＜ Death Race. (2) >
Death Race.
Krupp was forced into a bloody low-cost competition. Although they believed in the steel sector, which they were confident in, and the special steel sector, the results were catastrophic.
“The naval shipyard refused, what do you mean!”
Special steel is the material of warships.
It is a special material most often used in naval shipyards, and it was one of the combat materials used a lot for warships, especially battleships. Krupp steel is a famous steel that can be proud of as the strongest special steel of its time.
It was impossible for the naval shipyards to refuse.
“To develop a new special steel, it can be said that it is an extremely difficult development that takes at least 5 to 10 years or more. 3 years no matter how forcibly reduced. It is such a special steel.”
It was something the soldiers knew.
Among the Junkers, the army was not the only one dispatched. Naval officers dispatched from the German navy doubted their ears.
The German navy had a broad understanding of the shipping and shipbuilding industries.
It was inevitable that when ordering and receiving orders for warships, if you didn’t know about the shipping and shipbuilding industries, you could be in the right eye.
“The British naval shipyards have high pride and pride, and they don’t like Germany very much, but they didn’t buy Krupp as much as they did. But why are they suddenly rejecting them?”
Moreover, the situation is somewhat different from that of the Army as it is not a monopolistic business like military supply, but rather commissioned by international naval shipyards.
The army’s gun business may be in a similar position, but the railroad business and most of them are domestic monopoly business, so it was not as good as the navy.
Most of the excellent firearms companies were also German companies.
The officers of the navy side and the naval shipyard side could say that they were at least capable Junkers.
So the naval Junkers made sense.
just get through.
hamm…..
“It’s noisy.”
General Manager of Shipbuilding Division.
While yawning, Naval Junker left the meeting room, which had not appeared, as the atmosphere of the shipbuilding division became a little dangerous.
“I heard everything from outside the conference room. This never happened when I was working at the Imperial Navy, but I knew that Germany’s Krupp’s special steel technology was world-class, but what kind of crap is this.”
Imperial Naval Office.
He was also an elite Junker in the Navy.
bang-!
“Are you going to take responsibility if my military career is damaged because of you?”
The languid-eyed Junker raised his head, rubbing his eyes with his hand.
“Ah… Write. Please think about my position that I have to report. If you guys put out your performance like this, I’ll be called to this meeting and get caught up in the military.”
Actually, it was me who had to show the results, but the Junkers came here with the intention of drinking honey. I didn’t come here to run or run a business properly.
“Still, I didn’t stop trying to do something like anyone else and then disintegrate the division itself. Let’s respect each other a little bit.”
Among the Junkers, there were certainly some who were very ambitious. Why weren’t there any Junkers who were excited to work for Krupp, one of the largest German conglomerates?
However, most of them rolled over and were disciplined.
“That cheeky mandarin fish that did something like that Kluge or something. I’m not a scumbag like those guys. I want you to express your gratitude for my placement. I won’t touch you, so please don’t touch me either. Mash.”
“….sorry.”
“Yes.”
The faces of the aces of the division darkened.
No joke, this Junker seemed to really think so. Krupp, who now had a commanding system thanks to Adjutant Kluge, was on the way to the ruins, but they kept their mouths shut.
If it’s just right, it doesn’t make any sense and it hurts badly.
“Why the hell is Kruppgang not selling so much?”
“The naval shipyards did not completely reject the Krupp River. They have been negotiating prices.”
“….Price negotiation?”
Junker’s forehead twisted.
“What nonsense is that? Unless there is a special steel that can follow the Krupp River, we are in an overwhelmingly advantageous situation, so why the hell are we negotiating the price? Doesn’t it make us look easy by sending any kid to the negotiating table?”
“…a middle-aged sales job. And there is only one thing to say about the current situation. I can only think that an American steel company has developed a special steel equivalent to our Krupp steel.”
“USA?”
American steel company.
No one here could stand still to hear this word. A steel monopoly company that was the culprit that plunged them into the abyss and declared war on the international steel market.
US Steel.
When I imagined that these guys started dumping steel equivalent to the Krupp River, everyone’s eyes went spinning.
“It is a special steel that requires advanced technology. Mass production is also limited, and price reduction is also limited.”
“However, the large size of US steel enables economies of scale to be achieved and has price competitiveness to produce large quantities of special steels at low prices.”
“At least we can shoot it cheaper than us, and even if we run a death race up to $0, we are the first to die.”
“no…..”
Junker rolled his eyes and twisted the corners of his mouth.
“What the hell are you going to pay for being so engrossed in defeatism like that! You’re ruining Krupp because you’re so engrossed in the dark and gloomy defeatism!”
“Yes?”
Junker had a seizure.
