Chapter 81 Investors in the Steel Plant 2

As for the third, they were attracted by the large number of ships owned by these two companies. Every year, several of their ships exceed their service life and are decommissioned. The scrap steel removed from the broken ships is also an important raw material for the steel mill planned by Constantine.

Fourth, these two companies have been immersed in the marine transportation industry for many years. Compared with others, they are more likely to get news about scrapped ships. After all, it is not easy for outsiders to find out such news. After all, scrapped ships are not often encountered.

As for why these two companies responded positively after receiving Constantine's invitation and immediately sent personnel to negotiate, the reason is also easy to understand.

For energy-intensive companies like steel mills, the coal consumed is calculated in tons, not to mention the iron ore used.

Greece itself does not have coal and iron ore for steelmaking, and the raw materials of steel mills need to be imported. This is a well-known fact.

For marine transportation practitioners like them, even if they do not plan to invest in Greek steel mills after field investigation, this transportation business is also a business that makes them excited.

After all, tens of thousands of tons of goods transported every year is a lucrative business.

Hearing Constantine's question, the pot-bellied Laris of the two replied: "Your Excellency the Duke, as far as we know, Greece itself has no industry. Even if our two companies are willing to invest in steel mills, what is the use of the smelted steel?"

So far, Greece is an agricultural country, and all kinds of industrial products are basically imported. The steel from the steel mill has nowhere to use.

"Mr. Laris, I don't think this is a problem"

"Let alone the supply of the Greek army, the production capacity of this steel mill may be in short supply"

"There is no doubt that the Greek army will be an important customer of this steel mill in the future"

Constantine hinted that this steel mill will engage in the business of weapons production.

"But so far, as far as we know, the weapons of the Greek army, whether it is guns, ammunition, or cannons, are all imported from Western European countries," asked Rodokanas.

Hearing Constantine mention military use, the two were actually excited.

There is no other reason, it is really that the profit of arms suppliers is really lucrative, and engaging in arms production is really promising.

For example, the famous arms supplier in Europe, the Krupp family, was a goal that the European business families at that time looked up to.

People mentioned this family just like people mentioned the world's richest man Bill Gates in later generations.

Since the Franco-Prussian War, the Krupp family has become a famous arms supplier with its excellent cannons.

In the Franco-Prussian War, the breech-loading cannons provided by the Krupp family had all major performances that surpassed the muzzle-loading cannons commonly equipped by the French army.

The Prussian army had more than 500 cannons, nearly 1/3 more than the French army. Secondly, the French army's muzzle-loading guns had a very slow firing rate, only one round every two minutes. The most important thing was that the maximum range of the French 12-pound cannon was only 1,400 meters, while the Prussian army's 6-pound Krupp cannon had a maximum range of 3,400 meters. After the one-sided bombardment, the Prussian soldiers even thought that they no longer needed to reload their guns because the cannons had done all the work for them.

After this battle, Krupp's cannons became famous for their feat of trampling the French army underfoot, and armies from various countries rushed to buy Krupp's cannons.

You know, the Krupp company originally located in Essen was just an inconspicuous blacksmith shop, doing some inconspicuous small businesses. When it was passed to the hands of old Krupp (the person who carried forward the Krupp company), it was just a few huts.

In just a few decades, it became famous all over the world.

The princes and nobles of various countries were all guests of honor of the Krupp family. For example, the Russian Tsar Alexander had a close relationship with the Krupp family. The first submarine of the Krupp family was also sold to the Russians.

It can be said that the Krupp family not only gained endless wealth with its own products, but also gained great power.

Li Hongzhang, the Minister of Westernization in the late Qing Dynasty, also had a special liking for Krupp cannons and bought Krupp cannons many times.

Facing the general managers of Westernization enterprises, Li Hongzhang had repeatedly mentioned this company that started with three huts, implying that he hoped they would become China's Krupp.

In fact, the Chinese transliteration of the name Krupp is quite interesting. Combined with the historical background, let's take a closer look at the meaning of the three words Krupp.

It can be said that at the end of the 19th century, all business families mentioned the Krupp family, and there was no one who did not envy them.

Although the Laris family and the Rodokansky family have a large number of "friends" in Russia and Britain due to their shipping business, they are nothing compared to big families like the Krupp family.

"But now it's different. As you know, Prime Minister Trikoupis went to Western Europe some time ago to seek loans to build transportation in Greece and support the development of industry and commerce in Greece. It is clear that the industry and commerce in Greece will enter a period of rapid development."

Seeing that the two men seemed to be still hesitant, Constantine had to continue to increase the stakes.

"Therefore, you don't have to worry about the profitability of this steel plant."

"First of all, the scale of this steel plant is not large. In the early stage, it only produced tens of thousands of tons per year."

"Secondly, the steel produced by this steel plant, regardless of other market demands, will give priority to meeting the needs of the Greek army for gun steel."

After this period of military experience, Constantine found it intolerable that almost all military weapons relied on imports.

The high price of imported weapons has greatly affected the normal training of the army.

A large amount of currency was used to purchase imported weapons, and the arms trade became an important factor in Greece's trade deficit.

From the beginning, Constantine hoped that this steel plant could produce steel for guns and free the Greek army from dependence on foreign weapons.

Now in order to attract investors, Constantine first launched this plan.

Sure enough, both of them were very excited when they heard Constantine's plan for the steel plant.

Engaging in the business of arms production not only provides huge profits, but also provides a social status that cannot be obtained by engaging in the transportation industry.

Due to the particularity of weapons production, in fact, weapons suppliers in various countries have close contacts with political figures in the authorities, even officers in the military.

It can be said that as long as you gain a firm foothold in the weapons production industry, you will naturally take root deeply in the upper class society of the country where you live.

Now, Constantine opened a door to the upper class for them, something they could not afford by engaging in the highly competitive maritime industry.