands are more cautious about opening production bases overseas.
“Okay, I Understood. Lin Youming nodded and said.
Yang Wendong continued: "There are also some retail industries in the UK. Let me focus on investigating them. If we invest in the UK, we will get some extra benefits. That's only fair. ”
Although the British local market is not very big globally, it is still much stronger than Hong Kong + Bay Area. At least in the retail field, the market is still very large.
However, it is not easy to enter the British retail market, but you cannot give up just because it is not easy. At least you have to try to cross the river by feeling the stones first. As long as you are careful, then even if you fail, you will just wet your shoes< br>
"Okay, I will go and investigate." Lin Youjing agreed: "In addition to retail, should we also consider other markets? For example, real estate?"
Yang Wendong shook his head and said : "No need, we are not involved in real estate, and we will not consider anything else. For the time being, we will just look at the retail market."
Perhaps, the British real estate market is also profitable in the long run, but it is certainly not as profitable as In Hong Kong, even Bay and even Southeast Asia, there is no point in participating on your own. It is better to invest in other things..
It is not actually a good idea to choose retail now. It is just that the two parties are negotiating now and investing in it yourself will naturally We should also pay attention to the British internal market, and retail is naturally the most suitable.
"Okay, I understand." Lin Youjing agreed.
Yang Wendong looked at Wei Zetao and asked: "How is the progress at Formosa Plastics?"
"The actual estimated value of Formosa Plastics has not yet been calculated. The third party we hired Still calculating, it will take some time." Wei Zetao replied: "But Wang Yongqing is a shareholder. He offered to give in 6.5%. I am still pressing for 9%. I guess we have to wait before we can reach an agreement."
"Haha, I guess Wang Yongqing is also giving in. You need this step to gradually negotiate terms with us," Yang Wendong said with a smile.
Everyone who can get to the top in the world is a smart person. That is because he is a major customer, major shareholder and has abundant funds, so he has the capital to negotiate. Otherwise, if the same thing is targeted at Walmart, forget it.
Wei Zetao also said: "Yes, another good news is that the Taiwanese government has also agreed to Formosa Plastics' request to invest in building a high-risk chemical plant, and will grant Formosa a piece of land in a place with few people. Come on, it will be easier for us to build a plastic production factory in Hong Kong."
"Okay, what about our progress here?" Yang Wendong asked with a smile.
Wei Zetao said: "The Industrial Bureau of the Hong Kong Government has also agreed. If we simply refining plastics, the environmental pollution will not be very big. We just need to pay attention to when a large amount of chemicals enter Hong Kong;
But this factory site must be far away from human habitation. The Hong Kong government means to allocate a piece of land to us in the north of Qingyi Island, and then we will reclaim the sea and build a small dock to facilitate transportation." "Okay, that's it," Yang Wendong nodded. "Send all the information to the headquarters office for review. If they pass the review, I will sign it."
When it comes to many professional issues, such as the amount of investment, investment requirements, etc., Yang Wendong, the boss, generally will not personally participate. It is too professional, and he will not be exhausted even if he has to learn it, unless it is a very large investment project, such as buying. For large oil tankers, Yang Wendong will study this himself
Ordinary investment, that is, Yang Wendong first agrees in principle, and then the headquarters review, risk, and financial departments will participate in confirming various possible issues, and even invite a third party Professional organizations will come to participate. After confirming that there is no problem, it will be handed over to Yang Wendong for final confirmation. Once signed, it means that the entire project can start.
This is also the norm for large companies. When the company reaches the scale of Changxing Group and invests one million Hong Kong dollars, Yang Wendong can just take a look at it. It will naturally be reflected in the annual report later. Wait for more Let’s talk about the problem.
"Okay." Wei Zetao said happily.
Once it starts producing plastic particles in Hong Kong, Changxing Industrial's costs can be further reduced, which will also give it a greater advantage in international competition. The entire industry chain is the key to the company's ability to stand firm. The core factor of collapse is also the pursuit of the entire Changxing Group.
The time soon came to March 25th.
Wei Zetao submitted a plan to build a primary-scale plastic production factory in Qingyi Island, and relevant departments of the headquarters office also entered the review process;
Lin Youjing and some senior executives of Changxing Industrial also I went to London, England for an on-site inspection. This time I went there secretly. I wanted to conduct an in-depth investigation of the British investment environment. Only after the investigation is clear can we proceed to the next step of negotiation.
If the investment is suitable, it is naturally better. If it is not suitable, then it should be used to obtain maximum benefits.
The results of these two things will not be so easy. We can only wait. Yang Wendong is not in a hurry. Now that the company is developing well, many investments can be made slowly.
However, there are some things that are not possible, such as purchasing super tankers and freighters. It has been more than three years since we have witnessed the crisis in the Middle East. If we can get one more ship in these few years, we can get several times the return in a few years
On March 29, Yang Wendong took a charter flight to the headquarters of Mitsui Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. in Tokyo, Japan:
As the last cooperation agreement, Ichiro Takizawa, Vice President of Mitsui Shipping Group The person in charge of the talks was still in charge of Changxing Group’s procurement business this time. He also brought a group of subordinates to the door of the building;
After Yang Wendong and others arrived, they all bowed and said: "Welcome Mr. Yang to visit again Mitsui Shipping Co., Ltd."
