The call Fang Zhuo received was directly from Ni Runfeng.
The matter involved was Samsung, which we had just dealt with a few days ago, and it was also Samsung Electronics, belonging to its LCD panel business department.
"Lee Ki-tae, the president of Samsung Electronics?"
"He went to China?"
Fang Zhuo listened for a while more and heard a more familiar name. This was Li Ji-tae who went to China in person as the president of Samsung Electronics. He flew back from San Francisco non-stop to work.
Ni Runfeng, who was on the other side of the phone, heard Mr. Fang's strange tone and asked about the situation.
Fang Zhuo briefly introduced the affairs on his side.
Finally, he said uncertainly: "Samsung is so anxious to pry off the project, it probably has nothing to do with me."
Although Lee Ki-tae handles key situations, he cannot go to China to retaliate just because Samsung Electronics suffered a setback on Android. He must have been prepared...
After hearing what Mr. Fang said, Ni Runfeng immediately finalized the matter: "It must be related to you! You messed up Samsung's affairs in the United States, and it makes perfect sense for someone to come to China to mess up your affairs!"
Fang Zhuo corrected: "It's not my business, it's your TV manufacturer's business. How can you guys get together and leak the news about jointly building a production line with BOE?"
"The president of Samsung Electronics led his team to the city you selected before you even scratched the surface. It's outrageous!"
"However, Samsung made a quick decision and decided to build its production line in Tianjin."
"It's true in this place. It was obviously aimed at the upper reaches of the industrial chain, but now it's actually wavering."
Ni Runfeng said with some bitterness: "Mr. Fang, there is another piece of information that I haven't mentioned yet. What Samsung plans to build in China is a 6th generation line."
Fang Zhuo was startled, this was really crucial information.
Different from the 5th generation lines built by BOE in Beijing and jointly with TV manufacturers this time, the 6th generation lines are the absolute mainstream level in the world today, and there are currently only two more advanced 7th generation lines.
These two companies are still joint ventures, one is Samsung and Sony, and the other is LG and Philips.
The biggest difference between the 6th generation line and the 5th generation line is that the latter can only cut 15-27 inch panels.
The most suitable cutting size for the former is 32 inches. One motherboard can be cut into eight 32-inch panels or four 65-inch panels.
There is still a big difference in the technical level of these two generations.
BOE previously acquired South Korea's Hyundai TFT-LCD technology, team, and channels, involving 2.5-generation lines, 3-generation lines and 3.5-generation lines. Then, after digestion, absorption, R&D and innovation, it was able to independently build the 5th generation TFT-LCD in Beijing.
LCD production line.
According to the plan, this production line will be officially put into mass production in May this year.
It is also this production line that allows domestically produced LCD screens to be produced independently.
Fang Zhuo has been to BOE several times and knows that there is a situation in which it may face mass production and losses. Therefore, he is purely taking the lead this time. He has no idea how to cooperate, where to build, and when to launch.
Advice and intervention.
In the end, the final result of the cooperation was the construction of a 5th generation line in Tianjin, jointly invested by BOE, Tianjin local authorities and TV manufacturers.
However……
If Samsung is willing to put its more advanced and more marketable 6th generation line in Tianjin...
The first is the wavering on the part of Tianjin.
The production lines of these two companies are one generation apart.
Moreover, attracting investment is the most fashionable, and GDP is also the most important.
Secondly, the TV manufacturers must be shaken, because once Samsung takes action, it is not just a bomb in the production line. Even if this is big enough, it also holds the panel costs that manufacturers need.
The last "factory fire" vaguely revealed a foreign LCD panel alliance, and Samsung's role in it cannot be ignored.
Under this situation, Samsung has an insight into the trends of domestic manufacturers, and it has more cards to play.
"Ignore what Tianjin thinks, how about you guys?" Fang Zhuo put his thoughts together and asked the TV manufacturer who had finally exerted his subjective initiative.
Ni Runfeng was silent for a while: "Everyone is also a little hesitant."
Fang Zhuo frowned: "Are you hesitant?"
Ni Runfeng said immediately: "I don't hesitate."
Then, he added: "Changhong is a little hesitant."
Fang Zhuo was almost amused.
Ni Runfeng continued: "Maybe, I suspect there is a possibility that someone here has actively or passively negotiated the purchase of panels. Therefore, on the one hand, it is a problem with the production line, and on the other hand, it is the current procurement problem."
