Reborn since 1993

Chapter 627: Iron Torrent March

At this time, Antoine seemed to wake up, looked at Bruno Bick and said, "In order to maintain the market for Bick lighters, we need to make some adjustments to the price!"

“If the price is reduced, will it solve the problem of black label lighters?”

A member of the Bic Group's board of directors sitting in the conference room asked Antoine aggressively.

Can you win a price war?
Antoine was also worried. After losing the lighter manufacturing business in Mainland China, the costs of Bic and other lighter brands began to soar. The inventory was getting less and less, and the production capacity began to decline. They could only keep raising prices to maintain their profits.

We can’t let the BYD Group suffer losses, so the only thing left is for those old European smokers to suffer!

“This is the information we found!”

Antoine pulled out a few documents and said, "This is a war. The patents and technologies of the black label lighters launched by Global Trading Company were all supplied by Torch Group, a lighter company in mainland China!"

"Wow!"

When Antoine said that Torch Group was a global trading supplier, there was an uproar in the conference room.

What Antoine took out were the patents and technologies used in the Black Label lighters, and these patents all came from the patents registered by the Torch Group in old Europe. It was obvious whose vest the Black Label lighter belonged to, like a louse on a bald man's head.

"The Torch Group is provoking our Bic Group!"

"Get it out!"

"Damn it, this is malicious dumping!"

"We are going to file a lawsuit and ask the French Ministry of Trade to go to the old European Trade Commission and ban the sale of Black Label and Torch Group!"

There was a lot of cursing in the conference room, all directed at Torch Group. The share price of BAK Group plummeted, and their net worth had also suffered a huge loss. It would be strange if they were not angry.

"I'm afraid it's difficult!"

The words of Rousseau, the legal manager of BIC Group, were like a bucket of cold water poured down on the angry meeting room.

"What did you say?" Bruno Bick asked Rousseau with a frown.

“From the information I have collected so far, from a legal perspective, the transactions between Global Trade, Black Label Lighters and Torch Group are completely normal!

In addition, Global Trade did not enter the market of the old European Union, and the black label lighters circulated in France were not sold directly by Global Trade.

Both the French Trade Commission and the old European Union Trade Commission can only put pressure on global trade through the Hungarian city government.

But, will the old European Union put pressure on the Hungarian city government for Bic?" Rousseau asked, spreading his hands.

The old European Union, which had just been upgraded from the old European Community, was gearing up for a big fight and even wanted to replace America.

At this time, the old European Alliance needs to attract more countries in the old European region to join and increase the strength of the old European Alliance.

Externally, the old European Union must maintain its image and show that this alliance was established to protect the old Europeans.

At this time, putting pressure on Hungary for an insignificant industry like lighters, what a crazy thing to do!

“Then are we just going to watch Black Label dumping its products in France and engage in malicious competition?” A BIC director couldn’t help but say angrily.

“The legal department can ask the French Customs and Justice Department, the Anti-Smuggling Department and other departments. Perhaps the French judicial department and judicial institutions across old Europe can help combat the smuggling of black label lighters into the old European Union.

But, no one knows how effective it is!"

Again, lighters are not a very eye-catching industry. If it were smuggling weapons, contraband, cars, etc., the judicial system of the old European Union might pay special attention to it.

But damn, if there are scalpers reselling lighters, how much can we expect the European Union’s judiciary to do?
Moreover, can these old European Union judicial institutions really be trusted? If they were really so pure, they would not allow black label lighters to flow into France. If things go wrong, scalpers and gangs reselling black label lighters may earn them a share of the money...

"enough!"

Seeing the conference room becoming chaotic again, Bruno Bick slammed the table with frustration, "Antoine, I don't care what method you use, the cost of Bick lighters must be reduced!"

"Rousseau, find the French judicial agency that fights smuggling. We pay so much tax every year, it's time for them to get to work. Let them confiscate those damn black label lighters!"

Bruno Bick prepared to take a two-pronged approach. On the one hand, he launched a price war with Black Label. On the other hand, he used the connections and relationships of the Bick Group to confiscate those illegal, non-compliant and dangerous Black Label lighters on the market.

As the vice president of the Old European Lighter Association, he has the final say on which lighters are qualified and which are not!

"I will also look for some influential people to help the Bic Group solve its problems!"

With these last words, Bruno Bick also reassured everyone in the conference room, saying that the Bick Group had a backer and the sky... would not fall.