"You're welcome," Yang Wendong said with a smile, "Hello, Mr. Takizawa."
"Hello." Takizawa Ichiro smiled and shook hands with everyone, and then said: "Everyone, please come in."
Under the leadership of Takizawa Ichiro, everyone came to the top floor of the Mitsui Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. building, where , you can see half of Tokyo at a glance.
"Mr. Yang, what do you think of our scenery in Tokyo?" Before the meeting officially started, Ichiro Takizawa stepped forward and asked in fluent English.
Yang Wendong smiled and said: "Not bad."
Takizawa Ichiro replied: "If Mr. Yang is interested, we can give you a top-notch apartment in the center of Ginza, Japan, where , you can see the scenery similar to here.”
"No need. When I come to Tokyo, it's the same as staying in a hotel." Yang Wendong refused with a smile.
There is a price for reaping the benefits. The wool comes from the sheep. This truth is eternal.
Besides, if he really wants to buy a Ginza apartment, he can easily buy it. The Japanese real estate industry has not yet taken off. Although the house price is more expensive than Hong Kong, it is not outrageous. Even if he wants to invest here in the future , that will also happen in the future.
"Well, we also have many high-end hotels in Japan." Ichiro Takizawa was not very surprised when Yang Wendong did not agree, so he said: "Mr. Yang, how about we officially enter the meeting?"< br>
“Okay.” Yang Wendong nodded.
Soon the meeting officially started. Just like last time, Mitsui Shipbuilding Corporation first introduced its company's achievements in the past few years, and at the same time introduced several previous ship models.
However, because the freighter purchased by Changxing Shipping this time was similar to the last time, it was also for the convenience of operation, so there was not much to discuss, and price negotiations soon entered the stage.
“This price is almost 10% more expensive than last year?” Yang Wendong asked with an unchanged expression after seeing the quotation.
Takizawa Ichiro said with a smile: "Mr. Yang, the price increase is also due to the increase in global market demand and raw materials. You can also ask Ms. Zheng or other shipbuilding companies about this."
Yang Wendong glanced at Zheng Yuhua, and after receiving a positive reply, he said: "Since it is caused by international reasons, let's not discuss it for now. In terms of financial cooperation, I still hope to be better than the last round of cooperation. .”
Throughout the 1960s, ship prices have been rising because shipyards are not fools. With so many ship owners making a fortune from ships, the market will naturally drive up the price of ships. After the Middle East crisis broke out, the price of ships will double. has risen. Even if I buy an oil tanker now, it will pay off after a few years of operation. China After the outbreak of the East Asian crisis, second-hand oil tankers can still be sold for two or three times more than the original new ships.
This is a crazy era, and it is also the best era for wealth accumulation. Not to mention that Yang Wendong knows history, many shipping kings do not You know, they are trying their best to squeeze in, which also leads to an increase in ship prices.
"Financial cooperation?" Ichiro Takizawa paused and said, "Mr. Yang, in our previous cooperation with your company, Mitsui Bank has provided 65% of the loan. This amount is already very high."< br>
“It used to be very high, but now it is just average.” Yang Wendong smiled and said: “The reason for the increase in ship prices is due to the rapid growth of the shipping market, which means that Risks in this industry If it is lower, then the Bank of Japan can naturally provide more quotas. "
When doing such a big business, if you are sure that you can make money in the future, you must make full use of the bank's funds, the higher it is. The better the loan ratio, because the bank has a few percentage points more, which can save dozens of percent of investment for investors. If you are bolder and use more leverage, you can buy more ships or real estate, etc. Wait.
Takizawa Ichiro smiled and said: 'Yang Sheng's analysis is correct, but it is not easy for me to make an immediate decision on this matter. We also need to consider this matter from the perspective of the entire cooperation. '
"Of course, I am just making my request." Yang Wendong nodded and said: "But if your bank can meet my request, then I can also order one or two more small freighters. "
"What freighter?" Takizawa Ichiro asked.
Yang Wendong smiled and said: "Container freighters, this is the development direction of the new era."
As time entered the mid-1960s, containers became more and more popular, and Changxing Shipping's Some customers have also begun to seek container ship leasing, which is also an opportunity for Changxing Shipping.
"Then we will negotiate later." Takizawa Ichiro's eyes lit up and he said with a smile.
The negotiation process is similar to the last time. This is also the reason why it is easier to cooperate after we have known each other well after many cooperations.
Finally in the afternoon, the two parties decided that the transaction would involve two oil tankers with a displacement of 125,000 tons, three oil tankers with a displacement of 56,000 tons, and two container freighters, with a total tonnage of 462,000 tons.
In the follow-up, the two parties will discuss the price, bank loan amount, interest, delivery time, etc.
A week later, the two parties finally reached an agreement. The total amount of the transaction was US$46.8 million, and the Bank of Japan would lend 68% of the loan.
When the news came out, some media in Japan immediately reported it, and in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong China Daily and the Oriental Daily News were on a first-come-first-served basis, and they immediately broke the news: [The sticky note king buys another giant ship: Hong Kong Chinese shipping king Castling is about to happen! 】
PS: Please give me monthly tickets
(End of this chapter)