PFC Chapter 117 A Call from the United States Sparks a New Wave of the Industrial Revolution
Chapter 117 A Call from the United States Sparks a New Wave of the Industrial Revolution
The Spring Festival is getting closer.
Days passed by, peaceful and uneventful.
It gave Lin Yi the feeling that suddenly the world was at peace.
The Japanese had no time to pay attention to him.
During this period, several explosions occurred in Hongkou District, affecting an increasingly wider area.
The first time was on New Year's Day night.
The Navy Club was bombed.
Although the number of deaths was not high, the progress of the Koreans was clearly evident.
It should be noted that after the series of explosions, the Japanese in Hongkou had already increased their vigilance.
Important locations like the Naval Club have been given a higher level of security.
On New Year's Day, a day destined to be coveted by many, the Koreans still managed to successfully send the bomb inside, demonstrating their skill.
The locations of the subsequent bomb attacks became more widespread.
The most severe loss occurred at a Japanese-owned textile factory.
The explosion triggered a fire, burning the entire factory area to the ground. More than sixty charred bodies were eventually recovered.
Most of them were burned to death.
Fortunately, they were all Japanese expatriates, so after the news spread, it just became a topic of conversation over tea.
People from all walks of life sent messages of condolence.
The China Textile Federation also attaches great importance to this matter.
The day after the incident, the association sent a telegram outlining the new standards to all its member units nationwide.
The association members are urged to increase their investment in fire prevention measures.
All smoking and open flames are strictly prohibited within the factory area.
The storage area should also be specially constructed and kept at a sufficient fire-proof distance from the production area.
To this end, the association has pledged to allocate one million yuan in support funds to reward member units that complete the relevant tasks as required.
Those who refuse to accept the association's new standards will lose their eligibility to apply for industry support funds for the next year if verified.
Those who refuse to rectify the situation will be expelled from the association.
Grasp both the sweet dates and the big stick, and both will be strong.
The results were excellent, and the association's prestige also rose accordingly.
One after another, textile factories in various places chose to join the association.
It's not surprising that Nanjing hasn't made any move.
Feng Hua Investment's American facade is seen as thorny by some.
They won't act rashly until they find the vulnerability.
After all, the five million in compensation was enough to make them more cautious.
It was during this ordinary day that Lin Yi received a telegram from Tony in the United States.
The Missouri legislature has finally finalized the sale of Standard Oil.
After the spoils were divided, Lin Yi's Fenghua Investment acquired 25% of Standard Oil's shares for 20 million US dollars.
Of the remaining portion that was divided up, the Penguster family received 37 percent.
This is just the first round of spoils.
Most of those who were able to get involved were people with connections.
Those who missed out on this round of spoils have already made their second offer.
The acquisition is currently being conducted at an 8% premium.
Leaving aside the previous political donations, there are also the taxes and fees incurred after the transaction.
The rate of return is around three percent.
Tony asked in the telegram whether Lin Yi had any plans to sell.
If available, it could be sold together with the Pengust family, and there's a good chance of negotiating a premium of around 15%.
Without any new investment, you can make two million just by reselling it. More importantly, because of this, you've made a lot of political friendships.
Of course, the most important reason is that Standard Oil has been losing money for years.
The oil fields under its name do not have outstanding output.
It's not a particularly valuable asset.
This is also why the Missouri legislature decided to sell it.
To revitalize the business, the subsequent investment will be substantial.
The Pengust family is only trying to profit from this one wave.
They have no plans to enter the oil industry.
After reading the telegram, Lin Yi smiled and casually tossed it aside.
Current technology limits their vision.
The primary use of petroleum today is still in refining various types of oil.
As for the byproducts, according to his understanding, it seems that only isopropanol, an industrial solvent that is already in mass production, has been developed so far.
Wider applications are still emerging.
For example, although plastic already exists in this era.
But he didn't have everyday items like plastic bags, nor did he have the stockings he liked... He did have stockings, but he didn't appreciate the feel or the aesthetics of silk stockings.
Lin Yi didn't know much about the specifics either.
However, it is certain that the vast market for chemical products has not yet taken off.
As a major raw material for chemical products, petroleum is currently more focused on its fuel properties.
The market in this area is vast and has great potential.
The super-elastic nylon stockings alone were enough for him to make a fortune.
It can also help supplement the variety of textiles and assist his import and export company in conquering overseas markets.
The benefits are numerous.
Therefore, he couldn't possibly make that small amount of money.
The reason for investing in a heavily loss-making oil company is more about long-term vision and securing a foothold in the market.
It doesn't matter that Missouri's oil production is low.
It doesn't matter if the oil refinery is operating at a loss.
For him, the time saved by directly acquiring a mature technology system is more important.
Not to mention that invaluable US oil license.
This will form the basis for future mergers and acquisitions of similar companies.
Therefore, Lin Yi quickly replied to Tony's telegram.
He will not sell his shares.
He was also willing to pay a 15% premium to acquire the 37% stake held by the Pengust family.
As for other potential buyers, he also offered a 15% premium.
He didn't concern himself with the entire negotiation process or the specific premium agreed upon at the end.
Everything was handled by Tony, the middleman.
After sending the telegram, Lin Yi calculated the time and figured he would have to leave for the United States after the Spring Festival.
We need to bring a technical team to bring back the existing technology.
In addition, his air conditioning company should also start promoting its products...
With plans in place after the New Year, the tasks at hand became more urgent.
So the next day, Lin Yi left Shanghai and went to Hong Kong.
I visited Lin Andao, who was still in a coma, at the hospital.
The next day, I left Hong Kong and returned to Guangzhou.
He was received by Chen Qiyuan, a director of the Textile Federation and chairman of Yangcheng Shengchanglong Yarn Factory.
Shengchanglong is also the largest yarn factory in the entire Guangdong Province.
Even the Guangdong Provincial Silk Weaving Bureau, which was run by Chen Bonan, the director of the Guangdong Provincial Civil Affairs Office and the commander-in-chief of the First Army Group of the National Revolutionary Army, could only rank second.
Upon seeing Lin Yi alight at the train station, Chen Qiyuan, who had been waiting on the platform, rushed over to greet him.
"President Lin, on behalf of my colleagues in the textile industry in Guangzhou, I welcome you to Guangzhou."
Chen Qiyuan warmly shook Lin Yi's hand, spouting one polite phrase after another: "Everyone heard that Chairman Lin was coming to Guangzhou and they can't wait to see you."
"If the president hadn't said you didn't like being flamboyant, I almost wouldn't have stopped them from coming here to greet you."
As he spoke, Chen Qiyuan looked at the large group of bodyguards who had surrounded him, and his lips twitched involuntarily.
He hadn't even noticed that this was Lin Yi's entourage...