“That’s why you can’t leave the work to cross-legged people! What in the world do idiots doing paperwork at their desks know!”
bang-!
“do it yourself!”
and went out
There were only a handful of executives left in the drawing room. They felt their shoulders slumped in the miserable meeting room.
“Even if we work hard and build a track record, he will take it all, right?”
“I guess that’s all. The capable ones will be taken as slaves, and the rest will be strained.”
If you get results, you will be sucked in and become slaves.
If you do not perform well, you take all responsibility and resign or move to relegation. Or this situation in which the personnel evaluation becomes disastrous.
“The hell… what are we working for?”
Loving love faded in the hearts of Krupp’s employees, and a dull feeling of anger and melancholy settled down.
***
Moltke’s residence.
Even today, the residence of Moltke and the mansion provided by Krupp was decorated with splendid decorations, and it was renovated in a Rococo style to make it even more splendid.
“It was executed as a maintenance fee from Krupp’s budget. Major Moltke.”
Moltke was promoted.
In fact, the strong will of Berlin Palace, which seemed difficult for a brigadier general when leading Krupp’s board, fell to the German Army.
The will of the Berlin Palace was a special promotion up to the rank of lieutenant general, but Moltke was given the rank of commander-in-chief due to the resistance of the German army.
“I tried to get Bösendorfer’s grand piano in the model you mentioned, but I couldn’t get it because it was over budget and it was a very rare model.”
Chandeliers, Bösendorfer’s grand piano, Wagner’s songs, etc. were only works of art that stimulated German nostalgia, but the eyes were familiar with them.
Detroit Morgan’s Rococo-style mansion was decorated for the principal of the church. It had the same composition as that splendid, noble, and aristocratic palace.
It was reminiscent of the palace of Sanssouci of Frederick the Great.
“What?”
However, Moltke’s eyes filled with inferiority complex with anger. The new lieutenant who dismissed Kluge was a yes man in Moltke’s hope, but he was incompetent than Kluge.
“What did you say now. Adjutant.”
“That… there is no model…”
“Did you do your best to find that model?”
“Yes, yes…”
“Really? Did you miss eating and sleeping, even saving time for packing, and splitting your working hours into minutes or even seconds?”
“…..no,”
“No? You didn’t even try that much and came to report to me?”
“Sin, sorry!”
“I’m sorry, damn sorry! Without Bösendorfer’s grand piano, I’d be less appreciated in the community than in Detroit!!!”
Wow!
He grabbed the utensils with his hands and pushed them away from the desk. All the furniture that was swept away were high-quality items, and they were purchased with money paid for the maintenance of elegance from Krupp’s budget.
Every time a plate is broken, one employee’s salary is broken.
“Besides, what nonsense is that you don’t have money. If I don’t have a Bösendorfer grand piano at the school president and I get a lower rating than Detroit, I can have a huge impact on Krupp’s business! You don’t have that much vision!”
“Sin, sorry, sorry.”
“Don’t do anything sorry!”
match-!
The lieutenant’s face turned round. The cheekbones that were hit were swollen, and blood was oozing out.
“Money… no money.”
Death Race.
It has been more than three months since the entire German steel industry, including Krupp and Thyssen, entered a death-defying competition. In the meantime, Marc’s war of blood spattered in order not to be deprived of not only the naval shipyards but also the steel suppliers everywhere.
3 months already.
The second quarter of 1902 had passed, and Krupp’s second-quarter earnings and cash flow were on the verge of the worst. The screaming bookkeepers were on the verge of breaking the finance department’s waistband.
“Yes, because of Krupp’s poor performance, the Ministry of Finance has restricted payments. It is said that Krupp’s cash flow is worsening due to deficit competition and its financial statements are being shattered.”
“Twitch.”
Moltke clicked his tongue.
and opened his mouth.
“With the economic knowledge I… learned one day.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve learned how to reduce costs first when the company is in trouble.”
“Yes.”
These are the tasks that companies often do when they are in trouble. In particular, publicly traded companies were obligated to present better financial statements to their shareholders. Cost reduction was essential.
As I was shooting a lot of social churches, it seemed that I had heard something from Junkers who were businessmen.
“And I’ve heard that there is the best way to cut costs.”
Moltke gave an evil laugh.
“restructuring.”
Brushing off the insects that corrode the croup.
All you have to do is cut off all the technicians that are caught in the HR exam. For every one less mouthful of an employee, Krupp’s safe remains equal to next year’s salary.
Resolve the deficit by reducing costs.
“Start an internal audit by surprise, and bring it with you after a rigorous evaluation of personnel evaluations.”
“Yes… yes!”
“Welfare costs are so high? Reduce it all! Sell all real estate, leaving only the minimum of staff facilities. It’s disgusting to say that they are only comfortable with themselves in difficult times!”
