Reborn since 1993

Chapter 633: Courtesy first, then attack
Antoine is still not convinced. After visiting the Torch Group Industrial Park, he no longer expects a price war.

But Antoine feels that in the future, without those copycat products in the high-end metal lighter market, old European and Zippo lighters will definitely be able to carve out a niche.

As for the Torch Group, although Antoine was wary of it, he believed that as long as they didn't engage in a price war, the Torch Group would not win.

In fact, subconsciously, Antoine still did not regard Torch Group as a real opponent. He only thought that Torch Group would engage in a price war...

Li Dongling didn't want to refute anything. There was no need to argue with Antoine. Only when the Zorro lighter was launched did they know what tricks the Torch Group was going to play.

What Torch Group and Zorro need is a fair competition environment. The lighter brands from old Europe, America, Japan and other places can no longer use any tricks on Zorro.

If Zorro is really inferior in skills and cannot conquer the old European users, then Torch Group will have nothing to say. But if it fails due to shameful means, Li Dongling doesn't mind letting a "Black Label" brand appear in the high-end metal lighter market.

Antoine and Rousseau stayed in Pingyang for three days, communicating with both sides. It was not until three days later that a preliminary agreement was finalized.

“I hope we can have a pleasant cooperation in the future!”

Looking at the signed agreement, Antoine stood up and shook hands with Zhang Xiaocheng. With this agreement that BIC entrusts the Inland Lighter Import and Export Association to manufacture lighters, it means that BIC Group has completely surrendered to Torch Group in the lighter business.

Bic has lost a lot, including the market for old European disposable lighters, the voice, standards, pricing power, etc. of old European disposable lighters, but fortunately, Bic lighters are still alive.

Earning less is worse than dying. It is better to live a miserable life than to die. As long as there is a glimmer of hope, who would be willing to bury himself?

The succession between the old and new overlords cannot be completed immediately. It requires time and process. Torch Group also has enough time to slowly replace BYD and take control of the old European disposable lighter market.

"If Torch Group wants to do any new projects in the future, Bick will definitely stay away and will never compete with Torch Group!"

Before leaving, Antoine said to Zhang Xiaocheng, Li Dongling and others in a joking tone. His words were half true and half false, and also had a tentative meaning.

"Perhaps, Torch Group should cooperate with some inland steel mills to develop their own ballpoint pen refills and launch their own domestically developed ballpoint pens..."

Li Dongling looked at Antoine and recalled the incident in his previous life when Taigang produced a pot of ballpoint pen refills. Because they produced too much, the supply exceeded the demand, which collapsed the global ballpoint pen refill market. He smiled and said to him.

Since Taigang and Xiaomi launched the Giant Write, no matter whether it is a foreign brand of ballpoint pen or a domestic one, there are no more problems such as ballpoint pen refill falling off, oil leakage, ink shortage, or high prices. The price of ballpoint pens imported from Japan and imported into China has also collapsed...

Antoine and Rousseau, who had just turned around and raised their feet, staggered and almost fell to the ground. They looked at Li Dongling with horror on their faces.

At present, domestic ballpoint pens are still dependent on imports, and will continue to be imported for many years, especially ballpoint pen tips, inks, etc.

They were not sure whether what Li Dongling said was true or false, and whether Torch Group could develop its own domestic ballpoint pens, gel pens, etc., but Bick could not afford to take the risk.

The ballpoint pen business is where the BAK Group made its fortune. Especially after the lighter business became half-dead, it became BAK's lifeblood and source of cash flow.

If this business is destroyed again, the entire Bic Group will only have the razor business left. If the Torch Group continues to wipe out Bic's razor business, there will be no need to rescue Bic, and it will go straight to the Père Lachaise Cemetery in France.

"Just kidding, Torch Group and Piccolo are allies in the future. Torch Group will not go to war with its allies, but the premise is that allies will not do anything that violates the covenant!"

Li Dongling also spoke to Rousseau and Antoine in a joking tone, but Rousseau and Antoine did not dare to really take it as a joke.

The car drove towards the provincial airport. Antoine and Rousseau were going to transfer to Paris.

There was silence in the car for a while. Rousseau, who still felt his scalp tingling, said to Antoine in French, "Do you think he was joking just now?!"

"I have no idea!"

Antoine smiled bitterly, "The mainland doesn't have the technology to make ballpoint pen tips right now, and there's still a big gap in ink between the brands of Bic and Nichiben."

"But if Torch Group does it, no one knows whether it can be done. Does Piccolo dare to bet?"

Rousseau and Antoine were both silent. Do they dare to gamble?

Torch Group may fail many times, but as long as it has developed a product and started mass production, what awaits Bick is a devastating blow.

The meaning of Li Dongling's last words was very clear. From now on, it would be fine if Piccolo just worked as a lackey for the Torch Group.

If Bic still dares to play the double-dealing trick, what awaits Bic is not only the loss of its lighter business, but also its ballpoint pen, razor and other businesses. Regardless of whether Torch Group makes money or not, we will rush in, give it a few slaps in the face and crush it!

……

After Antoine, Rousseau and others left, Li Dongling saw Zhang Xiaocheng, Wu Yaoguo, He Heng and others, all looking at him with burning eyes.