"The Old European Union Lighter Association has issued a new statement, claiming that the black label lighter has not been approved by the Old European Lighter Association. The safety of the black label lighter is unknown, and users are advised to use it with caution!"

"A spokesperson for the BAK Group announced that it will sue Global Trading, the parent company of Black Label Lighters, for malicious competition!"

BAK Group released a lot of news through the media. When the lighter industry saw this news, they all knew that BAK Group was going to take action against black label lighters. "What is the lowest cost of BAK lighters now?"

Antoine returned to the office and asked the production supervisor.

"At present, BAK lighters are mainly produced by BAK Group in its overseas factories. We are also looking for more OEM factories in Siam, Malaysia and other places, but it takes a certain amount of time to reorganize the industrial chain and start production, and the cost cannot be reduced immediately!"

"How much does it cost?" Antoine was too lazy to listen to this nonsense.

"3.4 dollars, plus the costs of advertising, transportation, warehousing, etc., the retail price must be at least four dollars for us to make a profit!" said the production manager honestly.

"so tall?"

Antoine was startled, then he looked at the supervisor in front of him with a scrutinizing gaze, which made the latter break out in a cold sweat.

With such high production costs, Antoine would never believe that no one is pocketing the profits. He has been working at Bic Lighters for more than ten years and has worked in every department. He is very familiar with the tricks involved.

"I don't care about you and your men in the past, but now you have to reduce the cost to $2.5 or even below $!" Antoine said, pointing at the man in front of him.

Once a price war starts, it will be extremely brutal. It is impossible to stop before the winner is decided. By then, even if it means losses, the war has to be finished. Antoine only hopes that he can lose less so that he can keep his position.

……

"Bic Lighters announced that the price of cigarettes supplied to dealers in Europe has been adjusted to $3.5!"

When BAK announced the price adjustment, it instantly attracted the attention of various lighter companies in old Europe and even overseas lighter manufacturers.

As for the old European lighter dealers, scalpers, and gangs reselling black labels, they all stopped suddenly and looked towards the Hungarian company unconsciously.

"laugh"

When Gabor heard the news from France that Bic was going to start a price war, he did not panic but just sneered. He was not afraid that Bic would lower its prices, but was afraid that the other party would not lower its prices.

"Picco has started taking action!"

Gabor called Lanci immediately.

"Let's proceed as planned. You decide the price!"

After hearing what Lanqi said, Gabor put down the phone, took off his tie which felt a little tight, and stood at the stairs on the second floor.

"Notify all purchasers that no matter how many black label lighters they purchase at one time, the supply price will be adjusted by $2!"

"In addition, the commission remains the same. If we sell 3 lighters, we will get % commission!"

At the command, all salesmen of Global Trading Company immediately began to get busy.

When Bic and Black Label started to compete with each other, the prices of lighters in supermarkets, tobacco shops and other places across old Europe began to fall rapidly.

But on that day, when counting the sales, Antoine was so angry that his face turned blue.

"Today, the sales volume of Bic lighters in old Europe was 58, a further decrease of 35%!"

Looking at the report in his hand, Antoine's hands began to shake with anger and he threw the report away. You know, last month, the daily sales of Bic lighters were still over several million, but now, it's just a fraction left!
"The price of the black label has been reduced so much that we can't sell it at all!"

The sales manager of BIC said with a sad face that the supply price of black label lighters was lower than their production cost, how could they compete with it?
Antoine knew that this was a black label, forcing Bic to engage in a price war.

"The supply price of Bic has also been adjusted to two dollars!" Antoine said almost through gritted gums.

"Global Trading Company announced that the supply price of black label lighters will be adjusted by $1.5 per lighter!"

“BAK Group announced that it will once again adjust the price to $1.5 for dealers!”

"A Hungarian lighter dealer claimed that the cost of lighters purchased from Global Trading Company has dropped to $1!"

"The sales department of BAK Group has not yet announced the latest supply price!"

"French media claims that BIC Group will supply lighters at $1 each!"

"Today at 0.8:, Global Trading Company officially announced that the supply price of black label lighters will be adjusted to US$ per lighter!"

The Financial Times of Britain declared, "The price of old European lighters has reached its lowest level ever!"

Just after the Financial Times reported on the market situation of old European lighters, another piece of news came out that stunned the entire old European lighter industry.

"The supply price of black label lighters has reached 0.5 US dollars!"

It was crazy, that's how everyone felt. A lighter with a constant flow valve and a safety lock that cost $0.5 was the first time even for the old European lighter dealers!
(End of this chapter)