“….Yes.”
The lieutenant took care of his facial expression by squeezing out the power he was breastfeeding.
“Reducing welfare and changing the beds to cheaper models. How merciful it is to not put people to sleep by hanging them to sleep on coffins or ropes like in imperial Russia. We distribute only enough food to eat.”
“Yes, yes.”
The lieutenant took a quick note.
“The list of people to be fired due to the personnel evaluation is being put together, and all those who are lower in the personnel evaluation will be subject to wage cuts. All upcoming vacations are unpaid leave!
“…..Yes!”
Moltke contemplated.
Is there any way to ‘save’ more money?
This novel was posted at https://noblemtl.com
One more thing came to mind.
awesome idea.
Moltke waved his index finger and gave instructions.
“Sell all useless businesses that only cost money right away! Sell them to your competitor, Thyssen. Then they can cut their cash too.”
The division is also sold.
It can continuously eat away at Thyssen’s cash. It was a one-of-a-kind.
“Oh, if you call it too expensive, you may not buy it, so sell it cheap. Cheap. Only enough to be a burden.”
“Yes!”
“This will keep us one step ahead.”
Moltke rubbed his palms with satisfaction.
The tariff barrier has been raised, but the US steel company is not a problem. The problem was Thyssen.
“If only the steel supply to Baghdadvan and the Ottoman Empire’s railroad project is successful, we can win!”
Baghdadvan.
The largest railway project of the Prussian Imperial Railways connecting Baghdad and Berlin. The Berlin Palace gave Krupp the monopoly over the steel supply for this project.
last bastion.
if only this
If only this business is successful.
If you can survive with Krupp’s basic monster size.
Might win against Thyssen.
Moltke was immersed in fantasy.
Fragments of household items scattered at his feet were worth hundreds of thousands of marks.
Worth the salary of dozens of employees.
Its value vanished like dust with a single Moltke’s wrath.
“Krupp should thank me.”
I took over the knife of restructuring that everyone was reluctant to. He said that I did the restructuring while putting all the notoriety aside. It even took on the role of sacrificing the company by selling the loss-making business on time.
You should be grateful for yourself.
Moltke seriously thought so.
“Ah, Bösendorfer’s grand piano must also be obtained.”
His eyes were sincere.
***
“…No, really, what are these bastards.”
Thyssen.
Duisburg Coal Mine and Steel Headquarters.
Gathered in the executive meeting room, I, Thyssen, and Kluge burst into laughter as they read the proposal from Krupp.
“Dear Detroit, Moltke has no interest in Krupp’s business, and he doesn’t know how the steel industry works or what the future steel industry will look like.”
“A human being who can’t even read the industry, let alone a vision?”
“It’s even worse.”
“Oh, it seems.”
The proposal from Krupp was quite shocking.
First of all, the proposal itself was a teaser letter containing the intention to sell the division.
The problem was the name of the division.
“Why do you think you’re trying to sell this?”
“Well, it’s obvious. This is because the industry in this field has not yet grown enough to cause economies of scale. It means that it is a business unit that is only making a loss in the deficit competition right now.”
“You mean selling the future to buy the present?”
“Neither is it.”
Kluge sighed and shook his head.
“I am enjoying a luxurious and luxurious life just by visiting Moltke’s official residence. I use Krupp’s public money as a maintenance fee. Are other Junker directors different?”
“But why is the Berlin Palace still? If it were me, I would have put out a super war.”
“Yeah…”
Kluge smiled awkwardly.
“It’s because we’re paying a certain amount every month to the Berlin Palace. Moltke’s head is crazy about this. It’s a considerable amount.”
“That’s why Kaiser wrapped Moltke like that when he was alone at the Berlin Palace. Now I understand.”
In fact, in a Krupp-like company, the accumulated cash would be on an incredible scale. Even if the eyes of the Junkers and the Berlin Palace turned around, they would have worked properly.
When selling Krupp, I was able to draw and eat a double of the amount used.
“If anyone sees it, you’ll know they’re corporate hunters. It’s also a national corporate hunter.”
I shrugged.
“But no matter how you look at it, this doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense.”
tuk.
I threw the teaser letter from Krupp onto the desk.
[A letter of intent to sell the automotive steel sheet business.]
“You’re selling this.”
must have been crazy
But on the other hand, the best opportunity has come to us.
“Call Krupp right away. Let’s negotiate a sale.”
If you miss this, you are not human.
Don’t eat it up to the bone.
“The person going to the negotiation is… um.”
I looked around the conference room and smiled.
At the same time, the perfect role to send out in the sale negotiations was right in front of me.
“Kluge, would you like to go out?”
＜ Death Race. (2) > end
