Chapter 91: The Upheaval

A group of people soon arrived at the workshop of Dream Technology where Du Qiu personally conducted a demonstration.

Seeing the entire production line operating automatically, the representatives of the three manufacturers were immediately stunned. How much labor cost could this save?

Currently, in manufacturing, labor costs are sky-high.

Also, the production line seemed very environmentally friendly, with no potential for pollution at all.

Unlike current production processes that have significant pollution levels, factories usually need to be set up in more remote areas and equipped with a large number of environmental protection facilities.

“Dr. Du, how much can this production line yield annually in tons?” Ding Shengnan asked.

Du Qiu smiled mysteriously and said, “This line can produce a batch every hour. You can see how much finished product comes out later, and then you’ll be able to calculate it yourself.”

Quickly, after an hour had passed and the robotic arms properly arranged the finished carbon fibers, everyone saw the number displayed on the weight sensor nearby.

100 kilograms!

It was Ding Shengnan who first asked, “Dr. Du, can this production line operate continuously?”

“Of course, it can. You can choose to run it 24 hours non-stop, and then shut down for maintenance after a few days, or you can run it like a high-speed train, operating for several hours during the day and performing maintenance at night.”

“My goodness, if calculated by half a day, it would be nearly 500 tons a year!” Zheng Yuanhua exclaimed in astonishment.

Xu Chen from another company, however, was examining the carbon fibers with his assistant and asked, “Dr. Du, may we use your testing equipment to check these carbon fibers?”

“Sure, right over there.”

The group hurriedly gathered to watch Xu Chen perform the tests himself.

Du Qiu and Rein Leinar, however, did not join them.

Rein Leinar said excitedly, “Du, I didn’t expect your materials science to be so exceptional too. The carbon fiber industry should be overturned by you.

I’m finished, I feel like I’ve become a brain-dead fan of yours. Big shot, do you need a follower?”

Du Qiu could not help but smile, “Batty, what have you been looking at on the internet?”

Rein Leinar replied, “I’ve recently been reading some web novels on a certain site. Of course, there are those speeches in the chapters too. Many times, I’m amused by those chapter speeches.”

Du Qiu chuckled. Who would have thought that foreigners would also like to read Tang Country’s web novels? No wonder that site had an international version.

“Jokes aside. Once these people pay the patent licensing fees, we’ll have money. Then you need to quickly recruit researchers for the German R&D center. I will provide several research directions.”

“Let’s hear them,” Rein Leinar said seriously.

“Photon chips, quantum chips, artificial intelligence algorithms, astronomy—these four directions for now,” Du Qiu recited, counting on his fingers.

Rein Leinar looked surprised and asked, “I understand the first three, but what about astronomy? What do you want to study?”

“Find me capable astronomers. Not many, but they must be familiar with star charts—at least detailed star charts within 500 light-years around the solar system.”

“Why?”

“Because our goal is the stars and the sea!” Du Qiu declared.

“You…” Rein Leinar was momentarily speechless and then said, “Never mind, let’s wait until these people are willing to pay. Without money, I’ll put your astronomy research at the lowest priority.”

Du Qiu just laughed. He of course wouldn’t reveal the real reason, but what he said was not wrong; his current development goal was indeed the stars and the sea.

Because Du Qiu discovered that every time he dreamed of the white vortex, the pathways through the starry sea were fixed, which made him want to explore.

Perhaps by following the route, he might find the location of an extraterrestrial civilization?

After completing the tests, the representatives from the three manufacturers all sat down in the company conference room for discussions.

Again, it was Ding Shengnan who took the lead and asked, “Dr. Du, how much is the fee for the carbon fiber production patent license, and how long is the license period?”

Du Qiu smiled and said, “I will grant the patent licensing rights to the three companies; the licensing fee for each will be 1 billion yuan, with the authority granted globally for ten years.”

“One billion? Isn’t that too expensive?” Ding Shengnan exclaimed.

Zheng Yuanhua also chimed in, “Yes, Dr. Du, it’s for ten years, which is equivalent to a hundred million a year.

How big is the domestic carbon fiber market right now, and it’s still divided among us three? Even if divided equally, that’s probably just more than ten billion for each company.”

However, Xu Chen, the general manager of Hongwei New Materials, did not speak but was conversing with his assistant in a low voice.

Du Qiu placed his hands on the table and said to everyone, “Director Zheng, your mindset is still stuck on the existing market capacity of carbon fibers.

You’re now producing low-end carbon fibers priced at 160,000 yuan per ton, while imported high-quality products are priced above 260,000 yuan.

If it’s T10000 standard carbon fibers, the price per ton can reach over a million yuan, and sometimes foreign manufacturers won’t even sell to Tang Country.

Although my carbon fibers are not up to T10000 standard, the cost does not exceed 3,000 yuan, and it can entirely replace steel used in cars.

Once on the market, it will surely ignite the entire carbon fiber application market, and the market size will explode exponentially.

Do you think the future domestic carbon fiber application market will remain at a mere tens of thousands of tons and a few billion yuan? Besides, the production license I grant you is global.”

“Dr. Du is right, a hundred million a year is a very fair price. However, I might need board authorization before I can contract with you,” Xu Chen paused in his conversation with his assistant and expressed support for Du Qiu’s words.

Zheng Yuanhua glanced at Xu Chen and silently cursed, “Sly!” Then, with a smile on his face, he said, “That’s right, such a large sum of money, we would also need board approval.”

Du Qiu nodded and said, “Of course, I don’t expect you to sign the contract now. But…”

Du Qiu’s voice paused, his gaze sweeping over the representatives of the three companies.

He continued, “I can only give you three days to consider. If you don’t sign after three days, it will be considered a forfeiture.

I will find other factories willing to purchase this patent, and there will still be three.

I believe you have just seen the site and should understand that my patent is a disruption to the carbon fiber market – from now on, only the three companies I authorize will exist.

My patent license means a monopoly right in a future market potentially worth trillions.

Frankly, I think a hundred million a year is too cheap. Maybe after three days, when you come to sign the contract, I might raise the price.”

Qin Yun watched Du Qiu and felt that what he said was very domineering.

Rein Leinar gave Du Qiu a thumbs up and then said, “Du, I can invite Western Materials, Lanxess, and Simai Group to come. They will definitely be willing to pay a higher price for this patent license.”

Given Rein Leinar’s identity, which was introduced to those present earlier, the representatives of the three manufacturers didn’t pay much attention at first, thinking he was merely the head of Dream Technology’s overseas R&D center.

Hearing him mention the top three in the German carbon fiber field, they suddenly felt uneasy.

They had already fully understood the value of Du Qiu’s new carbon fiber production method. Du Qiu was right.

Once these cheap carbon fibers produced by the new method become available, the existing carbon fiber market structure will be overturned, and a market many times larger than before will emerge.

Whoever gets Du Qiu’s patent licensing right wins the market’s voice.

Zheng Yuanhua felt that the direction of the negotiation had been controlled by Du Qiu, feeling very uncomfortable, and a bit reluctantly asked, “Dr. Du, does what you just said mean that only three enterprises in the entire carbon fiber market can get your patent license?”

“Exactly, and Dream Technology will provide these three enterprises with long-term automated production line equipment and various services,” Du Qiu had already planned well; the production lines would be provided exclusively by Dream Technology, which was another opportunity to earn.