Reinventing the Millennium

The ice core equipment procurement and technology introduction approvals have been stuck in the national defense department for a week, and there is an opportunity for change.

Not only Fang Zhuo did not expect, but Smith of Goldman Sachs also did not expect Deyi to appear at this juncture.

That night, on the one hand, the ice core purchasing team conducted an intensive evaluation of TI's conditions. On the other hand, Smith also immediately looked for resources to negotiate with TI.

I didn't know that Deyi could solve this dilemma before, so now I naturally try my best to find bargaining chips to impress the other party.

At the same time, Fang Zhuo was also considering something that Deyi paid special attention to - Huaxia TV Company's rear-projection TV technology line-up.

Deyi's visit was very hasty, but regardless of the Chinese deputy director's exploration of the closure of the Chinese DLP laboratory or the goodwill he showed when he agreed, Fang Zhuo made a judgment with high expectations in his heart.

Deyi is serious, Deyi has its own way.

On the morning of July 13, Smith and Fang Zhuo went to the National Defense Office to submit the application.

This time, I was still facing Henry, the office director.

In less than ten minutes, Henry, with a straight face, said that he had accepted the application from the ice core.

Neither Fang Zhuo nor Smith asked about the reason for the different processing procedures before and after, but only asked when the results would be available.

Henry said with a serious face: "Now we are just accepting your application. The final review requires departmental research."

"When will the hearing be held?" Smith asked again.

"We don't know yet whether there will be a hearing." Henry replied, and then said, "Waiting for notification."

Fang Zhuo and Smith left the National Defense Office.

No matter what, the application for the ice core was submitted.

Smith felt a little excited. He felt that the progress of this work was finally making progress, and he also felt that the ice core bonus was about to fall into his pocket.

He thought about the contact with Deyi for a while, then turned his head and suddenly saw that Mr. Fang was silent.

"Mr. Fang, what are you thinking about?"

"Oh, it's nothing, I'm just happy." Fang Zhuo smiled slightly, "If I can submit it, at least we can talk about it, unlike before."

Smith nodded: "Yes."

Fang Zhuo got into the passenger seat and put aside a thought that suddenly popped up in his mind. Henry was so stubborn and determined to reject the ice core application. Could it be someone from Deyi who was causing trouble?

Of course, this is just a simple assumption and will not have any adverse effects.

Judging from TI's visit, their conditions are also a combination of multiple departments. The second-hand equipment of the wafer factory production line and the DLP technology route are obviously two fields.

Judging from the current situation, it is basically Deyi who first explored the changes in the Chinese market, then discovered the important factors in Changhong's turn, and finally found out what this factor was busy with.

As for whether there is a small game that follows the trend, it doesn't matter.

Just like scheming against Changhong himself, when he holds the lifeblood of Changhong's overseas products in his hands, for Ni Runfeng, whether the scheming is calculated or not is no longer important, what matters is the next handling.

In the afternoon, Fang Zhuo urgently contacted the domestic ice core again to confirm the changes in equipment and technology, which ones could be replaced and which ones could not be compromised.

Currently, the Belgian Microelectronics Research Center contacted by Ice Core wants to introduce 130nm process technology.

Speaking of which, Fang Zhuo first learned about the process numbers when TSMC won the 130nm copper process battle last year, defeating Intel. But in the blink of an eye this year, TSMC is already developing 90nm 12-inch wafer products.

According to reliable sources, in the fourth quarter of this year, TSMC’s 90nm monthly production will be able to increase to a reliable thousands of wafers.

Then, next year we will definitely increase production capacity significantly and occupy the market.

Moreover, according to Qiu Ciyun's estimation, TSMC has broken through the shackles and the next step of advanced process development is smooth. It is likely to increase the production of 90nm process products next year and trial-produce 65nm products.

This is quite scary!

If Ice Core debugs smoothly and regardless of product yield, it is expected to ship 130nm process wafers by the end of the year. However, this product, which was a first-class technology last year, may be more than two generations behind when it comes off the production line.

By next year, 2005, Ice Core will have stable production capacity of 130nm wafers, and TSMC may have to increase its 65nm production capacity.

The competition in this process also needs to consider the product yield rate. It can be said that the space for catching up and competing is quite huge.

But it’s better to have some pursuit than not to be able to start at all.

If national defense is always stuck in approval, Bingxin won’t even be able to pursue it.

Moreover, the further the technology advances, the longer it takes to break through. This is an opportunity for latecomers to gradually close the distance.

In the evening, the Bingxin team urgently determined a procurement plan that could be negotiated with TI, involving an amount of about US$150 million. This eliminated the two equipment manufacturers that were originally scheduled and almost reached an agreement.

In addition, there are also some patent licensing and production line solutions, with an amount of about 10 million US dollars.

This is the acceptable range for Ice Core. As for what kind of negotiation with Deyi can be achieved, it depends on the specific contact.

