This Is How I Became a Chaebol - Chapter 540

540: Celebration of entry

“Chairman, are you planning to expand the Ulsan headquarters for the offshore plant?”

“That’s right. Isn’t there already land purchased in Yeompo-dong? Rather, the problem is the location of the repair shipyard.”

If a landfill is built toward Yeompo-dong, there is no problem in expanding the marine plant yard.

Even if we secure just 150,000 pyeong more, it will be enough to cover 30% of the world’s offshore plant business.

When the Samjeo boom comes, oil field development is drastically reduced due to low oil prices, so if you purchase a lot of patents and equipment from overseas offshore plant businesses that have lost their growth momentum and are collapsing, you can then work your butt off to receive orders.

First of all, I think the Seven Sisters will take my side. Aren’t your arms bound to bend inward? It’s not that our modern shipbuilding skills are lacking.

Repair shipyards are in the same context.

Currently, we are increasing our fleet by repairing used ships and moving them to mainstream shipping, but there are still only 60 ships available.

We need to increase that to 100 or 200 ships.

If you run such a shipping company as a member of the Seven Sisters, it is safe to say that there is almost no chance of making fun of the ship.

In particular, if Daesae Shipping continues to expand its routes using the Northeast and Southeast Asian logistics markets, it will grow into one of the world’s top five shipping companies.

“How about expanding the Yeongdo Shipyard in Busan as a repair shipyard? “It is located between Ulsan and Okpo, and has been mainly in charge of repair and shipbuilding.”

“No, if we aim to be the world’s best repair shipyard, we have to build a new one. Yeongdo Shipyard is specialized as a defense shipyard.”

Yeongdo Shipyard already has unrivaled competitiveness in patrol ships, frigate-class destroyers, and transport ships upgraded from the SL-7.

There is no problem on the export front as the stock price continues to rise due to the Iran-Iraq war.

“Chairman, then what about the area near Yeocheon? “There is an abundance of manpower due to the Yeocheon Industrial Complex, and there are places nearby such as Suncheon Bay and Gwangyang Bay where the water is deep and the waves are not severe, so there are likely to be many suitable sites for shipyards.”

Well, it’s not that I haven’t thought about it.

In particular, the Yeocheon Industrial Complex is a very suitable place to build a large shipyard because it has very strong ground for a coastal area.

However, the south coast belt has already been completed.

Now that we have the Shanghai Port, it is time to complete the west coast belt connecting Incheon and the Central Industrial Complex.

“I think we should look for it in the West Sea rather than the South Sea. Geographical conditions may be somewhat harsh, but repair shipyards are also a type of shipping industry. Quy Nhon, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Shanghai, etc. If logistics and ship finance are in mind, it should be the West Sea.”

“Chairman, are you ultimately thinking about Incheon?”

“Incheon could also be a candidate site.”

Vice President Scow immediately focused on Incheon.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to build a shipyard on Incheon’s landfill… But shouldn’t Incheon International Airport be built there in the 21st century?

Although Cheongju International Airport opened when the capital was moved to Sejong City, it is honestly difficult to call it a hub airport. Even I still use Gimpo Airport.

“Chairman, how about Gunsan?”

“Gunsan?”

“Yes, while building a port in Garorim Bay in the Central Industrial Complex, I learned that there are quite a few bays with deep water in the West Sea. “I happened to stop by Gunsan Port, and it has natural port conditions just as good as the Central Industrial Complex.”

“I would like to see it in person, to see it reflected so clearly in Director Kim’s eyes.”

“This is a thought that occurred to me just now, but there is a place that Gunsan citizens call Yongmeori Mountain. “It’s a place where a rocky mountain juts out like the Central Industrial Complex, and if you blow it up, you could create a large-scale landfill.”

“There is a stone mountain on the coast of Gunsan?”

“Yes that’s right.”

The rocky mountains on the coast were of great help in the success of the Garorimman Central Industrial Complex.

Although we took the trouble to burst the water vein trapped in the rocky mountain, there was no more convenient way to procure large-scale stones from the landfill.

Since Managing Director Kim had personally built the Central Industrial Complex, the idea of ​​creating a landfill seemed to immediately come to mind when he saw Yongmeori Mountain in Gunsan.

“Gunsan is designated as a core city, so the project will likely be approved… and there will be good synergy with the Central Industrial Complex.”

“It is a core city in the metropolitan area that is not that far from Sejong City, so I don’t think there will be any problems in supplying manpower.”

The words “metropolitan area” and “core city” naturally flowed out of Executive Director Kim Chun-seok’s mouth.

Sejong City has now developed into a new city with a population of over 1.5 million, and the Central Industrial Complex is so popular that the occupancy rate is approaching 70%.

Naturally, cities around Sejong City were also experiencing rapid population inflow.

