Rise of the Argentine Empire

What? Even a plastic bottle can have a press conference now? Yes, it's that magical. You have to remember this is the 1950s, the beginning of a period of rapid economic development. You could say the Cold War era was actually the fastest and most rapid period of invention and creation in human history. The confrontation between the two major political and military blocs spurred technological change.

At this time, Coca-Cola was still selling soda in glass bottles. The invention of the easy-open can was still 18 years away, and Saint-Hesse's current technology was not sufficient to produce them.

But food-grade plastic soda bottles were about to be born ahead of schedule, which would be a great revolution in the food and beverage industry.

The Pralle factory began mass-producing plastic bottled soda, frantically stockpiling inventory, and expanding production scale before the summer arrived.

Get some money first, and as for whether this will make Coca-Cola even more powerful, who knows? Anyway, they are already the world's number one, and the world market will not get any bigger.

The funds on hand were almost exhausted. Investing in the American stock market had yielded some gains, but there was no money to continue investing.

The new factory in Buchen was in urgent need of funds, and General Electric and Siemens were pressing for the first payment.

Now, in order to sell more beverages, the battle lines had been stretched, and the speed of collecting payments had slowed down, so Saint-Hesse's funds were running low.

As for the world line having a more powerful Coca-Cola, anyway, it's none of my business, and it's not like the Americans can win the Cold War now.

The end of the Cold War was decades away, and if the Soviets needed this technology, then that would be a pleasant surprise.

If he could get in with the Soviets and get a share of the pie, it would be enough to overwhelm Saint-Hesse as he was now.

Whether it was their steel mills, light weapons production lines, heavy weapons production lines, or even mushroom egg technology, Saint-Hesse was very ambitious.

Wiping the saliva from the corner of his mouth, he was thinking a little too far ahead. He should start by solving the current difficulties.

Argentina's national security was still very secure. As America's backyard, the Americas were the Americans' Americas, but the Perón government's Third Way made Argentina an enemy of the American government. After the outbreak of the Korean War, Argentina advocated the Third Way again, once again offending the American government.

Of course, the United States' main focus was on the Korean Peninsula region, so it did not particularly control Argentina's economy, so this was a good opportunity, an opportunity to get some money from the United States, but the window of opportunity would not be very long, so it must be done as soon as possible.

Argentina also had very good relations with various European countries. Except for Brazil, it was surrounded by weak countries. Isolated overseas, it had unique advantages. From a geographical and natural point of view alone, it was another small version of the United States. There were fewer natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods like in the United States, and the conditions were even better.

As long as she was still so chaotic, no one would try to invade this country. A slowly dying Argentina was a good Argentina, as far as they were concerned.

Unless one day Argentina becomes a powerful South American economy, the role of the mushroom egg will truly be revealed.

Now he had to get more funds first, and the other things were too far off.

Currently, only two countries in the world have nuclear weapons, and the British don't even have their own nuclear weapons.

Argentina doesn't have its own atomic energy research institute, and you couldn't trade for it even if you gave them your head.

France didn't explode its own mushroom egg until eight years later. Now, the greatest research capability under Saint-Hesse was a small research institute in the Chemistry Department of the University of Science and Technology, which had just produced food-grade plastic.

As long as Argentina doesn't act recklessly, no major power will invade this country for the time being, so this security is not a problem.

If there is an opportunity to obtain this technology in the future, it must be hidden and cautious. Release it when the country is strong enough. If the country is not strong enough, it is just a kid holding a big knife, which is even more dangerous. A more appropriate analogy is a child holding gold, walking through a noisy street.

……

Now he needs to properly promote food-grade plastic bottle technology to the world: the United States, England, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Soviet Union.

Perhaps many countries will need this little thing. This is an important breakthrough and milestone in civilian plastic.

Of the necessities of life, the second is eating, and drinking water is still very inconvenient to take to the outdoors.

Glass bottles are very bulky, and mineral water and other plastic water containers have not yet appeared. The application of food-grade plastic is still very wide.

Saint-Hesse has prepared enough samples, and the first press conference is planned to start in New York.

Saint-Hesse doesn't plan to come forward in person. All kinds of plastic bottles filled a container. Let Klose take care of it.

When Klose first saw the plastic bottle, he was conquered by its transparent, lightweight, and high-strength nature. So when Saint-Hesse asked Klose to solicit business globally in the name of Maria Chemical Factory, he agreed without hesitation.

