章節 285: Chapter 285: Profitable Industry
Outside the factory, Xia Yu didn't enter immediately. Instead, he walked to a window and quietly observed. Ma Tengdong, standing respectfully behind Xia Yu, did not disturb him.
After two minutes, Xia Yu smiled and remarked, "Not bad! Let's go in and take a look!"
"Boss, please follow me!" Ma Tengdong replied, leading Xia Yu into the factory. Shortly after, the factory manager also came out to greet Xia Yu and Ma Tengdong respectfully, then led them toward the production line.
The arrival of Xia Yu's group naturally drew the attention of the surrounding employees. The presence of the boss, the company's general manager, and the factory head made nearly every worker give their utmost attention, working even more diligently.
As they walked through the factory, Xia Yu glanced around, occasionally spotting familiar faces—his relatives and neighbors. Knowing Xia Yu's status had changed, and with Ma Tengdong and the factory head present, they were too reserved to greet him actively, although they were excited to see him. Xia Yu acknowledged them with a nod whenever they smiled at him, occasionally stopping to chat briefly with close family friends.
Suddenly, Xia Yu reached the section where finished products were being processed. He picked up a yellow Pikachu plush toy and examined it closely. Afterward, he randomly grabbed several other plush toys, tugging and checking their quality.
Moments later, Xia Yu nodded in satisfaction and said, "The craftsmanship is good—no shoddy work here."
"Boss, I have adhered to your requirement of prioritizing quality. To constantly remind our employees, I even had signs hung on the walls. Look, right there!" Ma Tengdong explained, pointing to a direction.
Following his gaze, Xia Yu noticed a row of slogans on the wall that read, "Strive for Excellence, Quality First."
"You need this level of strictness to grow and strengthen the business!" Xia Yu commented. Ma Tengdong and the factory head nodded repeatedly in agreement.
"I see this area is solely for plush toy production. Have other peripheral products been separated?"
Xia Yu glanced around, noting that the entire area was focused on producing plush toys. He saw no signs of other products like stickers, posters, plastic toys, or other merchandise. He turned to Ma Tengdong and the factory head.
"Yes, everything has been separated. The plush toy production area is quite dusty, which isn't suitable for products requiring high air quality. To make management and production easier, other products have been placed in separate workshops," Ma Tengdong explained after exchanging a glance with the factory head.
"Lead the way."
Xia Yu proceeded to inspect the production areas for other peripheral products. After touring these areas, Xia Yu was reassured about the manufacturing process. The slogans on the wall were not just for show; they were being effectively implemented in the production process, much to his satisfaction.
"Where is the warehouse?"
After examining the production lines, Xia Yu asked once more.
"The warehouse is at the far end of the factory. Boss, please follow me!"
The factory manager led Xia Yu and his group to the warehouse. There, Xia Yu saw neatly categorized stacks of peripheral products. Estimating based on the store sizes, he felt there was more than enough inventory to fill ten flagship stores, with continuous production ensuring no stock shortages. The real concern was whether they could sell everything without accumulating excess inventory.
"Tengdong, during the opening of the flagship peripheral stores, you can organize some promotional events like comic giveaways, prize draws, and quizzes with rewards. This will not only boost the store's reputation but also speed up market adoption of our peripheral products and increase sales. Most importantly, it will enhance our readers' sense of connection to our magazine *Zhi Yin Man Ke* and to our flagship stores. It has numerous benefits!"
"Since the stores haven't opened yet, there's still some time. Create a detailed and exciting plan, and show it to me once it's done," Xia Yu suggested.
Ma Tengdong nodded seriously. "Got it, Boss, I'll make sure to get it done!"
"By the way, Boss, the Rubik's Cube production and research workshop is also here. Would you like to take a look?"
As they left the warehouse, Ma Tengdong mentioned this to Xia Yu, piquing his interest.
Xia Yu's brows raised with intrigue. "Sure, lead the way."
The Rubik's Cube was a goldmine; the sooner it was produced, the sooner it would start generating income, benefiting Xia Yu. It was something he had to pay close attention to.
While walking, Ma Tengdong gave a brief introduction to update Xia Yu on the progress of the Rubik's Cube.
"Boss, after you sent the design back, I immediately arranged for the patent registration as per your instructions. I hired professionals to help, and the patent certificates for Hong Kong and Macau have already been issued."
"As for other international patents, I've outsourced the process to a specialized patent registration company, with our team tracking the progress closely to ensure it's completed as quickly as possible!"
"Great work! Always maintain this level of awareness, especially in fields like our current comic business. Intellectual property must always be a priority. Have all patents related to the comics been registered?"
Xia Yu was pleased with Ma Tengdong's proactive attitude and continued asking.
"The patents for Hong Kong, Macau, and Southeast Asia are nearly complete. We also have dedicated teams handling registrations in other international regions. Because these are intellectual property patents, the procedures are more straightforward. We aim to have everything in place before the flagship stores open!"
"Good."
"Continue with your report."
Satisfied, Xia Yu nodded at Ma Tengdong.
"As for the manufacturing and research of the Rubik's Cube, following your guidance, I contacted several universities in Hong Kong and engaged professors from architecture and engineering faculties to conduct research projects. With your hints, we successfully developed the three-layer Rubik's Cube and completed a sample three days ago."
