Reinventing the Millennium

Fang Zhuo's Spring Festival was quite immersive.

Putting aside work matters for the time being, Fang Xiaoman became more childlike, and his sister Zhao Suqi's wedding was approaching, so the combination of festivals and family celebrations made it particularly lively.

Fang Zhuo regarded Qi Qi as his sister. Although he wanted to keep a low profile, he still consulted his sister's thoughts and relied on what she said. Zhao Suqi was also unwilling to show off.

It's just that Zhao Suqi's future father-in-law, Ji Jianping, is a restaurant chain in Suzhou, and he always hopes to be able to legitimately promote a relationship.

Fang Zhuo knew this very well. When the whole family was having New Year's Eve dinner together, he just listened with a smile and did not refute Ji Jianping's enthusiastic words.

It’s the Chinese New Year, and I’m even more happy than ever, so I don’t need to say this myself.

Two days later, secretary Liu Zonghong came forward and returned an extra New Year gift, claiming that it was tea and supplements that someone else had just given to the boss, and he borrowed flowers to offer to the Buddha and gave them to the elders.

Ji Jianping was indeed an elder in name, but he never regarded himself as such and treated his future daughter-in-law Zhao Suqi as his own. This time, he didn't feel that he was making excessive demands.

However, after he listened to Liu Zonghong, Mr. Fang's chief secretary, talk for a few words, his businessman's ears came into play and he knew what to do.

Liu Zonghong came here to say a few words that may not be so suitable, and he didn't want to make people feel bad. After all, he was no longer a stranger.

After making sure that this person understood what he meant, he smiled and said a few flattering words, and then said, "We don't understand much about what Mr. Ji does. Mr. Fang is busy on weekdays, but if there is any problem, Just call me and I can always find some friends.”

Liu Zonghong kept his words to himself.

Ji Jianping hesitated for a moment and did not speak immediately.

Seeing this, Liu Zonghong felt that something was really wrong. He immediately said: "Mr. Ji, if we don't say a few words to each other as a family, if you have something to say, just say it directly. Even if you don't say that it will be solved 100%, you can still give me some advice, right?" "

"Mr. Liu, it's not really anything specific. I've been running a catering chain for many years. In the past two years, I have been hesitating whether I should go out of Jiangsu Province and expand to the national market." Ji Jianping is very practical. Said, "I know my own capabilities, and I'm worried that it might not work if I expand my business. But when it comes to business, who doesn't want to grow bigger? I'm very hesitant now."

Ji Jianping's restaurant chain in Jiangsu Province is pretty good. In the past, he didn't have any idea of ​​​​growing on a large scale, but now... now and then, some thoughts of going public appear in his mind.

He knew that he and Mr. Fang were far apart in level. He had never mentioned it to Mr. Fang when they met, nor had he ever spoken to Zhao Suqi relying on his status as an elder. But now in front of Liu Zonghong...

Ji Jianping wasn't sure whether it was suitable or not, so he still said it.

Liu Zonghong listened to these words, and thoughts flashed in his mind. The boss is actually quite strict with the family. After he used the foundation to solve education and medical expenses very early, he stopped his name from being borrowed. As for suppression.

Now this CEO Ji...

"Mr. Ji, what I just said is the truth. We really know nothing about catering. So, since you have doubts about the development strategy, I will recommend two friends who are familiar with this industry to you, and you can communicate and decide." Liu Zonghong decided. I made up my mind and took out my mobile phone to push Yixin's business card.

Yike has never been involved in catering, and Mr. Fang has never talked about it.

Liu Zonghong didn't plan to make a special trip back to ask questions, and directly recommended people in the industry who came on different occasions.

Since Ji Jianping is engaged in catering, he is naturally familiar with the people in this circle.

When he saw the business card pushed to him on his mobile phone, he was immediately shocked. He still had this book in his study room. Qi Dawei from Qiding Catering in Shanghai wrote "The Power of Copy" and "Beyond McDonald's".

Ji Jianping didn't expect that the so-called "friends who are familiar with this industry" as mentioned by Secretary Liu were such celebrities. This was not familiarity, but... seniors.

He suppressed the sigh in his heart, but the smile on his face inevitably grew a little brighter, and finally talked about his thoughts again: "Thank you, Mr. Liu, hey, I just have doubts about this business, and I often hear 'keep it up' Progress', I don't know if we can still make progress."

Liu Zonghong listened to the purpose of his company and said with a smile: "Mr. Ji, don't rush, take your time, it will get better and better."

A small matter is easily solved.

