Chapter 188

It is said to be an investment of 1 billion, but it is impossible to really use it all on R&D. The early stage is mainly to invest in factories, R&D centers, various lighter component supporting facilities, etc.

But it does not prevent Li Dongling from saying this to express his determination to develop constant flow valve lighter technology.

On this technology, Li Dongling is really sparing no expense. No matter how much R&D funding is invested, he is willing to develop it. This is the only opportunity for domestic lighters to lead foreign lighters in technology!

With this technology, basically foreign lighter brands can only rely on feelings, as well as so-called historical background and "Bigger" to talk about things. There is no longer any suppression of the Torch Group in technology.

Hearing Li Dongling's words, Zhang Xiaocheng and Zhou Wenyang clearly knew that Li Dongling's determination for this technology was to spare no cost to get it out.

"Old Zhou, rest assured and develop it. No matter how much is invested, we will fight for it!"

Zhang Xiaocheng's ruthless energy also came up at this time. Li Dongling dared to gamble, so what did he not dare to gamble on?

From the Shangguan Town Yuanqi Factory to the current Torch Group, Zhang Xiaocheng also came all the way by going all-in. He dared to gamble when he had nothing and owed a debt. It makes no sense that he has funds and an R&D team now, but he is afraid instead!

More importantly, Zhang Xiaocheng believes in Li Dongling. The Shangguan Town Yuanqi Factory was heavily in debt and stopped production before, but it was brought back to life by Li Dongling. Now it is the turn of the Torch Group. Zhang Xiaocheng believes in Li Dongling even more than he believes in himself!

Li Dongling and Zhang Xiaocheng both expressed their stance. What else did Zhou Wenyang have to worry about? He gritted his teeth and said, "I will definitely get the constant flow valve lighter technology out!"

"Don't worry about the funds. As long as the technology can be developed before the production base is built, no matter how much is invested, it is worth it!" Li Dongling said to Zhou Wenyang.

After coming out of the laboratory, Li Dongling could see a large construction site outside. After it is built, tens of thousands of employees will pour in here, working and resting here every day, and tens of billions of lighters will appear here to every corner of the world every year. By that day, Li Dongling doesn't know what scene this place will become!

Zhang Xiaocheng, standing beside Li Dongling, also looked at the scene in front of him, watching a town turn into a district because of a company, and the entire district's industry revolves around a company. That feeling is really hard to describe in words.

It can be thought that in the future, the Shangguan Economic Development Zone will basically revolve around the Torch Group. Lighter component manufacturers will move into the Torch Lighter Industrial Park, and the residents of Shangguan District will also make a living around the Torch Group.

"As long as results can be developed, all efforts will be sufficiently rewarded!"

Li Dongling turned to look at Zhang Xiaocheng and deliberated before saying to him, "If you prosper because of it, you will definitely decline because of it." The Shangguan Economic Development Zone and the Torch Group have already been bound together. If the Torch Group prospers, the Shangguan Economic Development Zone will also be prosperous. If the Torch Group stumbles one day, the Shangguan Economic Development Zone will definitely fall into the quagmire. This is something that cannot be helped.

Li Dongling also had to consider the future situation of the Torch Group. "If the Torch Group's technology can be successfully developed and the lighter industry can be developed, the Torch Group can also enter other industries, such as electronic cigarettes, gas stoves, bathroom products, etc.!"

The lighter industry may need tens of thousands of employees in the early stage, but in the later stage, with large-scale automated production and the need to reduce costs, fewer and fewer employees will be needed. Where will those employees go after working at the Torch Group for ten or twenty years?!

You can't really learn from some companies and let those middle-aged employees "graduate," but actually let them fend for themselves, right? What can a middle-aged person do?!

It is certainly necessary to find a new way out for them. The Torch Group was created under Li Dongling's banner, and Li Dongling cannot do things like driving people away halfway. This requires Li Dongling to find new industries for the Torch Group, which can allow the Torch Group to transform and transfer personnel not needed by the lighter industry to other industries.

Electronic cigarettes are still in the desert era. Although they were invented in the 1920s, they have not entered the sight of mainstream smokers.

It wasn't until eight years later that a domestic pharmacist invented a new generation of electronic cigarettes. The original intention of inventing any product is not to harm users, and electronic cigarettes are the same.

The original intention of inventing electronic cigarettes was to make people quit smoking. That's right, using this thing to replace nicotine to make people quit smoking. This thing is a typical export-to-domestic sale. After it emerged in China for a few years, it was banned and attacked for various reasons.

But after it spread overseas, it set off a whirlwind, sweeping America and Europe, and became an industry with an annual output value of $20 billion in America.

Electronic cigarettes are very controversial in China, but in overseas markets, since they appeared, this industry has been galloping wildly, growing at an astonishing speed. From birth to global output value, it took less than ten or twenty years to exceed $38 billion...

If the lighter industry can keep the Torch Group alive, then relying on the electronic cigarette industry, the Torch Group has a chance to become a giant company.

Of course, for this industry, the Torch Group must be facing the overseas market and will not engage in it domestically. It needs to cooperate with local snakes in America and Europe, otherwise, it cannot be engaged at all. But even if you give up part of the profit, it is enough for the Torch Group's revenue and profit to usher in explosive growth.

Lighters, electronic cigarettes, plus gas stoves, bathroom products, and other industries—what kind of existence the Torch Group can become in the future, Li Dongling also dare not speculate, but... living on and providing a large number of jobs is definitely not a problem.

If you can still lose money and can't survive while holding these golden-egg-laying chickens, then Li Dongling should really consider whether there is something wrong with the Torch Group's feng shui, and Li Dongling also needs to take action to blood-wash the entire Torch Group management!

Hearing Li Dongling's words, Zhang Xiaocheng was stunned. He didn't expect that Li Dongling had already made plans for the Torch Group.

Although he didn't know what kind of industry electronic cigarettes were, looking at Li Dongling's cautious expression, he could also feel that this industry was probably not that simple.

"Electronic cigarettes, gas stoves, bathroom products, and other products are all things that the Torch Group needs to consider in the future. After the lighter industry stabilizes, start developing these products. In addition, the project must be kept secret, otherwise, if it spreads out and is taken by other companies, it will make the Torch Group very passive!" Li Dongling gave Zhang Xiaocheng a word.

Zhang Xiaocheng nodded vigorously when he heard this. He absolutely believed in Li Dongling's words, and he would never forget what Li Dongling had explained.

After staying at the Torch Group for a long time, Li Dongling left. Although the focus of Li Dongling's establishment of Feiyan Technology and the Torch Group is not the same, these two companies now involve countless employees and their families, so Li Dongling has to be cautious!

"Immediately ask the consulting company in Japan to investigate the situation of Wan Dai Company in Japan clearly!"

After returning to Dongling Gao Ke, Li Dongling immediately found Ren Yuefeng and Hu Zixian and directly proposed to inquire about Wan Dai's situation.

Ren Yuefeng and Hu Zixian looked at each other, and both immediately heard the subtext of Li Dongling's words. This was clearly an interest in Wan Dai Company.

"Mr. Li, are you going to take action against Wan Dai?!" Ren Yuefeng asked Li Dongling in a deep voice.

I remember that when Wan Dai in Japan came to Dongling Gao Ke last year, it was aggressive. Who could have imagined that in such a short time, the offensive and defensive positions have changed? Li Dongling actually started to inquire about Wan Dai's situation.

Li Dongling laughed and said, "Why not?!"

"If Wan Dai is at the time of collapse, then for Dongling Gao Ke, it is an opportunity. Why can't we take action?!"

(End of chapter)