Rebirth 08: Equipment God

Chapter 411 Returning Home (Bonus Chapter 2 to Pay Off Debts)

A huge circular building complex surrounds a central green space resembling a forest park, and consists of three concentric circles, each in a deep gray and navy blue color scheme, like a sapphire.

The three concentric circles are labeled Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 respectively. Structurally, it is not difficult to see that the size of Phase 1 is relatively normal, but the latter two rings gradually become exaggerated. Considering that there are open spaces between the rings to maintain sunlight, if all of them are completed, it will probably resemble a small town.

Although this is just a concept drawing, the designers also considered actual construction issues, rather than simply pursuing a showy presentation. For example, the buildings in the second and third phases are not a unified whole, but rather connected at discontinuous points. This leaves room for road traffic while also significantly reducing costs. The actual structure is closer to a variant of the "decagon".

It resembles the geometric shape of an unfolded umbrella, or you could say it looks like a gear.

This also brings a different change to the overall style, highlighting the beauty of geometry and technology.

As for the upside-down tree in the central green space, it is not so conspicuous due to the scale.

Lu Tao spent ten minutes explaining the design concept of the new headquarters and the significance of some structural designs, which excited everyone.

Although their current research institute is already a dream-like working environment for them, it pales in comparison to what they are seeing now.

It's like the contrast between a nicely furnished apartment and an elegant manor.

After Lu Tao came down, Zhai Da sighed and said, "Although the relocation is troublesome, it is the most cost-effective decision to make this decision now due to the needs of development and the planning for the next ten years or even longer."

Standing nearly 1.9 meters tall, the stunningly beautiful Wang Qianyu raised her hand and asked, "President, where will the new research institute be located?"

Zhai Da pondered for a moment and said, "This leads to the third matter, which is the construction and mass production of the silicon carbide project. Let me say this first, it not only concerns the members of 'π', but also the employees of other research institutes. I will solicit opinions from everyone more broadly afterward."

"Because this involves everyone's life, I need to start from the beginning. Do you all know where Nokia's headquarters are?"

Wang Qianyu immediately replied, "Finland."

"Be specific?"

This question is clearly not easy to answer.

Nokia, currently ranked among the top ten global giants, is the most valuable company in Europe and the leading telecommunications and electronics company, surpassing a generation of technology giants. Its headquarters are located in Espoo, a town in Finland.

It's called a town because its permanent population is only around 25.

Of course, this is also related to Finland's small population, but there are other similar examples.

Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, a city with a population of 7.

Apple's headquarters are located in Cupertino, California, a city with a population of 5.

Samsung's headquarters are located in Suwon, South Korea, a city with a population of 120 million.

Many large companies tend to choose to be located in smaller places, partly because they were there when they first started, but they haven't moved even after they've grown up.

But that doesn’t stop them from becoming globally renowned companies and attracting talent from all over the world.

Admittedly, there are many differences in customs between Eastern and Western societies. For example, Americans are fine as long as they can drive there; they genuinely believe that driving an hour or two to work is perfectly normal.

But they also have some things in common.

Firstly, land costs in smaller places are only one-third or even less than in large cities, and there is ample space for planning and development.

Secondly, local giants are more likely to gain attention and autonomy, avoiding the need to expend energy vying for complex urban resources. They can obtain full support from the local community, have a detached presence, and are more proactive in dealing with administrative forces.

However, the reason why the West can do this is largely because the infrastructure is terrible everywhere. Living in a small town in the countryside is probably much more comfortable than living in a big city. Only the poor are crammed into apartment buildings.

But for China, people still prefer the convenience and speed of big cities, and enjoy the best infrastructure and medical conditions.

"I will not arbitrarily tell you 'I must go to a certain place,' but will make decisions based on the resource endowment and policy conditions of each place, but there are generally three possibilities."

Zhai Da extended a finger, then subconsciously looked at Wu Yue.

Wu Yue has probably become desensitized to this. Especially after watching "The Severed Finger," Zhai Da was also somewhat disappointed with this joke.

Perhaps it's time to find a new meme: "Cricket Wu and Yue".

"Firstly, Shanghai is where the domestic semiconductor companies are most concentrated. It has a lot of supporting industries, a large number of prestigious universities, and a large number of talents. It is an international metropolis. The downside is that resources are concentrated in Shanghai and it has to compete with many semiconductor companies. Moreover, the cost is the highest in the country, whether it is land cost or construction cost. In fact, only a few large factories will choose to be located in Shanghai. Being thrown into Pudong, a desolate place, is not much different from being in the countryside."

"Secondly, Shenzhen has similar advantages to Shanghai, but also disadvantages. Relatively speaking, it receives more policy support, but I don't know much about that city; I only know what I've heard."

"Thirdly, Sichuan and Chongqing, or more precisely, Chengdu and Chongqing. The advantage is that they are responding to the national Western Development Strategy and transferring high-end industrial chains to the inland areas. They also have abundant hydropower resources, which are highly valued by the semiconductor industry. The disadvantage is that the industrial endowment of the two places is not strong, at least much worse than the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta, and there are not many high-tech industrial workers."

"The Sichuan-Chongqing earthquake zone is unfavorable for precision equipment, but the northwest is also short of water resources. Semiconductors require a huge amount of water, which is probably why many companies do not choose to go there. However, if we cooperate with geological surveys and explorations, we may be able to find a suitable place, but it will be very troublesome."

