The Tyrant Billionaire

Hardy set the rubber shoes down and said, "Here's a suggestion: stockpile at least two years worth of raw materials. If you don't have enough money, you can apply for a loan. I can have Wells Fargo Bank offer you the lowest interest rate."

Chen Xiangsheng was a little surprised.

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"Two years worth of raw materials? Boss, do you think the price of raw materials will increase?" Chen Xiangsheng asked.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"The raw material you use is mainly rubber. With the increasing number of automobiles, the demand for rubber is growing as well. The current low price is due to the post war surplus. Sooner or later, the price will rise again."

Hardy then visited the toy factory.

The equipment used to manufacture toys here came from the factory that Hardy had originally purchased for HD Security. Later, the equipment had been given to the Barbie doll factory, which had since upgraded to newer machines. The old equipment was then sent here.

Nothing went to waste.

This factory, like the others, was mostly owned by the Hardy Group.

Of course, the molds had been replaced, and they were no longer making ugly dolls. Instead, the factory now mainly produced plastic toy cars. Hardy examined the models—there were about a dozen different designs, all cartoon versions based on famous car models around the world.

"How are sales?" Hardy asked.

"We ship them to the United States. The distributors there really like these toy cars, and with our price advantage, sales are excellent," the manager said.

"How much profit do you make on each car?"

"After deducting labor, electricity, and all other costs, we make about 30 cents (Hong Kong dollars) per car."

"And how many do you produce?"

"We can produce around 10 million units."

Hardy quickly did the math in his head: 10 million units multiplied by 0.30 equals 3 million Hong Kong dollars, which is roughly 370,000 US dollars.

This amount would be split between the two partners.

For Hardy, this wasn't a significant amount of money, but for the other shareholders, it was an excellent business. With the 30% shares they hold, they could earn a million Hong Kong dollars a year, which in this era would make them well off individuals in Hong Kong.

Hardy then visited several other factories.

Victor informed Hardy that the industrial zone now included a light bulb factory, a wire factory, a nail factory, a wire mesh factory, a screw factory, a cigarette factory, a button factory, a zipper factory, a flexible pipe factory, a garment and shirt factory, and a plastic flower factory.

Producing items like radios and faucet valves already counted as relatively high tech businesses.

Hardy smiled and said, "It's okay. We'll take it step by step. Eventually, it will develop. For now, focus on acquiring more land."

Hardy was emulating the strategy of future major companies that would establish branches in China to take advantage of cheap labor costs. He knew that labor costs in Hong Kong would continue to decrease as more Chinese immigrants fled to Hong Kong to escape the Communist regime.

These factories in Hong Kong, although not large compared to those in the United States, are already considered major factories in Asia.

If all the more than one hundred companies in the Kowloon Tong industrial area were to move in, even if each company brought in $100,000 in revenue annually for Hardy, the total revenue would exceed ten million dollars. This would definitely be a considerable amount of profit.

Moreover, these enterprises still have room for development.

In the future, Hong Kong will be the most important transshipment port in the East, at least until other Asian countries rise. Business here will be plentiful. By the late 1970s, these factories could simply be relocated.

At that time... A new industrial race will form on many Asian countries including China who will open its market to Hong Kong companies.

Of course, The machines will certainly be new. It's impossible to move 30-year-old machines over there.

When the land in Hong Kong is vacated, it will coincide with the real estate boom in Hong Kong, and just by building high rises, one can make a fortune.

By the time Hardy left the factory, it was already dusk. The convoy took him back to the villa on Mid Levels. After dinner, Hardy took a walk in the courtyard. The lights from Victoria Harbour shone in the distance.

The moon was out tonight, making the scene incredibly picturesque.

In the office, Hardy and Victor were sitting together, drinking tea and chatting.

"Have you chosen locations for the security company and the intelligence company headquarters?" Hardy asked.

"There are two options. One is in Wan Chai, previously the clubhouse of the Deli Trading Company, covering 68 acres. It's currently for sale, with both buildings and land, and it's conveniently located. If we buy it, we can move in directly."

"The other location is in Tsim Sha Tsui, where there used to be a furniture factory. The owner, a Chinese businessman, is planning to immigrate to the U.S. with his family, so he's selling the factory. It covers 36 acres and includes a three story office building, workshops, and warehouses. The rest is vacant land.

The security company would need to renovate and refurbish it, but it's much cheaper than the Deli clubhouse."

"Both places have their pros and cons. If the security company is based on Hong Kong Island, it's convenient for operations on the island. If it's in Kowloon, it's easier to watch over Wells Fargo bank and factories. But either way, you have to cross the harbor for certain tasks."

"No need to think too much. Just buy both and set up two security branches. That way, everything will be more convenient," Hardy said decisively.

"Understood, boss," Victor noted.

Since Hardy was establishing a security company, he wasn't planning to do it on a small scale. He had already spoken to Governor Grantham, hoping to get permission for the security company to carry firearms. Grantham was still hesitant and hadn't given an answer yet.