Chapter 349: Pocket-Sized Facial Tissue and Investment in Taiwan
Ma Jiayou said, "Please go ahead, Yang Sheng."
Yang Wendong picked up a pack of toilet paper and said, "Let's discuss this in the adjacent office."
"Of course," Ma Jiayou quickly responded.
The group moved into a meeting room in the neighboring administrative building. Once there, all unrelated personnel were dismissed, leaving only Yang Wendong, Wei Zetao, and Ma Jiayou.
Yang Wendong asked, "You both know what facial tissues are, right?"
"Yes," Ma Jiayou nodded. "They're a higher-end form of toilet paper, produced with better materials and processing. Usually used to wipe hands or face."
Wei Zetao asked, "Yang Sheng, are you thinking of entering the facial tissue market?"
"What do you think?" Yang Wendong responded with a question of his own.
Wei Zetao and Ma Jiayou exchanged glances. Then Ma Jiayou said, "It wouldn't be hard to produce. Even if we're targeting a higher-end product, we can import high-quality pulp from overseas.
The issue is that facial tissues are considered a premium consumer product. The mainstream market is still in Europe and the U.S. If we want to produce on a large scale, we'd need to enter those markets, and that's much harder."
"That's true," Yang Wendong nodded. "But I'm thinking a little differently. Most facial tissues on the market now come in large tissue boxes, right?"
"Yes," Wei Zetao confirmed.
Yang Wendong continued, "Those are fine for restaurants, fancy offices, or wealthy homes. But what about when people are out on the street?"
"On the street?" Ma Jiayou thought for a moment. "You could keep tissues in your car. If you're walking, you'd probably just stuff a few sheets in your pocket."
Yang Wendong chuckled. "That's possible. But a wad of tissues in your pocket gets dirty and messy fast.
So here's my idea—we make a small-pack version of facial tissues, about the size of a matchbox, with ten sheets inside. Easy to carry, and easy to use."
At this time, standard tissue boxes already existed, and Yang Wendong had noticed early on that there was no small-pack version. He hadn't proposed the idea earlier because he wasn't yet involved in the paper industry.
Now that he was, this innovation could finally be put into motion. Small it may be, but the market potential was enormous—possibly even larger than toilet paper.
"Smaller packs?" Ma Jiayou asked. "What kind of packaging are we talking about?"
Yang Wendong looked over at Wei Zetao and smiled. "Old Wei, you remember that meeting where I asked you to research food packaging?"
They had previously discussed using plastic packaging for instant noodles, especially since paper-based noodle cups offered no real advantage. Plastic bags were a completely new category, and this project had naturally been assigned to Changxing Industrial, the group's plastic expert.
Wei Zetao replied, "We've already developed the plastic packaging. Right now, we're discussing size, label text, and visuals with Zhou Sheng. Once that's finalized, we'll order custom machinery and begin test production."
Yang Wendong nodded. "So making packaging for facial tissues should be even easier, right?"
"No problem," Wei Zetao said. "Just give me the dimensions, and I can have a prototype ready in a few days."
"I'll have the tissue specs ready soon too," Ma Jiayou added. "The outer packaging will follow shortly after."
"Perfect," Yang Wendong said, satisfied. "Work together to get a finished product out as quickly as possible. It doesn't need anything fancy—just make sure it's convenient to use. Once it's ready, register the packaging patent and prep for mass production."
For innovation-based products like this, the technology already existed. The key was simply having the idea. Once you had it, execution was fast.
In earlier years, due to various external limitations, many of Yang Wendong's creative product ideas couldn't be realized—or even proposed. But now that the Changxing Group had expanded across multiple industries, those innovations could finally be brought to life.
"Understood," both Wei Zetao and Ma Jiayou said.
At noon, Yang Wendong, Wei Zetao, and their team had a simple meal at the factory.
That afternoon, Yang Wendong visited another section of the facility—a large chemical wastewater treatment area. A strong odor wafted from one of the open-air pools.
Ma Jiayou explained, "Yang Sheng, these five pools are part of the wastewater treatment process. From left to right, each one handles a different stage—removing heavy metals, neutralizing organic compounds, balancing pH levels. By the time water reaches the final pool, it meets the discharge standards for marine release."
"Mm. The water in the rightmost pool does look much clearer. No foam, no color," Yang Wendong said as he looked down at the pools.
"Yes," Ma Jiayou replied. "But appearances can be deceiving. The water is still slightly toxic. However, once it's diluted in seawater, the environmental impact is minimal."
