Extreme Cold Era: Shelter Don't Keep Waste
Chapter 143: Can’t Eat

Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Can’t Eat

For the invitation from Perfikot, Andrew had not a moment’s hesitation.

Even though this was yet another substantial investment for him, which might even impact the current operations of his factories, Audru readily accepted Perfikot’s invitation.

Joking aside, anyone with half a brain could understand what this invitation meant!

This was an invitation from the Lord of the North!

Not to mention that the Count has the authority to grant noble titles for pioneering and vast lands in the Northern Territory awaiting development. Just by establishing steel and manufacturing factories for her, one could earn profits beyond imagination.

Andrew was a competent businessman who wouldn’t miss out on such lucrative business.

Of course, meeting Perfikot’s requirements wasn’t a simple task. At least for Andrew, it meant he had to make significant adjustments to the factories and various connections he established this year.

Yet after weighing the pros and cons, Andrew decided to take the gamble.

Knowing that the probability of loss was slim, not daring to invest would indeed be a lack of courage and ambition.

According to Andrew’s calculations, even if he made the worst choice of relocating the steel and manufacturing factories he built this year to the Northern Territory, he wouldn’t incur much loss.

At most, it would only add a hefty transportation cost to the output of his products later on.

But just contemplating the massive orders that would follow the development of the Northern Territory is enough to foresee an astonishing market prospect.

Any businessman with brains wouldn’t overlook such a colossal market.

Of course, risks were present too. After all, the Northern Territory was still a barren land at the moment. If the factory was relocated and the development didn’t proceed as expected, losses that exceed Andrew’s capacity could potentially lead him to bankruptcy.

However, where in business is there a guaranteed profit without risk?

Risk and reward are directly proportional.

"Congratulations, Mr. Andrew, you’ve made the right decision." Perfikot nodded with satisfaction.

Andrew’s steel factory wasn’t her only option, nor was he the only invitee, but clearly, Andrew made a choice that satisfied her.

"I must thank you, my lord, for giving me this opportunity. Anyone could see what an extensive market the Northern Territory would become in the future." Andrew adopted a humble posture in front of Perfikot.

Though the market in the Northern Territory needed development, and some viewed it as wild territory, Andrew saw it as an undeveloped blue ocean!

Does the market need development and cultivation? What better environment is there to cultivate a user base?

A blank slate means everything can start afresh and be shaped however one likes.

Once sufficient market inertia and habits are cultivated, although the initial investment is indeed substantial, it also means that the market potential is enormous with every bit developed.

This is a completely monopolistic business. With enough capability and appetite, dominating the entire Northern Territory could expand a company into an industry giant!

"The Northern Territory market is vast, but tapping into it also means massive initial investments. Do you have the capability to take it all on?" Perfikot asked Andrew, knowing full well he couldn’t swallow the entire Northern Territory market.

Facing Perfikot’s inquiry, Andrew wanted to claim he could handle it, but after evaluating his own capabilities, he regretfully shook his head.

"The entire Northern Territory is indeed too vast. According to your plans, my lord, I can only cover the steel segment of the industrial center you envision. Regrettably, I may not even be able to digest this segment in a short time." Andrew did not pretend to be more capable than he was. He knew his limits and was aware of how vast a market share the Northern Territory represented, not something he could monopolize.

After all, Andrew was merely a newcomer in the New Continent’s colonial steel industry. Despite his ambition to be a monopoly leader, he had to admit his business was just getting started.

The initial success only proved his company was a potential industry rising star, still far from becoming an industry giant or a monopoly leader.

If it were ten years later, he would be confident in saying he could take on the entire Northern Territory market.

But for now, not to mention those domestic new asset giants who have grown with the Empire’s market, even just the peers in the New Continent were not something Andrew could compete with.

"It’s wise to know your own limits, rather than boasting in front of me. Good." Perfikot didn’t mind Andrew’s inability to take on the entire market.

On the contrary, if Andrew could truly dominate the entire Northern Territory market, she would have to consider finding someone else to take on this venture.

After all, this related to her future control over the Northern Territory; if one person held too much power, she would have to weigh her options carefully.

Currently, Andrew was just capable enough to handle the future industrial center’s steel segment without being too overpowering or losing control.

But Perfikot still said to Andrew: "The production of Steam Knight components you were given last time must move to the new industrial center. This isn’t a negotiation; it’s a notification. I realized that giving you all the blueprints directly was a bit inconsiderate, considering the potential risks to the Empire’s military secrets, so you understand."

"Even if you hadn’t mentioned it, I planned to do so. Such designs involving the Empire’s most advanced military secrets indeed require careful safeguarding, and moving everything to the Northern Territory is sensible." Andrew raised no objections.

In fact, from the start, James had warned him that though Perfikot only entrusted him with the production of some Steam Knight parts, it was enough to make his factory a focal point of interest for various countries, even more so since he possessed the complete set of blueprints, except for the power core.

During this period, Andrew and James dared not let these blueprints out of their sight. At any given time, at least one of them stayed next to the factory’s safe to prevent the possibility of the blueprints being copied or leaked.

Moreover, within Andrew’s factory, the production of various components was distributed among several different factories. Sometimes, a component would need to move through two or three factories to be completed.

The aim was to prevent any factory workers from mastering all the technical data.

Although this approach didn’t align with Andrew’s usual business philosophy, considering the potential consequences if the Steam Knight’s blueprints were leaked, Andrew deemed it worthwhile.