The three fingers were retracted, and Wu Yue, who hadn't reacted, looked over.

They seemed to have noticed Zhai Da's hesitation.

Lu Wei also turned her head, seemingly to encourage Zhai Da.

Zhai Da sighed: "Actually, there is a fourth option. Let me make it clear, this one is partly due to personal reasons."

Everyone pricked up their ears.

This time, Zhai Da didn't count on his fingers; instead, he spread his hands and said frankly:

Even if there were selfish motives, they were honest and open about them. "Fourth, Dongyang."

Zhai Da originally thought that someone would jump out and say: "Chairman, how did you mention it alongside the other three?"

But it didn't.

A few even showed expressions of "I knew it."

Wu Yue breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Zhai Da finally utter those two words.

His face was filled with anticipation and emotion, clearly indicating that Zhai Da had also spoken with him.

Zhai Da leaned back and started talking about his hometown, his tone becoming much more relaxed.

"You may not be familiar with it, but Dongyang Shipping is close to multiple ports, making it convenient to go to sea. Its land transportation is located in the core of the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway, a major transportation artery in the east. Its industrial resources, such as water and electricity, are well-developed. Although Dongyang may not seem to have any outstanding star enterprises, nor any first-tier cities, and sometimes it doesn't even have a provincial capital, its industrial endowment is very strong."

"Our industrial output has consistently ranked second in the country, while the first place has two super-first-tier cities. Moreover, the province has a high-tech industry accounting for more than 30% of its output and a private sector accounting for more than 50%. The industrial chain is not weak. We have many domestic semiconductor equipment manufacturers in the province. The province has a huge number of high-tech industrial workers. In the future, the research institute will not only be involved in silicon carbide, but may also be involved in other industries."

“I know that the data from the bulk province and Dongyang are two different things, but if we go there, the support we get cannot be limited to Dongyang, but to the entire bulk province. The area it radiates cannot be limited to Dongyang. It must link the entire bulk north, connect the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Yangtze River Delta region, and even reach Japan and South Korea in the distance.”

"I won't talk about empty boasts like 'being the head of a chicken and the tail of an ox,' 'having connections and resources,' or 'being the boss of the entire Dongyang.' Saying too much would make me seem like I'm putting the cart before the horse and making far-fetched connections."

"So let's talk about the disadvantages. There are enough industrial workers, but not enough top talents. The living facilities are underdeveloped, and the medical and educational facilities are just so-so. It has all the problems that small county towns have. If you go there, you have to have the mentality of building your own small town, just like those large state-owned factories in the past, building residential areas, schools, and hospitals, and trying your best to meet everyone's living needs."

Zhai Da sat up straight again: "These are my thoughts for now. After some time, when the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology sends people over, I will have a good talk with them and listen to their opinions."

Although he has 100% decision-making power, it doesn't mean he won't listen to any advice.

But it was precisely this frank attitude that made the crowd below hesitate.

At this moment, Zhou Mo, who hadn't said a word the entire time, suddenly raised his hand and said, "President, you may have made a mistake."

Zhai Da frowned slightly: "What is it?"

“Most of us are students who have not yet graduated. Perhaps everyone has their own talents, but it’s okay to do research based on those talents. However, it’s hard to have any constructive ideas for major business matters such as headquarters location selection and long-term planning.”

Zhou Mo said in a deep voice, "I don't speak for others, I'm only speaking for myself: I believe in your judgment, even if you have selfish motives, because everyone's future and your selfish motives do not conflict. Wasn't my ability to have good opportunities and a good stage also started with your selfish motives?"

“You are a leader, and a leader’s job is to guide rather than simply listen to all sides, so I agree to go where the chairman wants to go.”

Upon hearing this, everyone understood where their earlier hesitation had come from.

It wasn't that they were dissatisfied with Zhai Da's ideas and dared not speak up, but rather that they hoped Zhai Da, as the president, could provide a direction for such a long-term plan.

They are not following a city, or even a company.

But a person.

Qi Lin was the first to speak: "I support Zhou Mo's idea."

Sun Ting: "+1"

Lu Tao: "Reconsider."

Ge Qiaoqiao: "Me too!"

A chorus of approval echoed from the conference room.

Zhai Da sighed and exchanged a glance with Wu Yue.

If anyone present was most enthusiastic about returning to Dongyang, besides himself, Wu Yue would definitely be second. When they talked about it privately before, Wu Yue was really excited.

Zhai Da closed his eyes, his mind filled with many thoughts.

Is there some kind of magic in that town itself?

Or is it that he's unwilling to try his luck on a bigger stage?
neither.

On the contrary, what he wanted was a bigger stage, a grander stage than the so-called convenience of big cities.

What he wanted was not just policy subsidies, but a piece of land where he could have more freedom to develop his talents.

What he wanted was a balance between reason and emotion.

Zhai Da opened his eyes, having regained his resolve.

"Thank you all for your support. Although we still need to move forward with the project and inform other employees, but..."

Zhai Da smiled slightly: "If this matter succeeds, I'll treat you to the best old-brand liangpi (cold skin noodles) in Dongyang!"

Years later, when the "Four Giants" of Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen quietly followed behind, an "Eastern" company emerged, the world probably couldn't have imagined it.
How hesitant and uncertain the man who created the "City of Miracles" was when he first made his decision.

It seems that every legend begins with a young man making a hesitant decision.

(End of this chapter)