"Alright, as long as we follow legal standards," Yang Wendong nodded. "All workers who may come into contact with chemicals should receive better benefits, and regular health screenings.
If those aren't available locally, I'm already planning a private hospital in Hong Kong. We can send staff there for checkups."
Even as a large-scale capitalist, Yang Wendong had his limits. He didn't believe in profiting by harming his customers, employees, or the environment. Otherwise, why not just speculate in real estate and rake in fast cash?
In the long term, the only sustainable path was to align the company's interests with those of its workers. When everyone was in it together, employees worked harder, and product quality and service naturally improved.
"Got it," Ma Jiayou replied. "I'll have HR prepare a detailed plan."
After the factory inspection, Yang Wendong and his family, along with his staff, traveled about 25 kilometers into Taipei proper.
The road conditions were poor. The cars bounced all the way, and it started raining midway. At one point, one of the vehicles nearly got stuck in a pothole.
"Taiwan's infrastructure really isn't great yet," Yang Wendong commented.
Wei Zetao replied, "Yes. Taiwan's economy is about ten years behind Hong Kong's. The big cities are alright, but rural infrastructure is really bad."
"Thankfully, our factory is on the coast. If it were inland, logistics would be a nightmare," Yang Wendong said.
In this era, Taiwan's economy was roughly on par with China's coastal provinces in the early 1980s. Not great, but enough to justify some industrial investment. And there were already plenty of local elites with money to spend.
Wei Zetao said, "If not for the pollution issue, we could've built the factory closer to Taipei. Several local officials have already approached me, hoping we'd bring Changxing Industrial to invest here."
"It's worth considering," Yang Wendong said. "Basic industries in Japan are still better than Hong Kong's. Plus, Taiwan enjoys some tax breaks for exports to the U.S. and Japan. Local governments here might even offer land for free or provide subsidies. If the terms are better than Hong Kong's, we should go for it."
No major conglomerate concentrates all its production in one place. Diversified manufacturing bases are a strategic necessity.
First, for reasons of cost and logistics—tariffs, shipping, etc. Second, for risk mitigation—natural disasters, political unrest, and other issues.
Of course, as a time traveler, Yang Wendong knew that none of those risks would happen soon. But there were still unpredictable external variables.
Historically, after Hong Kong's manufacturing boom, both the U.S. and Europe imposed trade sanctions on its toy and textile sectors. Although Hong Kong's government later negotiated to lift those sanctions, the interim losses were real.
Now that Yang Wendong was accelerating Hong Kong's industrial growth, similar challenges were likely.
That's why having additional production bases was crucial. If sanctions came, he could simply shift output elsewhere—minimizing losses to the group.
"Understood," Wei Zetao said. "I'll start negotiations with the Taiwan side. Do you have any other requirements, Yang Sheng?"
Yang Wendong thought for a moment. "When selecting land, try to stay near Taipei or other major cities. The plots should be large. In Taiwan, we won't build those multi-level Hong Kong-style industrial buildings. Stick to single-story layouts with some green space."
Taiwan's real estate market wouldn't explode like Hong Kong's, but this was still the early stage—effectively a frontier economy. The outskirts of major cities were full of vacant or agricultural land, just like Pudong in the early 1980s.
Unlike Hong Kong's government, which prioritized real estate revenue, Taiwan's administration was focused on industrial growth and employment. For large factories, land negotiations were straightforward. If Yang Wendong didn't take advantage of the offers, he'd be squandering a golden opportunity.
Besides, his investments would contribute significantly to local taxes, employment, and economic activity over the next ten to twenty years. Everyone would benefit.
"Understood," Wei Zetao nodded.
He knew exactly what his boss meant. This was the same strategy they used in Hong Kong—run the business properly, but always acquire as much land as possible.
After a while, their convoy reached central Taipei. High-rise buildings began to appear in the skyline.
"It's better than Kowloon, but not quite on par with Hong Kong Island," Yang Wendong commented.
Wei Zetao said, "Yes. But unfortunately, the Taiwanese government doesn't allow foreign investors to buy real estate—quite a shame."
"You mean we can't even invest in commercial properties? Like office buildings?" Yang Wendong asked.
"No. The law prohibits it," Wei Zetao replied. "Only factories are allowed. But there's a loophole—foreigners can purchase shares in local companies."
Yang Wendong thought for a moment. "Alright. That's worth considering."
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