Faced with a dilemma, the three finally decided not to respond to China's request to see if the Chinese side would be anxious because of this. At such times, whoever shows that he is in a hurry will lose the opportunity in the negotiation. In addition, they also pledged to arrange their respective representative offices in China to learn more about China's West-East Gas Transmission Project and provide intelligence support for subsequent decision-making.

After several months, the China Development and Planning Commission did not continue to send letters to the three companies, and the Chinese technical team that had previously been sent to the three companies to inspect the equipment situation also suspended the inspection and went back to China to report on their work. The company sent a sales representative from the Chinese representative office to the NDPC to discuss the supply of Seamanz equipment for use in several refineries under construction in China, but it kept talking about the transmission of gas from the west to the east. As a result, the officials who received him on the Chinese side did not know whether they were slow or deliberate, and repeatedly talked about him left and right, without revealing the slightest tone.

"There's something wrong with this. ”

When Albert, Maxwin, and Schleier met again, even Schleier couldn't help but mutter. According to what he has learned, the Chinese government is still promoting the West-East Gas Transmission Project in a high-profile manner, and the preliminary exploration and land acquisition work has been fully rolled out. According to common sense, at this time, the Chinese side must determine the procurement of compressors, because different manufacturers have different compressor process requirements, and the space of compressor stations that need to be reserved is also different. In addition, there is a cycle from order to delivery of compressors, and if the order time is delayed, the delivery time will also be delayed, so it will be disconnected from pipeline construction.

"Could it be that the Chinese have really found other ways to supply?" Maxwin guessed suspiciously.

Albert also frowned: "I was also thinking about this problem during this time, Japan's Matsuura Company, France's Littleton Company, and Italy's Marbury Company all have the ability to manufacture large gas compressors, if they want to grab this order, the price quoted is relatively low, maybe the Chinese will choose them as suppliers." ”

Maxwin chimed in: "Albert is right, if these companies want to enter the long-range natural gas compressor market, they have that capability. Although they have not made this product before, if the Chinese can give them an order for 20 or even 40 units, they may design this product specifically for the Chinese. ”

The so-called only one company can manufacture a certain kind of equipment, in fact, it is only because the market size is insufficient, and other companies are not worth entering this market. The fact that China could not make ballpoint pen refills, which was once rumored on the Internet in later generations, is a typical example. Of course, China is not unable to make ballpoint refills, but the processing machinery of the nib is imported from Switzerland, which has become ironclad evidence that "China does not master the core technology" in the context of the Internet.

Of course, ballpoint pen nib processing machinery has some technical content, but its technical obstacles are not to the extent that it cannot be overcome. China itself will not manufacture this kind of processing machinery, the bigger reason is that it is not necessary, because the market for this special machinery is very small, and the demand of the world can only afford such a company, if there is a second enterprise involved, then the result can only be that everyone loses. In later generations, not only China will not make this kind of machinery, but the United States, Britain, France, Japan, Germany and Italy and other recognized industrial powers will also not make this kind of machinery, but no one thinks that these countries are also "big but not strong".

By the way, under the pressure of the network, the relevant departments of Magnum finally took a sum of money and set up an item to overcome the mechanical problem of the pen head, and the results were quickly obtained, and the Chinese also built a multi-station pen head processing machine to fill this gap.

(So, Internet public opinion is sometimes a bit positive, for example, yesterday someone said that oranges are not updated, uh, off topic, this paragraph does not count as a word count...... ）

This is the case for long-distance natural gas compressors, and at present, only three companies in the world, Shuangluo, Tongyong and Seamanz, can manufacture this kind of compressor, and other companies have no manufacturing experience. Due to the limited market size, even if other companies have the ability to do so, they will not rush into this market to compete with companies such as Shuangluo, which have rich experience and technology accumulation.

Large enterprises have some tacit understanding with each other, and each will have some spheres of influence, and others will not casually come in to stir up trouble. But this situation can only be maintained when there is no excess profit, and if there is excess profit in a market, then the original tacit understanding no longer exists. The sage once said: If there is 20% profit, capital will be ready to move, if there is 50% profit, capital will take risks, if there is 100% profit, capital will dare to risk hanging its head, and if there is 300% profit, capital will dare to trample on all the laws of the world. This time, the three companies quoted a high price of $140 million per compressor, and the profit has exceeded 300%.

Natural gas compressors, in fact, do not have a high technical threshold. It is not difficult for a large company that can manufacture other gas compressors to turn to this market, which Albert and his colleagues are very aware of.

