Rebirth of the Industrial Tycoon

Kong Zhenlong belatedly realized that Li Weidong had used himself to create a wave of free advertising.

If it weren't for advertising, why would Li Weidong, a busy man, spend time taking Kong Zhenlong to visit technical schools, electrical appliance factories and wholesale markets!

After all, Li Weidong comes from a later generation. In the Internet age, various means of gaining popularity emerge in endlessly. Any short video can increase the popularity and create several Internet celebrities.

Even with short videos, it’s not easy to gain popularity with regular news reports!

What's more, it is a nationally watched program like "Focus Talk", which is the best platform to gain popularity.

So when Li Weidong learned that Kong Zhenlong was a reporter for "Focus Talk", he had already begun to think about how to take advantage of the popularity of the "Focus Talk" program and advertise his company.

In this regard, Kong Zhenlong was obviously unaware of it. How could the media people at that time understand the methods used by later generations to gain popularity? Li Weidong took him around. He thought it was Li Weidong who was more enthusiastic and willing to put in the effort to cooperate with his interview. .

It wasn't until the director called him over for questioning that Kong Zhenlong realized that he seemed to be being used by Li Weidong.

However, the program has already been broadcast, and it is too late to regret it.

At this time, Li Weidong had arrived in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to participate in the first Dubai Construction Machinery Exhibition.

Dubai should be regarded as the most "luxurious" city in the Middle East, and it is also one of the best in the Middle East in terms of urban development.

The United Arab Emirates is the world's major oil producer, but the people of the United Arab Emirates have long realized that although it can make the country rich in a short time just by selling oil, it is not a sustainable development path. After the oil is extracted, , there is nothing to sell, and in a place like the Middle East, you are not allowed to eat sand every day!

So as early as the 1970s, the UAE government formulated a national policy of economic transformation.

The full name of the UAE is the United Arab Emirates, which is actually composed of seven emirates. The highest authority is the UAE Federal Supreme Council, which is also composed of the chiefs of the seven emirates. Each emirate has considerable independence and autonomy.

Therefore, each emirate will develop and manage its own city independently, among which Dubai is managed by the Emirate of Dubai.

Beginning in the mid-1970s, Dubai began to develop its ports. Initially, it was only used for oil transportation. Because Dubai Port's geographical location is so advantageous and it is an important hub connecting the East and the West, it gradually developed into a comprehensive trade port.

Especially after Dubai established a free trade zone, Dubai Port quickly became an important port in the world and quickly became one of the world's largest and busiest cargo ports.

Even after the rise of many Chinese ports, Dubai Port has always been ranked among the top 20 in the world, and it can hit the tenth place from time to time.

In the 1980s, Dubai began to develop the financial services industry again, hoping to become the financial center of the Middle East.

Dubai also has great advantages in developing finance. First of all, the UAE was once the sphere of influence of the United Kingdom. The British army did not withdraw from the UAE until 1968. Therefore, the UAE adopted the British financial system, which is easier to link with Europe and the United States.

The second is that the United Arab Emirates has oil, and the petrodollar system had just been established at that time. The financial services industry based on oil trading easily achieved success.

After the port and finance were completed, Dubai began to develop towards tourism.

When people in later generations mention Dubai, they will think of it as a tourist city, and Dubai is also considered the most successful case of energy city transformation.

But the fact is that before Dubai developed tourism, Dubai had successfully completed the transformation of the city. Tourism was just a new economic growth point found by Dubai, but it was unexpected that this growth point achieved great success.

As a city in the desert, it has places of interest such as the Pyramids and the Sphinx. It is also a very difficult dungeon to achieve in terms of development rate.

Fortunately, Dubai's geographical location is relatively advantageous. It happens to be a transit point between the East and the West, which finally allowed Dubai to develop tourism.

Around 2000, Dubai's tourism revenue was basically on par with oil sales.

Against this background, in order to continue to expand the tourism industry, Dubai has also begun to develop the exhibition industry and hold various exhibition activities, hoping to take this opportunity to promote the entire city.

A city that develops tourism will definitely not lack places to stay. The most important thing in Dubai in the future is star-rated hotels. In 1999, although there were not as many luxury hotels in Dubai as there were in later generations, there were still many five-star hotels.

This is the first construction machinery exhibition held in Dubai. It also wants to save face, so exhibitors are arranged to stay in luxurious five-star hotels.

Therefore, the exhibitor group of Fukang Engineering was honored to stay in a luxury hotel.

The interior decoration of this hotel is magnificent, mainly in gold tones, and everything is full of the smell of money.

"It's so luxurious! This crystal chandelier must be more than ten meters long! The decoration on the wall over there must be gold, right?"

Ding Youliang kept looking around, looking like a country bumpkin entering the city.

The style of domestic hotels still tends to be simple. At most, they only have a rockery, a bonsai, and a landscape painting. There is really no decoration style like this.

Ding Youliang is not new to the world. He was also the director of a heavy machinery factory back then. He led such a large enterprise and had many opportunities to go abroad.

However, luxury hotels in developed countries such as Europe and the United States are not so splendid. This kind of style can only be found in hotels with casinos like Las Vegas, except in wealthy countries in the Middle East.