They have always been interested in projects that can earn foreign exchange, provide more tax revenue and jobs. "Brother Li, Torch Group is going to enter the ballpoint pen industry?" Zhang Xiaocheng couldn't help but ask Li Dongling.

Ballpoint pens are also a labor-intensive industry. It is also an industry that relies on large quantities to satisfy customers and suppresses costs through sales volume. It is very suitable for the Torch Group.

Li Dongling heard this and looked at the expressions of Wu Yaoguo and others, and couldn't help but laugh, "Maybe, but those are things for the future. Torch Group has more important things to do!"

It's a bit embarrassing to openly stab the BAK Group in the back right after forming an alliance with it. After a few years, if you work under a pseudonym, there won't be so much trouble.

Now Torch Group needs to increase its production capacity to seize the disposable lighter market in old Europe and other places.

Then we will speed up the research and development of the Zorro metal lighter and e-cigarette projects. These two projects are the ones that can really make Torch Group make money and become a giant!
After staying in Pingyang for a few days, seeing that the dust had settled and the overall situation had been decided, Gu Xiguang, He Heng, Wang Yongyu and others returned directly to Yanjing.

The harvest in Pingyang this time is enough for them to report to their respective departments. In a few days at the latest, the central media and a number of domestic official media will once again report the news of Torch Group and tell the country who has the final say in the disposable lighter market in old Europe!
"Brother Li, we have taken over the old European market. The first goal we set for Torch Group has been achieved ahead of schedule!"

Walking on the sidewalk of the Torch Group Industrial Park, looking at the industrial park with an endless stream of people and vehicles in front of him, this industrial park was also participated in and built by Wu Yaoguo himself.

For him, this fair industrial park is not only an achievement, but also a sense of accomplishment of watching the trees he planted with his own hands grow into towering trees.

Li Dongling nodded slightly when he heard Wu Yaoguo's words. When Torch Group was established, the first goal set was of course to be able to support itself.

There is no need to worry about this since the start of production. The huge domestic disposable lighter market and Focus Media's advertising platform for the Torch Group and printing advertisements on lighters have allowed the Torch Group's profits to continue to increase.

That year, the Torch Group signed a military order to the Economic and Trade Commission, Hanxi Provincial Industry Department and other departments, and it was even reported on the news broadcast.

That is, within three years, we will achieve an annual production of 1.5 billion lighters and export them, within ten years, we will strive to achieve a production capacity of 5 billion lighters, and within fifteen years, we will achieve an annual shipment capacity of 10 billion lighters.

This is why the Torch Group has attracted so much attention from all parties since its establishment. Without these military orders, how could the Torch Group obtain so many resources and gain the full support of the Yanjing and Hanxi provincial governments.

And now, the first goal is about to be achieved in less than two years instead of three years!

"Torch Group cannot do without the support of Brother Wu!" Li Dongling praised Wu Yaoguo.

When Wu Yaoguo heard this, a smile appeared on his face. Investing in Torch Group has become the project with the highest return rate for Wu Yaoguo after he established Hanxi Guotou.

This not only refers to dividends, in fact, Hanxi Guotou has not received a penny of dividends or returns from Torch Group.

Torch Group now needs to expand its production capacity, continuously build new factories and production lines, recruit R&D personnel, sales channels, etc. Although it can support itself, it has not yet reached the point where it can distribute dividends to shareholders.

And Hanxi State Investment Group was not interested in the dividends. The existence of Torch Group, the 60,000 jobs in Torch Group Industrial Park, and the foreign exchange earned were even more useful to Hanxi State Investment Group than the dividends!
The better Torch Group performs, the more it proves that Hanxi Guotou's investment vision is effective, and the greater Wu Yaoguo's status and power in the Hanxi provincial government will be.

……

“Black Label lighters are rapidly taking over the markets in old Europe. A friend of mine living in Spain told me that Black Label is now the best lighter in the world.

Its design and technology are more advanced, and it is far ahead of some domestic lighter brands!

Moreover, countless domestic lighter OEM factories and practitioners can only survive by accepting orders for black label lighters.

On the other hand, some domestic brands are still arrogant and completely unaware that the gap between them and the world's mainstream lighter brands is as huge as a chasm!

Is it so difficult to admit the gap? "

Looking at the article he wrote published in the newspaper, Yan Lixiang showed a satisfied smile on his face.

During this period, the lighter manufacturers who had previously begged him to "do justice" have now disappeared. After Yan Lixiangrui made inquiries from many sources, he finally found out the "truth."

That is, there was a foreign lighter brand that placed orders with those lighter manufacturers, which allowed the lighter OEM factories to survive.

Yan Lixiang couldn't wait to write this article, exposing the "truth" of the domestic lighter industry.

Putting down the newspaper, Yan Lixiang prepared to post his article on forums such as Tianya to receive praise from netizens.

But as soon as he opened the Tianya Forum on his computer and saw only one post, Yan Lixiang felt dizzy. He wondered if he was dazzled. After putting on his glasses, the words still did not move.

"The Torch Group's lighters are really selling like hot cakes. Trainloads of them are being shipped to Russia in Suifenhe!"

(End of this chapter)