When Liu Zonghong went back to see his boss, he really recalled it carefully and felt that he had never seen Mr. Fang pay attention to such a trivial matter in several years.

He got a brief "very good" evaluation from his boss.

"Time flies so fast. Sometimes, it is a luxury for people to live a stable life." Fang Zhuo had a sigh that others could not understand.

Liu Zonghong remained silent. He didn't need to understand more, just listened by the side.

"My mother asked me yesterday when I could retire. I said I couldn't retire. She said the earth would still turn around without me, and I would be able to do without Yike." Fang Zhuo's emotion was not over yet.

Liu Zonghong was shocked at this time and immediately said: "Mr. Fang, Yike cannot live without you, just like what Apple has become after Cook took over!"

"Cook is already very good. If Yike can have such a successor..." Fang Zhuo pondered for a while, and flashed through his mind several of Yike's current senior executives, and suddenly felt that he might not be as good as Cook. They are all gained through experience, and one’s vision and knowledge can also be increased after encountering things.

"Forget it, let's not talk about this. Anyway, we can't retreat in the past few years. I'm just waiting to receive a call from Dr. Liang when he informs me that 16nm has been completed, and then I will watch Yike's products kill everyone." Fang Zhuo became energetic.

There are risks in ice core process research and development, but there are also huge benefits.

According to what I know from Intel, their plan is to complete 14nm mass production in Q3 this year, which will still be faster than Taiwan Note. However, Intel does not manufacture external OEMs, and its competitiveness remains above its own chips.

Therefore, as long as Ice Core develops 16nm this time, Yike Mobile will not only lead in full-screen design, but will also establish its position with performance.

Even according to Fang Zhuo's estimation, Ice Core will soon face a blow once its 16nm process is released. However, such a process means that Ice Core has a two to three quarter lead, which can ensure that Yike Mobile Phones will still compete. force.

When the industry's manufacturing processes catch up, there is still room for improvement in performance using the 16nm HKMG process. Not only will it still be leading, at least it will not be far behind.

Bingxin's previous 32nm node was used in two generations of Yike's mobile phone products. The second generation products used HKMG to improve performance by 15%, which is not a bad performance.

The time it takes for other manufacturers to catch up + the time it takes to make up for their own craftsmanship + the time consumers can tolerate will give Yike more room for maneuver.

Therefore, 16nm is about the present and the future.

"I believe Dr. Liang's call will come soon." Liu Zonghong said in a determined tone.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, the mobile phone on the table actually rang.

Both of them were shocked at the same time. Fang Zhuo picked up the phone and saw that it was a call from Europe. It had nothing to do with the ice core manufacturing process, but related to Nikon-related matters.

After Xiong Xiaoge, a Chinese, publicly criticized Nikon for fraud, Nikon firmly denied the accusation, claiming that Xiong Xiaoge had bad intentions and had a sinister purpose behind it.

Xiong Xiaoge spoke out again, without any excuse or purpose, but directly pointed out whether Nikon's photolithography machines had fraud issues.

No matter how noisy you say, this is the most fundamental thing.

Immediately afterwards, Nikon still directly denied the fraud of the photolithography machine plan.

If it doesn't admit it, what else can it do?

What can Xiong Xiaoge do as a Chinese investor?

On the second day of the Lunar New Year in China, a new voice emerged in the matter. This time it came from Nikon's direct competitor ASML. Its vice president Gallia mentioned the fraud scandal in the industry on Twitter. From experience I think Nikon's plan is certainly not entirely true.

There may not be anyone in the world who has ASML’s more authoritative endorsement of EUV lithography machines. Gallia’s voice was promoted and reported by the media and soon appeared in the Japanese media.

"According to ASML's senior vice president Gallia's judgment, Nikon is likely to engage in fraud."

"Nikon introduced its EUV test machine EUV1 at different lithography conferences in two years from 2008 to 2010. However, today, three years later, EUV1 has no sound. It is planned to be suitable for large-scale applications below 32nm. There is no trace of large-scale mass-produced EUV lithography machines.”

"However, Nikon now wants to put aside the burden of the precision equipment business. It is difficult not to make people wonder whether it has stopped its research on paper from the beginning to the end."

"If we only count from 2008, it has been five years since Nikon's EUV lithography machine plan was launched. This time is enough for AMSL to send the EUV prototype to Samsung, Taiwan Journal, and Intel, but Nikon has only kept silent. "

"We had wanted to see Nikon go from 1 to 100, and the progress plan it showed us was like this, but maybe Nikon thought that going from 1 to 2 was also a big progress."

"We need further clarification from Nikon on whether there is an iteration from EUV1 to EUV2 to EUV3. This is not something that is difficult to prove."