Qiu Ciyun has urgently led a team to fly from China to Washington to fully preside over this cooperation negotiation.

Even later, Fang Zhuo had another conversation with Sun Zhizhou, deputy director of Deyi.

With TI's efforts to get ice core approval started, the attitude of both parties during the call was more direct than yesterday.

As expected by Fang Zhuo, Sun Zhizhou focused on Deyi's DLP technology.

Compared with yesterday, the deputy director disclosed the situation in more detail. The technical dispute between Texas Instruments and Epson is going crazy. The technical confrontation between the DLP Alliance and the 3LCD Alliance has spread far and wide.

As the maker of the technical roadmap, Deyi was equivalent to the leader of the alliance, but the number of his subordinates was smaller than that of his opponents, and he was suddenly abandoned by Chinese manufacturers, which made him very annoyed.

The DLP technology obviously has better imaging effects than 3LCD, but its momentum is just not as good as its counterpart.

Especially in emerging markets, 3LCD has wider coverage.

Deyi was very unconvinced by this and wanted to have a fight with the opponent. The technology exhibition in Shanghai, China at the end of the year was a brand display site in Asia.

"Mr. Sun, it's okay to help. It's all easy to say."

Fang Zhuo received Deyi's kindness this morning. Even though the other party on the other end of the phone couldn't see him, he still had a smile on his face: "We have to sit down and talk about equipment and technology slowly. We can't rush this. But, you said This DLP, I said hello to Mr. Ni from Changhong yesterday, and the laboratory will be restarted soon."

"I can speak to Chinese manufacturers, as well as Haier, Hisense, TCL, Konka, and Skyworth, but their corporate decisions still depend on whether the technology is good or not. It cannot be decided just because of a few words from an outsider like me."

"Mr. Sun, if you, Deyi, insist that I force the TV company to develop DLP technology, that is simply forcing someone to do something difficult, and I really can't do it."

What Fang Zhuo mentioned in his words was technical standards, as if the product market would be successful as long as the technology was good.

However, Sun Zhizhou said confidently: "Don't worry, Mr. Fang, our DLP technology is definitely stronger than 3LCD. We believe that companies will realize the good development prospects brought about by their decisions."

Fang Zhuo said nothing more.

Business competition is always mixed with a variety of factors. DLP's rear-projection TV is positioned as a high-end product. No matter what kind of market there is in the United States and Europe, it is destined to be ignored if it is brought to China's emerging markets.

Will TI make such an assessment?

It should, but it definitely has the confidence of a big manufacturer and believes that it can educate the market with its technological advantages.

Such a decision-making path is not uncommon and is similar to the thinking of teaching players to play games.

…

Chairman Bingxin actively contacted favorable factors in Washington, trying to get the company to pass the final department's approval.

Qiu Ciyun, vice president of Bingxin, ordered his troops and quickly flew abroad to evaluate the equipment and patents on site.

Almost at the same time, news came back that Fang Zhuo needed help from domestic friends.

Bingxin needs help, but the way of help is the decision-making tendency of TV companies. This is somewhat confusing, but the request from Fang Zhuo is like this, then... do it.

There are many domestic TV brands. If divided according to market share in the past two years, TCL, Skyworth, and Konka are in the first tier, Changhong is the first tier leader and has fallen to 1.5 tier, and Hisense and Haier are in the second tier.

At the same time, foreign brands that were knocked out of the domestic market by price wars in the past few years have made a comeback and began to vigorously capture the market with LCD TVs.

Changhong, which has been the leader in the industry for a long time, has shown signs of decline and its share has declined, but its series of actions this year to reorganize overseas channels, stabilize corporate management rights, move out of Sichuan and Anhui to acquire Meiling, and fully shift to LCD technology are still particularly attractive. People pay attention.

Overnight, Changhong, which was in decline, seemed to be bursting with vitality.

Among them, rumors about a certain mainland's richest man are also spreading in the television industry.

Some people believe it, some people don't.

This time, Fang Zhuo, who was overseas, needed friends to support him, and those who believed in him made a decision quickly.

There are two companies involved in the TV business in Qindao, Haier and Hisense. The former was also mentioned in last year's turmoil, but its response was very low-key. Unlike another company that jumped out of business, Haier soon disappeared. mentioned again.

However, it could not help but pay attention to the subsequent development of the situation and witnessed a series of measures taken by Mr. Fang. When Changhong began to change, almost as soon as the rumors reached Haier Zhang Ruimin's ears, he immediately believed it.

Haier's main business is white goods. In 1997, it started to enter the TV business. In the past two years, it has gradually gained a good momentum.

Regarding the technology of this rear-projection TV, Zhang Ruimin actually hadn't made a decision yet. This time he received a personal call from Mr. Fang. Considering that it was just a casual job, he agreed immediately and made a friend.