Fang Zhuo mused: "It would be really difficult for Samsung to attack on both sides."
If Samsung lowers the purchase price of LCD panels, TV manufacturers' profits will immediately increase.
This is all real money.
Is it important now or the uncertain future?
Can we succeed by investing in production lines together with BOE?
Can BOE break through technological bottlenecks?
Even if BOE makes a breakthrough, will the TV manufacturers in the fiercely competitive market still be angry? They may have been beaten down long ago.
The future is important, but without the present, let alone the future.
These are real concerns.
Ni Runfeng really didn't hesitate this time, but he was also questioned internally by Changhong about the current situation.
There was silence on the phone for a while.
Ni Runfeng is considering opinions from two directions.
Fang Zhuo was thinking about this sudden incident.
After a while, Fang Zhuo couldn't help but sigh: "Samsung has done a great job this time."
"Yes." Ni Runfeng also felt the same way.
This is not just a matter of setting up a production line in China, but more importantly, Samsung’s move is an initiative to break the domestic blockade of major foreign TFT companies.
Prior to this, not to mention BOE's independence, the domestic fifth-generation line was a joint venture production line between Shanghai Broadcasting Corporation and Japan NFC, which had just been put into production in October last year.
Now less than half a year later, Samsung is actually going to bring out the 6th generation line.
"Old Ni, this thing is a bit sudden." Fang Zhuo thought for a while, "The 6th generation line is unexpected, but don't be scared by Samsung. Samsung's purpose is to break up the domestic manufacturer alliance and continue to maintain the production chain.
upstream status.”
"It said it wanted to invest in Tianjin. It must be negotiated. If the time drags on, you might see your manufacturer alliance being disintegrated. Finally, the negotiations fell through after a year and a half."
"We have to guard against this."
Fang Zhuo is not afraid to consider Samsung's initiative to break the blockade from this perspective.
He continued: "Lao Ni, I have talked with you before. In the long run, the panel is really difficult because the neck is stuck."
"From my personal point of view, I cannot immediately let go of cutting the rope just because someone loosens the rope around their neck."
"Even if you have various reasons, if you really do it, people will laugh at you."
"I want to break through the blockade in the upper reaches of the production chain, but also want to be calm, gentle, courteous and thrifty. How is this possible?"
"Lao Ni, this is a competition that requires determination."
Ni Runfeng sighed: "Mr. Fang, I told you, I didn't hesitate."
Fang Zhuo said seriously: "Old Ni, what we need now is not only that you have no hesitation, but also that you have determination, and that you have the determination to suppress the hesitation within Changhong."
Ni Runfeng was silent for a few seconds: "It's not a question of determination, it's a question of whether you can suppress it or not."
"Look, you have no determination." Fang Zhuo pointed out the attitude shown by the other party.
"Mr. Fang, determination cannot be eaten for a living. I can't just say that I am determined in the board meeting, right? This sentence is not enough for me to suppress their opinions." Ni Runfeng replied helplessly.
Today is different from the past. Although Changhong's situation has been alleviated, Ni Runfeng's prestige will never return to its past.
Fang Zhuo thought for a while and asked: "Old Ni, have I told you about the ice core settling in Luzhou?"
"I said it." Ni Runfeng replied.
"Then let me tell you more details." Fang Zhuo paused for a few seconds, organized his words, and talked about the situation when he was pulled by the provincial leaders to watch the road.
So for a while.
Fang Zhuo finally said: "At that time, I told the leader that according to the tax exemption provided by Luzhou, he would definitely not receive a dime during his term. He smiled and said to me, 'The success does not have to be mine.'
In this way, the ice core finally landed in Luzhou."
The statements from the parties involved are quite moving.
Ni Runfeng was also shocked and thought: "Mr. Fang, this time I should value the upstream panel more than you think of me. However, Changhong's situation makes it impossible for me to guarantee it."
Fang Zhuo kindly gave advice: "Well, Lao Ni, you may not understand what I mean. Anyway, retirement has been discussed before at your age. If you leave early or leave late, you will be retired. Before you retire, give Changhong a hand."
The upstream breakthrough.”
"How to hold a board meeting? Just issue a military order and leave immediately if no results are achieved for as long as it takes. When the time comes, you will leave."
"As for the execution after you leave, Meiling still has Zhang Xuebin, who can continue to grit his teeth and help Changhong go to the dark side."
"Maybe your final career as Changhong was not so good, but success does not have to be yours."
Ni Runfeng was stunned.