Although the world economy is said to be in recession, this was possible because Korea’s manufacturing industry was growing steadily.

The number of Seoul citizens peaked at 8 million the year before last and then rapidly decreased to 7 million as the population moved to Sejong City.

Some politicians talk nonsense about the hollowing out of Seoul and all that, but it was a very good signal.

Rather, starting with the 1988 Olympics, the population of Sejong City should increase further.

“First of all, I think we should include Gunsan as a candidate site. Please set up a task force at Daese Shipbuilding and look around Yeocheon, Suncheon, Gwangyang, Gunsan, Incheon, etc. and make a final decision. The goal is a repair shipyard with a total capacity of 1.5 million DWT.”

“150… 1.5 million DWT! Yes, I understand. President.”

In order to secure a construction capacity of about 1.5 million DWT, approximately 5 or more docks will be needed, and the land area will need to be approximately 1 million pyeong.

Wouldn’t there have been that much land in Korea in the 1980s?

It can be done when the trend takes place.

“Then, since we have set a big goal, let’s get moving. “Please have Vice President Scow lead today’s meeting and draw up the framework of the business plan.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

There was no need for me to take Vice President Scow’s job away. Since Daesae Construction has also been called, only the location is undecided, but the overall project scale and schedule will be fully discussable.

“Instead, Manager Yeon Guk-hwan would like to borrow some. “It’ll be okay, right?”

“of course. “Take as much as you want.”

“Uh… I also have an offshore plant business plan…”

“Director Yeon! “I’ll give you plenty of homework, so don’t worry.”

“Let’s go, Manager Yeon.”

“Oh, yes! President”

I grabbed Manager Yeon, who was looking at me and Vice President Scow in turn, looking embarrassed, and came out of the conference room. They say that when you breathe in the sea breeze mixed with the smell of iron, you really feel like you’ve come home.

No matter when I smelled it, it gave me a vague feeling.

“Manager Yeon, what’s going on with the submarine cable laying ship? “I brought him here because I was curious about that.”

The production of the submarine cable laying ship was entrusted to Manager Yeon.

Although I was in charge of the offshore plant, I thought that laying ships were closer to offshore plants because they were work ships rather than general operating ships.

It was clear that Manager Yeon, who also made FPSOs, would be good at making submarine cable laying ships.

“Oh, I was already preparing to show you. “Let’s go now.”

“hmm? You have something to show me? Have they started drying already?”

“That’s not it, there was a used ship that perfectly suited the chairman’s needs, so I brought it from Okpo Shipyard thinking it would be a good idea to remodel it.”

“I don’t know what you mean, bringing it from the Okpo Shipyard.”

“Among the used ships that Q-Five Line entrusted to Daese Shipbuilding for remodeling is a deep water pipe installation vessel (Deep Water Pipe Layer) owned by a Dutch shipping company. Since it satisfies most of the specifications you mentioned, how about modifying it and using it? That’s why. “I heard that Daese Shipping plans to charter it as a heavy equipment carrier.”

what? Was there a useful one among the used ships that General Van Fleet collected from around the world?

“Such luck! “Let’s go now.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

We jumped into the company car and rushed to the offshore plant yard.

There was a ship perfectly positioned in an offshore plant yard.

“It’s a ship that can easily weigh 10,000 tons.”

“Yes, Chairman. It is a 12,000-ton submarine pipe installation ship equipped with a large crane as well as a remotely operated submarine excavator. “The specifications are exactly as the Chairman said.”

I was startled by the sound of a remote-controlled subsea excavator and ran up onto the deck.

I really saw a toy-like excavator connected to a huge wired cable.

Although it was an early form of a combination of a submersible and an excavator, it seemed to have no problem digging furrows on the sea floor.

“Why did such a wonderful ship appear on the used ship market? “I even received a request to convert it into a heavy equipment carrier.”

“I heard that the Dutch shipping company that originally owned this ship was planning to develop offshore oil fields in Brazil… It looks like that project has collapsed.”

“Are you saying that they built a submarine pipe installation ship before they even succeeded in developing an offshore oil field?”

“I’m not sure about that. However, it seems clear that project management was not very successful. “It is clearly stated that this installation line can install pipes up to a depth of 1,500 meters, but there is no verification history.”

There are bound to be people in the world who just rush ahead without thinking about things.

Especially when doing business with India or South America, the order of the project can get mixed up, and the project can collapse because you don’t do what you should.

It was clear that this was one of those things.

“Anyway, it’s a ship worth considering. “It looks nice on the outside…”

“The facility materials need to be inspected again, but the specifications for laying submarine cables can be relaxed compared to installing submarine pipes, so the possibility of renovation seems very high.”

“How long is the renovation expected to take?”

“If you buy this ship, I will definitely complete the remodeling within 6 months, no, 4 months.”