Several South Asian doormen helped carry the luggage while showing contempt in their eyes, as if to say, they are really a bunch of bumpkins who have never seen the world.

In the hotel lobby, a local tycoon wearing a headscarf in Dubai was very satisfied with Ding Youliang's surprised look. This was the feeling of satisfaction after showing off his wealth.

Li Weidong was completely indifferent to these wealthy gold decorations. He said, "We are still early. If we come a few months later, we can go to the Burj Al Arab Hotel, which is truly splendid and luxurious!" "

"More luxurious than here?" Ding Youliang asked subconsciously.

"Of course, that's a seven-star hotel!" Li Weidong replied.

"Isn't the hotel only up to five stars? There are also seven-star hotels? Chairman, don't lie to me!" Ding Youliang said.

"The highest in China is five-star. According to international standards, the highest is five-star. However, there are always some hotels with special price comparisons that will be rated as six-star."

Li Weidong went on to explain: "For example, the Grand Hotel Crillon in France is an eighteenth-century building. Many of the furnishings inside are considered cultural relics, and there are even things used by Louis XVI or Napoleon. Naturally, it would be rated a six." Star rating.

There is also the Empress Hotel in Canada, which was originally built to entertain Queen Victoria. It is considered to be half a palace. For the sake of the British royal family, it naturally deserves a six-star rating.

This kind of hotel basically takes advantage of its historical origin. If a hotel was built with a few beds in the Forbidden City, I guess it would have to be a six-star hotel at the very least!

In addition, the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, which was newly opened this year, is about the size of a small town. In addition to various comprehensive entertainment facilities, there is also a casino. This type of hotel is quite special. You can get it by spending a little more money. Rated as a six-star hotel. "

"These are all six-star hotels, but the Burj Al Arab Hotel you're talking about isn't a seven-star hotel?" Ding Youliang asked next.

"As long as you are willing to spend money, a six-star hotel can save you a seven-star hotel." Li Weidong said, taking out a handful of small-denomination US dollar bills and preparing to tip the doorman.

These South Asian wage earners are at the lowest level in Dubai. They receive very little salary and rely entirely on tips to make money.

Seeing Li Weidong tipping, the expression of contempt for the country bumpkin on the South Asian doorman's face instantly disappeared, replaced by a humble smile, as if he was professionally trained to ask for tips.

Compared with them, the beggars in China who chant "Thank you, big brothers, big sisters, uncles and aunties" are simply trying to deal with the problem without sincerity.

"Are you Indian?" Li Weidong asked the first person.

"Yes, sir, I'm from Bombay!" The man spoke curry-flavored English.

Li Weidong nodded and handed over a banknote. The other party quickly took it with both hands and bowed to express his gratitude.

"Are you Indian?" Li Weidong then asked the second person.

"Yes sir!" Another mouthful of curry-flavored English.

Li Weidong handed over another banknote, and then asked the third person: "Are you Indian?"

"No sir, I am Pakistani," the man replied.

"Oh!" Li Weidong handed over two banknotes.

The faces of the Indians next to them dropped. Why did the Pakistanis give them two banknotes?

After dinner, Li Weidong came to the hotel bar alone.

The religious culture of Arab countries has strict regulations on drinking. Even in a relatively open and international city like Dubai, drinking is not allowed anytime and anywhere.

According to Dubai law, locals need a license whether they are buying or selling alcohol. This means that if local residents want to buy alcohol, they need to go to the government to apply for a license first.

Tourists are naturally not subject to license restrictions, but they are only allowed to drink in specific places such as hotels, bars, clubs, etc.

Bars in international hotels like this are basically where foreign tourists gather.

Now that this hotel is used as a place for exhibitors to stay, the bar naturally gathers exhibitors from all over the world, and many people also choose to exchange information with each other here.

Li Weidong quickly became involved with a group of exhibitors from Europe.

"As far as I know, Hitachi Construction Machinery's new 4100xpc special excavator uses the latest planetary gearbox. The life of this gearbox has been extended than before. According to Hitachi's internal testing, the operating records of rotation and walking have been Achieved 20,000 hours.”

“Komatsu’s new off-highway mining truck has been developed mainly for fuel efficiency. Although I don’t know the exact model of this truck yet, I am sure that Komatsu has tested this truck for 30,000 hours. The performance verification and truck stability issues have definitely been resolved!”

"Kobelco Construction Machinery is testing their 50-meter telescopic boom. According to the information I received, they have completed experiments with a 200-ton level, a height of 100 meters and a working radius of 65 meters. As far as products in the same category are concerned, there should be only Caterpillar and Liebherr can reach this level!”

Li Weidong was talking there and quickly attracted a large number of listeners.

Some audience members even started talking quietly.

"Who is this guy? He seems to know a lot about Japanese construction machinery companies!"

"I don't know him, but he seems to be Japanese. Maybe he is a senior executive or engineer of a Japanese engineering company. Otherwise, how could he know so much about Japanese construction machinery companies?"

"It makes sense, that's why I know so much inside information. If you have the chance, you should get to know him well. Maybe you can get some information about Japanese companies."