After arranging the affairs of the factory, Klose took the team and a container of plastic bottles and began a global tour of business solicitation, targeting those countries with their own beverage factories: Berlin, New York, Paris, London, Tokyo, Rome, Madrid, and Moscow.

Saint-Hesse has already registered a new company in São Paulo, Brazil, to prevent the American government from looking unhappy.

The first stop was New York, the world's economic center. Klose's team and Redwood's Sein team met and began rehearsing and performing according to the script provided by Saint-Hesse. It has to be said that as long as there is a goal and enough profit, anyone can become the most authentic performer.

Previously, Klose went to the headquarters of the Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta to sell this new technology, but they arrogantly refused, thinking that the technology was not worth much and could symbolically offer $100,000. Klose left Atlanta directly and went to New York.

Then Sein started buying small newspapers for a few days of hot searches, creating momentum, deeply learning Saint-Hesse's true teachings.

"Coca-Cola is old, rejecting new technology. New York food-grade plastic press conference site, location...", professional mooching.

"Food-grade plastic technology, the innovator of the new world, is at the New York Plastic Expo, location...", exaggerated publicity.

"God bless, the application of this plastic bottle exceeds imagination. Why wasn't it invented in the great America? Our universities need to reflect on their education!", reflective writing.

"America, please don't cry, who abandoned America...", sensationalism + exaggeration.

For several days in a row, these tabloid news were published in the local entertainment newspapers. The content was exaggerated, but it was very story-like and inspiring.

It whetted the appetite of the people of New York. They also sold the newspapers to the New York Stock Exchange, and some people in the financial industry began to pay attention. At the same time, they also spent some US dollars to create momentum and hype on Wall Street.

At this time, the American stock market was still in the recovery phase, and the stock prices of many companies were very low, which also made many American capitals holding a large number of stocks in urgent need of an opportunity to raise stock prices, and then recover their costs and sell. The birth of food-grade plastic bottles was a very good opportunity.

So the keen-nosed Wall Streeters began a new round of speculation.

……

Sein rented a press conference site in a conference hall near Wall Street, where Klose gave a speech and promotion.

Under the spotlight, Kross spoke eloquently, displaying impressive eloquence, using various attention-grabbing methods to showcase this plastic bottle, a truly food-grade plastic bottle.

"Everyone, look, this is a food-grade plastic bottle, using technology from Maria Chemical Plant in São Paulo, Brazil. This food-grade plastic is truly safe for human contact, non-toxic, harmless, very light and easy to use.", Kross unscrewed the cap, took a sip of the drink, then slammed the plastic bottle hard. Picking up the plastic bottle, it was intact, while the Coca-Cola glass bottle shattered with a crash. He unscrewed it again, took another sip, gulp, gulp, gulp, and finished it.

Then, he took a small scale to compare the weight of the plastic bottle and the glass bottle, and announced the data.

Strength tests, and various other tests, such as high-altitude drops, impacts, and the like, were all kinds of crazy, doing whatever it took to whip up the atmosphere of the people present. The written lines were also very unique, catchy, and easy to spread.

Kross, a German descendant, with the blessing of Saint Hecesse's lines, became a talk show actor, performing for a full three days.

From the initial distribution of tickets on the first day, with few people watching, to the scarcity of tickets on the third day, Kross's mood also went from low to high.

Now, the happiest thing for New Yorkers every day is to watch this Argentinian's performance. There were even film companies inviting Kross to make movies, but he refused.

So, on the fourth day of the press conference, small newspapers all over New York began to follow up with various reports. This was buying advertising space, and also giving away two bottles of Mirinda soda to everyone at the press conference. Anyway, even if they couldn't sell it, they had to do a wave of advertising first.

On the fifth day, this interesting news was well-received by the American people and began to spread on a larger scale. People were inquiring about this soda company, trying to buy Mirinda soda in plastic bottles, and the market popularity rose quickly, whetting their appetites.

Coca-Cola's new challenger, the Saint Maria food-grade plastic bottle from São Paulo, Brazil, and Mirinda soda - 《The Washington Post》

Glass bottles are vulnerable, plastic bottles are the real American future - 《The Wall Street Journal》

New material technology that even DuPont doesn't have, magical Brazilian plastic - 《The New York Daily》

……

Saint Hecesse also had a good understanding of himself, so the plastic raw material technology was priced very low. For 500,000 US dollars, you could obtain all the technology and sign a confidentiality agreement. The initial battle was a success. A total of 3 companies in the United States purchased this new technology from the Kross team, most of which were listed companies. Kross, according to Saint Hecesse's instructions, transferred 1.5 million US dollars to the Redwood Company account and invested it in the stock market.