As for Hisense, which is in the same city, its position is easier.

Hisense is a state-owned enterprise. When the state-owned assets department said hello and there was a personal call from the richest man, Mr. Fang, Hisense agreed to set up a DLP laboratory with Texas Instruments and will also attend the International Audio-Visual Integrated Equipment and Technology Conference in Shanghai at the end of the year. Technology Exhibition.

The two second-tier TV brands in Qindao went very smoothly, were very considerate and willing to help.

Of course, as a small condition, Changhong will give up the competition for Hisense's acquisition of Kelon's shares. The latter's shares are still held by Gu Zoujun, who jumped in. Recently, there has been mention of corporate share disposal.

At this point, if nothing unexpected happens, Changhong will get the shares of Meiling, and Hisense will also get the shares of Kelon.

This was nothing to Changhong, who wholeheartedly embraced LCD technology, and Ni Runfeng accepted it calmly.

Hisense, Haier, and Changhong, these three companies can easily become Mr. Fang's help. The other three first-tier brands have a little more difficulty, and some are not willing to help.

Huang Hongsheng, the head of Skyworth, Chen Weirong, the head of Konka, and Li Dongsheng, the head of TCL, are known as the Three Musketeers of South China Home Appliances, each with their own personalities.

Among them, Mr. Huang from Skyworth is quite adventurous, Mr. Chen from Konka is stubborn, and Mr. Li from TCL is more diplomatic.

All three of them received a call from Ni Runfeng and briefly understood what was going on.

Soon, the three of them received a personal call from Fang Zhuo and heard the mainland's richest man's rather low-profile words for making friends.

Konka's Chen Weirong has a stubborn personality and is extremely sensitive to industry trends. He has already seen Changhong's actions and has become more vigilant. First, he has ended the DLP laboratory cooperation with TI, and secondly, he is also considering the development momentum of plasma technology.

Therefore, he is reluctant to restart the DLP Technology Laboratory.

Fang Zhuo didn't say anything on the phone, but still thanked him.

But the next day, Chen Weirong suddenly received an invitation from the leaders of Anhui Province, hoping to give face to this stubborn swordsman.

At this moment, Chen Weirong hesitated.

Konka has built a home appliance base in Anhui Province and has great ambitions. It wants to build the largest high-definition color TV production base in the Yangtze River Delta, so it will have to deal with leaders a lot. In addition, it is also considering continuing to negotiate a white goods industrial park in Chuzhou, Anhui Province.

Um……

The stubborn Chen Weirong met the leader, and the two sides had a pleasant exchange. He took the initiative to call Fang Zhuo that night and talked about the Shanghai Technology Exhibition at the end of the year, saying that he would talk to Deyi again.

Fang Zhuo was naturally very grateful for this and marked a new friend.

Compared with Chen Weirong, Li Dongsheng, who has a smooth personality, does not need to make a second phone call, nor does he show his aversion to outsiders interfering in his own company's decision-making. Anyway, it is just a laboratory, making gestures, playing with samples, and doing things like being on the wall is very good. deal with.

In his opinion, it is worthwhile to have a friend like Mr. Fang.

Fang Zhuo was naturally very grateful for this and marked a new friend.

Skyworth Huang Hongsheng, the last of the Three Musketeers, also received a call from Fang Zhuo.

However, he directly rejected the other party's request on the phone.

Huang Hongsheng lives in Xiangjiang, where his company is also listed. He first took a call from Ni Runfeng and then from Fang Zhuo.

He had heard some rumors about the richest man in the Mainland, and had always disagreed with the exaggerated parts. What made the Li family look down on his face in Shanghai, and what encouraged Changhong's strategic shift.

People nowadays dare to speak out if they have a certain effect.

As a successful and adventurous entrepreneur, Huang Hongsheng feels that Fang Zhuo has just caught up with the trend of the times and may not be better than himself.

Just this year, he also entered real estate and jointly built a 2 billion yuan joint venture with the owner of Hongzhou Real Estate to build "Times Coast", the largest real estate project in Qiong Province.

Huang Hongsheng feels that in a few years, the Forbes rich list will not be sure who will top the list.

"Mr. Fang, I'm sorry. It's not that I don't help. It's true that corporate decisions must be made scientifically, and I can't have the final say alone."

Huang Hongsheng refused more firmly, and even though Fang Zhuo called three times, his attitude did not change.

Fang Zhuo was naturally very touched by this... Oh no, Fang Zhuo wasn't angry about it either. It was okay if he didn't want to help. It wasn't a big deal if he didn't tag any new friends.

He is not a petty person, nor is he the kind of person who would want to leave even after offending the abbot.

It doesn't matter, it's enough to gather the help of most domestic TV companies.

Tomorrow I will update the 4,000 votes from last month...I never got around to it.

It has reached 3,000 this month, and there will be an update early next month.