This is Li Weidong's method of making friends, opening his mouth and then selling the Japanese off!

What Li Weidong said was not nonsense, but the situation of new products launched by Japanese construction machinery companies in the future. As a reborn person, Li Weidong could not remember the detailed parameters of these products, but he still knew a little about the highlights of the products.

Now that Li Weidong talked about the highlights of these products, he easily frightened these Europeans.

Moreover, Li Weidong looks East Asian. They can easily think that Li Weidong is an executive of a Japanese construction machinery company, so they know so much.

After this show, many European exhibitors were willing to make friends with Li Weidong, of course for the purpose of exchanging information, and Li Weidong also learned a lot about this construction machinery exhibition.

"What do you call this gentleman?" Another person came to Li Weidong to chat with him.

"Call me Wade." Li Weidong gave his English name.

After all, he was selling information about Japanese companies in a big way, and Li Weidong didn't dare to use his real name.

And if you tell others that your surname is Li, and they know you are Chinese, how can you continue to sell information about Japanese companies?

So Li Weidong simply used the pseudonym Wade. If someone really pursued him later, the worst he could do was not admit it.

The person who leaked Japanese intelligence was Wade, not me, Li Weidong! That Wade just looks a little like me. I, Li Weidong, am also a respectable entrepreneur, how could I do that kind of thing!

This time, the man who approached Li Weidong was a Frenchman named Lyon, which was probably a pseudonym. He used a French city name to call himself.

Lyon chatted with Li Weidong for a while and got some information from Li Weidong, and Li Weidong also got useful information from the Frenchman.

"Mr. Lyon, are you saying that Indians will bring orders worth US$120 million?" Li Weidong opened his mouth to confirm the authenticity of the news.

Lyon nodded: "Yes, the Indian government has approved this fund. They will purchase 120 million construction machinery for the country's road construction."

"120 million US dollars, this can be a big piece of fat! I don't know which company can eat this piece of fat." Li Weidong said.

"Mr. Wade, aren't Japanese companies interested in this?" Lyon asked.

"There must be interest in such a big business, but it has always been more troublesome for Indians to buy things. What's more, European companies will also be eyeing such a large order, right?" Li Weidong said.

"You are right. Caterpillar in the United States, Liebherr in Germany, and Volvo in Sweden are all very interested in orders from India, especially Volvo, which seems determined to win!" Lyon said.

Li Weidong then asked: "Mr. Lyon, do you know where the purchasing representative sent from India lives?"

"Haha, your Japanese company really wants this order." Leon smiled slightly, and then said: "It's a pity, I don't know where the Indian representative lives. But he will definitely be there after the exhibition opens. ”

At the exhibition site, big names gathered, and almost all of the top 30 construction machinery companies in the world were present.

"There are quite a lot of big companies here, especially those European mechanical engineering companies, which have always set their sights on others. Unexpectedly, they really gave the UAE face!" Ding Youliang couldn't help but admire.

Li Weidong explained: "It's mainly about money. In order to host this exhibition, the UAE did not go empty-handed. They themselves have also prepared hundreds of millions of dollars in construction machinery contracts. With such a piece of fat, major manufacturers will naturally also Want to swallow it."

"Is there such a thing? I haven't heard anyone else say it!" Ding Youliang obviously didn't know the news.

"Our Chinese companies are basically here to make up the numbers. It is impossible for the UAE to place orders for our companies, so naturally they will not take the initiative to tell us such things. I inquired through other channels."

Li Weidong paused and then said: "The infrastructure in the UAE is still very good. Although the country does not have railways, the road system is relatively developed, especially the highways, which are first-class in the world.

However, there are no local construction machinery companies in the UAE, so if they want to build infrastructure, all construction machinery needs to be imported.

Although the UAE's land area is not large, it still does a lot of infrastructure construction every year. After all, the country has money, and the cost of purchasing construction machinery is as high as hundreds of millions of dollars.

In addition to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar also came with orders. Especially Qatar, I heard that it is bidding to host the Asian Games.

If Qatar really succeeds in its bid to host the Asian Games, then there will definitely be massive construction and large-scale infrastructure construction in the next few years. By then, there will also be a huge demand for construction machinery! "

These are the information Li Weidong exchanged with others in the bar.

"It sounds like there are unlimited business opportunities!" Ding Youliang paused and then said, "Chairman, you have done so much homework in advance, do you plan to win a few orders from it?"

"I think it's a pity that these wealthy locals in the Middle East may not look down on us!" Li Weidong sighed.

As Li Weidong was talking, a man with facial features that looked very much like a white man but with somewhat brown skin passed by.

This man's beard is very distinctive, spreading from the lips to both sides of the lips, while the chin is lifted completely, making the entire beard become a "ji" shaped beard.

Anyone with a beard like this is most likely an Indian.

The key thing is that Li Weidong knows this person.

"Naravani! I read it right, he is Naravani! Why did he come to Dubai? Could it be that the purchasing representative sent by India is Naravani? If that is the case, India's 120 million order, Maybe there’s a chance to get it!”

No pop-ups, timely updates!