What’s the problem?

Q Five Shipping is a company in which all five members already own shares.

There is no need to add extra money, just send the purchase price and they will tell me to take care of it.

“I agree. “I hope that it will be corrected right away… No, I hope that it will be fixed properly in consultation with the major news agency.”

“Yes, I understand.”

The drying period was shortened by six months.

If we do well, we may be able to lay optical cables starting in the second half of this year. Haven’t we already gone beyond the research stage for major telecommunications, AT&T, and optical cable facilities? Honestly, the initial price is the problem, but creating optical communication equipment itself will not be that difficult.

I was able to leave the offshore plant yard with a light heart.

Since FPSOs and jackets are being manufactured in all directions, expansion in block 7 and the Baekho oil field in Vietnam will be easy.

***

Two weeks later, Yongmeori area, Osikdo-dong, Gunsan

“This is the situation, right?”

I came out to the beach in Gunsan and had no choice but to nod.

「Kyeong) Daese Joseon enters Gunsan (congratulation)」

“The only thing left for us in Gunsan is to become rich. Our sons and daughters will be employed and the Gunsan region will also see remarkable development. Please know that Gunsan City Hall has done its best to attract mainstream shipbuilding!”

“Waaah!”

“hurray!!!”

It seemed like all Gunsan citizens had flocked to the coast.

Among them, there were quite a few politicians who were praising themselves for their efforts in attracting mainstream Joseon.

“Yes, Chairman. Fortunately, the land is expected to be available for purchase at a low price thanks to the government’s active mediation. “But we couldn’t stop politicians from doing that.”

“This was decided by the TF considering not only construction costs and logistics costs, but also the contribution to the west coast belt.”

Vice President Scow and Managing Director Kim Chun-seok, who accompanied him, spoke as if they were embarrassed.

“Still, it’s nice to see citizens welcoming us. Aren’t politicians doing that because they think opening a shipyard in Gunsan is an achievement?”

“Yes, we also didn’t expect such a grand welcome.”

This is possible because precedents have been accumulated.

If you try to speculate on real estate against the mainstream, you will choose to move your business altogether, and if you cooperate actively, you will receive corresponding benefits.

This is why it is so welcomed because it is clearly known that when the trend comes, a residential-commercial complex will come in for the sake of the mainstream employees.

Then, you also know that infrastructure such as straight roads and city gas will be laid out, and parks and commercial complexes will be built near residential-commercial complexes.

“Vice President Scow, are those standing over there who applied to Gunsan Shipyard?”

“These are people who were accepted rather than applied. “Most of them have won prizes in in-house skills competitions, so they have priority for dispatch, but they prefer it here.”

In our society, support for skilled workers is comprehensive and systematic.

Since 1976, an in-house skills competition has been held twice a year to discover excellent technical personnel.

There were categories such as welding, mounting, painting, piping, canning, sanding, and marine electricity, and the winners were awarded prizes and raises in salary. Above all, two people from each department are given the opportunity to join the overseas training of technical high school students sent every year, so it is no different from a gateway to employment for skilled workers.

This probably means that quite a few former trainees have joined the Gunsan Shipyard here.

The prevailing culture is that it is difficult for those without field experience to be promoted, regardless of their rank.

“It seems like that because there is a precedent called Daese Heavy Industries.”

“Yes, as Daese Heavy Industries was located in Masan, there were many benefits not only to the group but also to the government. “Isn’t this the same here in Gunsan?”

“It might be better than Masan. Sejong City is right next door, so living will be convenient.”

Now it feels like national land development has entered a virtuous cycle. Since many good jobs are opening up nearby, isn’t it natural for the city to expand radially around Sejong City?

“Chairman, would you like to blast it yourself?”

“Let’s do it together.”

“It is an honour.”

“But is it possible to plan to start fishing for the first time in just 9 months?”

I asked as I headed to the podium with Executive Director Kim Chun-seok and Vice President Scow.

“Isn’t it a tradition of modern shipbuilding to build and operate a shipyard? “It will take just 9 months to build two docks and a quay wall.”

“Ha ha ha ha ha!”

Managing Director Kim Chun-seok said it as if it were obvious.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

I must say that the only place where such a thing is natural is Korea.

We went up to the stage and stood in front of the blast button.

“We will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the historic Gunsan Shipyard. Please shout out together. Five, four, three!”

“two! one! blasting!”

“blasting!”

bang! Quack! Quack!

It was a continuous blast occurring at 0.5 second intervals.

The technology of blowing away more than half of a rocky mountain in one blow also shows how sophisticated a construction company Daesae Construction is.

“Waaah!”

Suddenly, the sea off Gunsan opened up.

To my eyes, I felt like I could see the endless yards of the Gunsan Shipyard.

South Korea is a maritime country.

The general trend will prove it.