"The three-layer Rubik's Cube is right inside."
By the time Ma Tengdong finished speaking, the group had reached the door of the Rubik's Cube workshop. Ma Tengdong opened the door, leading Xia Yu and the others inside.
"Boss, this is Professor Liu Fang from the Hong Kong University's School of Architecture and Engineering. He is currently in charge of all research related to the Rubik's Cube," Ma Tengdong introduced, pointing to an elderly man wearing glasses.
Xia Yu glanced at the familiar three-layer Rubik's Cube on the table before shifting his focus back to the professor, smiling and extending his hand. "Professor Liu, hello, I'm Xia Yu."
"Mr. Xia, I've heard of you. Nice to meet you!" Liu Fang smiled warmly, his demeanor slightly formal but genuine. Xia Yu didn't mind; if a university professor were too slick, he would question his academic integrity. Liu Fang's scholarly aura reassured him.
"This is the three-layer Rubik's Cube, right? Is it a finished product?"
Xia Yu picked up the Rubik's Cube and, already knowing the answer, asked anyway.
"Yes."
Liu Fang replied succinctly, then watched as Xia Yu began skillfully twisting the Rubik's Cube. Within a minute, the scrambled cube was restored to its original state, with all six faces showing a uniform color.
Liu Fang adjusted his glasses, slightly surprised by Xia Yu's speed, and remarked, "Mr. Xia, it seems your logical thinking is quite strong to solve it so quickly."
"Yes, Boss, you're amazing! It took me half an hour just to solve it once!" Ma Tengdong exclaimed, his face full of amazement. Reflecting on his own experience, he understood the difficulty, making Xia Yu's speed even more impressive.
"Haha!"
Xia Yu chuckled, refraining from explaining that his slow pace was due to being rusty.
"Can we start mass production now? If we do, what would the production cost be?"
Xia Yu asked, placing the Rubik's Cube back on the table.
"I have drafted a production line plan, and ordinary plastic will suffice for the material. For other cost details, you'll have to ask Mr. Ma," Liu Fang answered, then turned to Ma Tengdong for specifics.
"Boss, with mass production, the cost per Rubik's Cube can be reduced to 0.2 Hong Kong dollars," Ma Tengdong reported promptly.
Upon hearing this, Xia Yu furrowed his brow briefly before relaxing and saying, "That's a good cost, but it only covers the low-end market."
"Also, consider making medium to high-end Rubik's Cubes using different materials. Although the mid to high-end market isn't as vast as the low-end market, it's essential in a mature market."
"Professor Liu, I'd appreciate it if you could help choose appropriate materials for mid to high-end products."
"No problem. It will take just a few days to create once we switch the materials," Liu Fang agreed without hesitation.
"Professor Liu, although the three-layer Rubik's Cube has been developed, the four-layer, five-layer, and other advanced versions haven't. I hope you can help us with that too."
With mid to high-end Rubik's Cubes in mind, Xia Yu also thought of future versions and addressed Liu Fang.
"With pleasure!"
Liu Fang smiled. His decision to accept Ma Tengdong's invitation stemmed from his deep fascination with the Rubik's Cube. Its intricate design had ignited his passion for exploration and discovery, aligning perfectly with his scholarly pursuits.
After spending some more time at the factory and encouraging the manager, Xia Yu left with Ma Tengdong.
On the ride back, Xia Yu turned to Ma Tengdong and asked, "Tengdong, what do you think the appropriate price for a low-end Rubik's Cube should be?"
"Boss, with a cost of 0.2 Hong Kong dollars per cube, I think a wholesale price of 0.8 Hong Kong dollars and a retail price of 1.5 Hong Kong dollars would be appropriate," Ma Tengdong suggested after some consideration. To him, a threefold profit seemed sufficient.
Hearing this, Xia Yu shook his head with a smile, realizing that Ma Tengdong hadn't fully grasped the Rubik's Cube's potential.
However, Xia Yu understood this as Ma Tengdong wasn't aware of the Rubik's Cube's future popularity. He decided to elaborate: "I believe a price of 5 Hong Kong dollars per cube would be suitable. With effective marketing, positioning it as an educational toy, it should sell well at that price."
Without waiting for Ma Tengdong to respond, Xia Yu continued with a detailed explanation.
"The Rubik's Cube should initially be sold in our peripheral flagship stores and can be integrated into comic storylines. The goal is to establish in readers' and customers' minds that playing with a Rubik's Cube can stimulate the brain. By marketing it as an intellectual toy, it is bound to be a success!"
Ma Tengdong's eyes widened with shock as he absorbed the idea. The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. Excitedly, he responded, "Boss, I understand now. I know what to do!"
As long as the concept is established that Rubik's Cubes benefit children's cognitive development, even a price of 5 Hong Kong dollars should sell well. Compared to the 0.2 Hong Kong dollars cost, that's a 25-fold profit—certainly a significant profit margin.
Of course, this assumes that the Rubik's Cube will sell well.
Before Xia Yu's marketing plan, Ma Tengdong might not have been confident, but with Xia Yu's guidance, he now firmly believed that 5 Hong Kong dollars would be a viable price.
"It seems the Rubik's Cube will be a major revenue source. I need to give this more thought!" Ma Tengdong reminded himself internally.
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