"Matsuura, Littleton, and Marbury, have you heard anything about this from them?" Schleier asked.

Albert shook his head: "This kind of thing, I'm afraid they won't be able to penetrate the wind, right? If the Chinese really had secret contact with them, they would definitely have to find a way to hide it from us, after all, we are their most powerful competitors." ”

"Can we form a strategic alliance with them?" Schleier asked.

This time it was Maxwin's turn to shake his head: "This is impossible! If the Chinese promise to give them the order, how can they form an alliance with us, doesn't this mean that the order is pushed to us again?"

Schleier nodded and said, "That's just as well." If it is the same price, the Chinese will definitely choose us, not manufacturers who have no manufacturing experience. ”

"I suggest that we take the initiative to contact the Chinese. "We can consider lowering the price for them, say 5 percent, or even 10 percent." Matsuura and Littleton If they want to develop long-distance compressors, they need to invest in development costs, so the price cannot be too low. If we drop prices by 10%, the Chinese will definitely be tempted. ”

Schleier said: "If the Chinese do not contact Songpu, this is just our imagination, then we take the initiative to reduce the price by 10%, wouldn't we be fooling the Chinese?"

"What then?" Albert said.

"I think it's best for us to make a special trip to China and talk to the officials of the National Development and Planning Commission in person to hear what they mean," Maxwin said. We can not mention the price reduction for now, and then we will see their attitude. ”

"Okay, then we'll get in touch with them first. Schleier compromised. He had to admit that the Chinese sometimes do things quite contrary to common sense, and who knows if they would rather suffer losses for the sake of face? Americans are very pragmatic, and they still have to compromise when it is time to compromise.

Although China has completely shifted from a planned economy to a market economy, and the Planning Commission has also changed its name to the Development and Planning Commission, this organization is still the best organization in China, and there is no "one." Schleier and the others wanted to talk to the officials of the NDPC, but they could not just say hello and meet them, so they could only arrange for the personnel of the Chinese representative office to contact them in advance and obtain the consent of the other party before setting off.

Hearing that the Chinese representative offices of the three companies asked him to meet and discuss at the same time, Wang Zhenbin smiled secretly in his heart. After reporting to Han Hong, Wang Zhenbin found Feng Xiaochen and informed him of the incident.

"Xiao Feng, Shuangluo can't sit still, the sales directors of the three companies have asked to meet with me. Wang Zhenbin said with a smile.

Feng Xiaochen asked, "Did they say they could reduce the price?"

Wang Zhenbin shook his head: "They just talked about cooperation, and they didn't mention the price at all." ”

Feng Xiaochen shrugged his shoulders and said, "If you don't mention the price reduction, what are they doing here?" Isn't the letter you sent to them already said, if it is higher than 80 million, it will not be discussed. ”

Wang Zhenbin said: "Maybe they think they can still hold us, right?"

Feng Xiaochen sneered: "They are too dull. Now that it's almost the 21st century, they still think that China needs to cry and shout and beg them to sell equipment. If you make us anxious, you won't buy them at all, let's make it ourselves. When we overcome all the technical difficulties, we will sell them to the world at 1/3 of the price, and the little technology they have in their hands will be kept for manure. ”

"Haha, I just like your ambition. Wang Zhenbin said with a smile. After laughing, he said again: "However, Xiao Feng, Director Han instructed us that since the other party offered to meet, we should still meet with them." The issue of price will not be relaxed, if they are stubborn, then we will serve tea to the guests. If they really don't supply us, we will use our own, even if the quality is slightly worse, that is, the trouble-free working time is shorter, and we are not afraid of trouble. In this matter, the central leadership has also given instructions, saying that if foreigners don't build it for us, we will build it ourselves and build a gas compressor. ”

Feng Xiaochen said: "Of course we want to meet, but Lao Wang, we have to press down on the price." The production cost of Yuzhong's compressor is less than 20 million US dollars, and we give Shuangluo 80 million yuan each, which is really unjust. I think that at a fixed price, below 40 million, if you are willing to sell, you can sell it, and if you don't want to sell it, you will pull it down. ”

"Less than 40 million ......" Wang Zhenbin smacked his tongue, "I estimate that if we offer this price, those guys will not come at all." ”

"Not necessarily. Feng Xiaochen smiled secretly, "I have an idea, since they are coming, I will ask them to bring their technical director with them, and I will arrange a three-day tour of Yubei for them." After seeing the great scenery of our Yubei, it is estimated that they will find out in their conscience that maybe they will accept the price of 30 million per compressor. ”