Then, one of the three companies that purchased it was Pepsi Cola. The boss of Pepsi Cola was very optimistic about this technology, and Coca-Cola also paid some attention to it, taking a few bottles to develop and produce it themselves.

After all, it's just plastic raw material production technology, not worth 500,000 US dollars. Although Coca-Cola has a lot of funds, every penny belongs to the big capitalists. The current Coca-Cola is still immersed in the glory of being the world's number one, and is very arrogant, while Pepsi Cola is a new challenger.

With plastic products, reverse engineering is still very easy, maybe it only takes a few months and tens of thousands of dollars is enough.

Pepsi Cola announced the news on the New York Stock Exchange and carried out a round of hype. Their stock price rose very quickly. Pepsi Cola's stock price doubled in one day, tripled the next day! It continued to rise on the third day!

They still know how to play. Saint Hecesse smiled after receiving the news.

Then the entire Wall Street went crazy, the entire United States went crazy. No matter what company, as long as they had a little money, they started buying technology from the Kross team, and then the situation got out of control. Including Coca-Cola, they also started to get anxious. Their stock price fell by 19% in just over ten days, while their opponent Pepsi Cola rose by 10 times!

Kross called Saint Hecesse across the ocean to ask what to do. Of course, the choice was to lie down and win.

"Boss, did we sell it too cheaply? It seems like we're at a bit of a disadvantage," Kross's voice trembled slightly.

"It's okay, this is just a small attempt for our soda products to go to the world," Saint Hecesse didn't care much. It was just a small joke, invented decades in advance, it wouldn't have much impact, and he was satisfied with making a little money.

"Anyway, this technology will be cracked by these people sooner or later, so it's better to sell it for a good price in advance." He wasn't surprised at all about Argentina, which was as leaky as a sieve. It was better to make a small fortune and stop when he should, and this amount of money wasn't much, so it wouldn't attract too much attention.

It would also be beneficial for Saint Hecesse to import more industrial equipment from these countries in the later stage, opening up a way, and he also planned to provide this technology to General Electric and Siemens for free, in order to obtain several of the latest production lines.

"You should just eat when you should eat, and play when you should play," Saint Hecesse instructed.

Let them set up an office in New York, and at the same time carefully screen those who really want to buy, don't be cheated, and stop when they should. Berlin, Paris, and Moscow don't need to go anymore.

In the end, a total of 18 large companies and national groups signed authorizations, and this technology went to the whole world.

9 million US dollars, including large companies such as DuPont and Coca-Cola in the United States. Kross would sell as long as he received the money, regardless of anything else, very readily.

And there were six or seven others who purchased it secretly by countries and companies. The Soviet Union and Yugoslavia soda factories paid in cash, while others used some raw materials to offset it. Kross's generosity also won their friendship.

Saint Hecesse also gained a more important benefit by selling the plastic bottle raw material technology at such a low price, which was the right for the soda factory to be authorized to enter the beverage market of this country. This was an extra harvest.

Overall, this debut basically achieved Saint Hecesse's purpose, obtaining nearly 11 million US dollars in funds, which was enough for stable development for a year or two. Next was the stage of rapid expansion. Under Saint Hecesse's request, Kross started the buy, buy, buy mode.

The latest production equipment, mechanical instruments, biological laboratory equipment, and food production machines filled a large cargo ship, and the remaining small portion of the funds was invested in the New York stock market.

After Kross left the money he earned in the United States, the CIA finally lifted its surveillance of the Kross team. Most of the US dollar funds were converted into civilian production-type equipment and returned to the United States. The CIA believed that this Brazilian was very cooperative, so no one bothered Kross, and the CIA even warned others who tried to attack Kross.

The American capitalists were happy, the stock market rose, the inventory of mechanical equipment was sold, and the American people were also happy, earning a lot of money. Saint Hecesse was also happy, the soda factory was finally going to expand again, and various companies were also happy, the stock price rose, and plastic bottled soda made life richer, much better than fragile glass bottles, a win-win result.