He was stunned for a while and said in astonishment: "Mr. Fang, I admit that I may not value me as much as you think... You, do you want to consider my age? I am so old that I ended up like this.
?Do you consider my ability to bear it?"
"It is precisely because of your age that I think it is really for Changhong's benefit to throw away some useless fame." Fang Zhuo said lightly, "Of course, some people can let it go; some people can let it go;
It’s normal if you can let it go.”
Ni Runfeng: "..."
I am old and deaf, so what Mr. Fang said seemed to be just one sentence.
"This is an internal matter within Changhong. I am giving you some advice out of our friendship. It was also you who first said that it would be difficult for you to suppress internal opinions." Fang Zhuo changed his tone, "Don't worry about Samsung building a production line.
Submit, I'll see if I can help get in touch."
"Where is the contact?" Ni Runfeng's heart was heavy.
"The head of Sony is now my good brother. Sony and Samsung have a joint venture to build a 7th-generation line, which is the most advanced in the world." Fang Zhuo said, "If Samsung really wants to build a 6th-generation line, then
I will use this situation to make peace with Sony and see if Sony's 6th generation line technology can be used, even part of it."
"BOE is quick to digest and make breakthroughs in Korean Hyundai's technology. If it can absorb Sony's technology, it may not be able to build a 6th generation line soon."
"The panel matter depends largely on the cost of scale. It depends on who dares to lose money and who dares to operate counter-cyclically. The technical difficulty of LCD is not like that of the chip field."
"In short, Samsung's aggressive attack may not be irreversible. You must hold on first, otherwise the TV manufacturer alliance will scatter like birds and beasts."
Ni Runfeng didn't expect that Mr. Fang could actually have an idea for Sony, and judging from his tone, he seemed to be quite confident.
He agreed: "Okay, Mr. Fang, don't worry, things haven't reached that point yet. Our alliance is still unbreakable. We just had a meeting together before I called you."
Fang Zhuo's heart skipped a beat, and he was silent for two seconds before saying, "Well, please send me another email. Don't leak out all the domestic news. I'll call BOE's Mr. Wang later to ask about the situation.
"
The call ends here.
Fang Zhuo put down his phone and thought about what he had learned.
He is not very familiar with the field of panels. The information he currently knows is basically from the introduction he received when he went to BOE and the subsequent understanding out of interest. But when it comes to Sony, he is still a little confident.
No, Sony's outside directors do not have confidence in Sony, but in Sony's head.
Sir Stringer must still be the same chairman who loves beautiful reports.
As long as Samsung really dares to use the 6th generation line as a bargaining chip, Sony's related technologies are not out of the question. After all, this is Samsung's first move.
Another point that I wonder if it can be exploited is that plasma is not dead yet.
Fang Zhuo considered it carefully for a while and called Wang Dongsheng from BOE.
On the other side, Ni Runfeng, who was in Tianjin, put down his cell phone and pondered for a while about "the success does not have to be yours" before he began to summarize the information he had obtained and personally wrote an email to Mr. Fang.
However, before the email was finished, the latest news suddenly came.
TCL is withdrawing from this investment and will no longer participate in BOE’s construction plan in Tianjin.
When Ni Runfeng heard the news, he felt that the house was leaking and it was raining all night. He immediately called Li Dongsheng of TCL, trying to awaken the other party's will to resist.
"Mr. Ni, it's not that I want to give up on the upstream of the production chain, but considering the current situation, we at TCL may consider introducing more advanced production lines ourselves rather than jointly investing in building production lines with BOE."
"After all, BOE is only a fifth-generation line now, and our TVs are developing very fast."
"Samsung's production has an impact, but our internal discussions are the main reason. Sorry, Mr. Ni."
Li Dongsheng's attitude is quite firm. He wants to withdraw from the alliance and consider bringing in players at home.
Ni Runfeng could not criticize Li Dongsheng's actions. After all, the two parties were still competitors, and his market share was higher. The reason he stated was very legitimate, but he could not reveal what Mr. Fang said.
What Mr. Fang wants to do has not started yet. No one can say whether it will work or not. Leaking the news now may increase the interference.
Ni Runfeng could only finish writing the email, and at the end he described TCL Li Dongsheng's decision in detail.
When he sent the email, he realized something deeply in his heart.
The competition is dangerous, the situation is complicated, and you can't handle it yourself.
That can only... go and ask Mr. Yike Fang!
This chapter has been completed!