Similar voices of doubt appeared in the Japanese media. Recently, the reputation of many companies has not been very good. Although Xiong Xiaoge definitely has bad intentions, it seems that flies cannot bite seamless eggs.

The Chinese investment in Nikon has obviously gone bankrupt. Returning to Nikon itself, is there something wrong internally?

Nikon spoke out three times, once again stating that it was innocent and that there was no such accusation as Xiong Xiaoge said, and also proposed the practice of questioning who must provide evidence.

Naturally, Xiong Xiaoge couldn't prove it, and in his opinion, it was impossible to prove it. As long as the military morale of Nikon's relevant team was shaken this time, the Singapore Advanced Optics Institute would provide a competitive salary.

With the authoritative judgment of ASML and the subsequent voice of the European Semiconductor Association, Japanese companies' already somewhat ambiguous background in counterfeiting will aggravate the industry's doubts about Nikon.

Xiong Xiaoge did not linger in Japan. His task of lighting the fuse was completed. He only accepted an interview when he finally left Tokyo.

"I am very disappointed with Nikon. I thought its precision equipment business was very competitive."

"Facts in the future will prove everything. Fraud cannot create actual competitiveness."

"Nikon is a Japanese company and it should be held accountable for its actions."

Xiong Xiaoge’s interview was very brief. He expressed his disappointment and then called it a day and returned home.

He couldn't do more, and he felt that no matter how he spoke, there would be no greater conflicts.

Even if Mr. Fang speaks out, what will happen? As long as Nikon refuses to comply, the matter will be no longer hot.

When Xiong Xiaoge's flight landed in Pudong, an equally authoritative industry insider in Europe also spoke out. Arnold, the head of IMEC, the Belgian Microelectronics Center, believed that according to the general experience in the industry, Nikon's EUV lithography machine research and development Apparently not much progress was made.

The Belgian Microelectronics Center has a strong reputation around the world, and Arnold is also a senior advisor to the Global Semiconductor Industry Research Association - a non-profit organization sponsored by Fangzhuo.

Nikon was still quite tough in the face of Arnold's evaluation. It did not mention the progress of its own EUV research and development, but only accused Arnold of not being a good person. He mentioned the past when Nikon was invited by Intel to join the EUV LLC alliance but failed to enter. , Arnold’s role was also disgraceful.

The EUV LLC alliance was led by Intel and American Energy b to verify the feasibility of EUV lithography machines. It has extensive cooperation and strong R\u0026D capabilities.

ASML's current success is inseparable from it. If Nikon had also joined, the EUV competition situation would obviously be different.

Arnold, who lives in Belgium, was naturally not afraid of a outdated Japanese equipment manufacturer and directly started a verbal spat with Nikon executives who spoke out.

"Arnold is quite... quite a paid person." After meeting Mr. Fang, Xiong Xiaoge mentioned another person who jumped out.

"Nikon has problems to begin with, and he has the confidence to speak." Fang Zhuo also did not deny the fact of "taking money to do things."

"But we have no better way to deal with Nikon." Xiong Xiaoge hesitated, "I don't know how many people can be poached in Singapore."

Fang Zhuo nodded: "Indeed, there is only a very little that can be done."

Xiong Xiaoge assessed the situation and stopped in Shencheng for another day before planning to fly back to the capital. But just as he was about to leave, he suddenly received breaking news.

Japan's Tokyo Prefectural Prosecutor's Office launched a special operation to target the counterfeiting practices of Japanese companies, and successively arrested executives from many companies including Toyota, Nikon, and Citizen.

Xiong Xiaoge was inexplicably surprised at the so-called "special operation" that appeared at this time...

He immediately went straight to Mr. Fang's big villa and asked about the situation face to face.

"It's a good thing. The Tokyo District Prosecutor's Office is willing to clear up the source. This is a legitimate behavior that is conducive to the long-term development of Japanese companies." Fang Zhuo just said with a smile.

"You..." Xiong Xiaoge couldn't quite figure out how such a crude method could exist, and how it could be connected there, but he thought about it for a while and did not ask. Instead, he talked about the effect, "This pair of high-ranking officials No matter what the investigation can reveal? He is not corrupt or bribery, so even if he denies it, it will not be a good breakthrough."

The person arrested at Nikon was Akihiro Ono, the vice president he knew.

Fang Zhuo asked quietly: "How do you know he didn't take the money? How could he help you divest your business if he didn't take the money?"

Xiong Xiaoge was stunned at first and then shocked. The credit...his own credit was taken away in the blink of an eye...(End of Chapter)