Episode 19: Equipment Production
The contractors were, in effect, accomplices to Manager Seo’s deviation, as mentioned by Lee Chang-jin. In a way, they were in the same boat. At the time, they often sold waste materials from the site to cover expenses or used them as bribes for permits. In reality, regardless of how trivial the waste materials were, they were still government-supplied materials. Diverting them without the cooperation of contractors and related public officials was impossible.
However, it was clear that such practices violated company regulations. If someone wanted to cause trouble, it could become a significant issue. Touching such a sensitive nerve naturally made everyone on edge. Unable to overlook the provocation any longer, a contractor with a shoulder tattoo swaggered forward.
“Why don’t you get lost? Who’s here to cut off our livelihood?”
This was an apparent instigation, but Lee Chang-jin’s expression remained unchanged. He responded in a tone that showed no fear.
“Hey, you small fry, stay out of this. It’s not your place to interrupt the higher-ups’ conversation.”
“What did you say, you asshole?”
The contractor cursed and lunged at Lee Chang-jin, extending his arms as if to grab him by the collar. At that moment, Gu Chang-dong swiftly stepped in front of Lee Chang-jin. As Gu Chang-dong blocked his way, the man immediately threw a punch. But Gu Chang-dong was not one to just take the hit. He quickly grabbed the man’s wrist and twisted it like lightning.
“Argh! Let go of me!”
“Hey, sir, you shouldn’t behave so rudely. Didn’t you learn in school that violence is wrong?”
As the man with the twisted wrist screamed in pain, other workers began to approach.
“Hey, why don’t you step back? Don’t come any closer, or you’ll lose an arm.”
The workers hesitated and looked at Manager Seo, who spoke up.
“Let him go.”
But Gu Chang-dong stood firm, acting as if he hadn’t heard.
Lee Chang-jin, who had been silently observing the situation, spoke softly.
“If you keep that up, his arm might really break. Just let him go.”
Only then did Gu Chang-dong slowly release his grip. The man, who had fallen on his own, sprawled out pathetically.
“You bastard!”
Feeling humiliated, the man grabbed a wrench and charged aggressively. However, Gu Chang-dong, grabbing the man’s belt like a wrestling move, lifted him up to waist height and slammed him vertically onto the ground. With a thud, the man passed out, lying like a frog, causing the startled workers to pick up their tools.
Gu Chang-dong also picked up a steel pipe, not backing down. Seeing him lift a metal piece weighing over 100kg with one hand, the workers hesitated.
“Come on, want to take me on in numbers? If you think you can, come on. Cross this line, and you’ll all be dead.”
Gu Chang-dong spat on his palm and drew a line on the ground with the pipe. The workers’ faces turned grim with humiliation.
At that critical moment, Manager Seo yelled.
“Stop! Everyone, don’t move!”
The workers, as if frozen, stopped moving and looked only at Manager Seo. Gu Chang-dong, holding the steel pipe, watched the situation closely. Manager Seo looked quite displeased, but his voice remained calm.
“Threatening openly? You must be fearless. Do you want to get hurt?”
“Of course not. I just thought you should know who holds the cards here. Do you want to negotiate with me, or will you resign? Choose one.”
Manager Seo frowned at Lee Chang-jin’s calm response. He had seen many people, but never someone so audacious. The workers gathered here weren’t ordinary people—they were a mix of gangsters and troublemakers from various places. Normally, anyone would feel intimidated in such an environment. But Lee Chang-jin showed no fear at all.
‘What does this guy have up his sleeve?’
Perhaps he had a reliable backer. Despite his nerdy appearance, he had considerable guts. Although Manager Seo considered burying him on the spot, the imposing figure standing behind him suggested otherwise. Finally, after a moment of silence, Manager Seo raised the white flag.
“Fine. How much will you pay for the scrap metal and processing fee?”
“I’ll pay double the market price for the scrap metal. As for the processing fee, how about 10,000 won per ton? If the estimate is good, I might even add a 1% commission.”
“I like the price for the scrap metal, but the processing fee is a bit low. It should be around 18,000 won per ton.”
18,000 won per ton would be equivalent to the daily wage of 12 workers, given that a worker’s daily wage was 1,500 won. However, Lee Chang-jin flatly refused.
“Fixing a 10mm steel plate isn’t that difficult. If you also make two guide rails and five H-beams for the girders, I’ll add an additional 10,000 won for each. I’ll be visiting often, so don’t be too harsh.”
Although Lee Chang-jin spoke as if he was doing a favor, the reality was quite the opposite. Cutting the steel plate and welding it into a 200mm wide, 200mm high, and 6m long H-beam required a lot of manpower, as back then, the process was done manually.
Manager Seo was taken aback by the idea of eating up the labor-intensive work for free.
“You’re too greedy. If I make this concession, you should also yield a bit.”
“What are you talking about, Manager Seo? My terms are much better than Daewoong Construction’s.”
After several rounds of negotiation, they finally settled on a processing fee of 15,000 won per ton. Shaking hands firmly, Manager Seo warned Lee Chang-jin.
“Be careful at night. You never know who might hit you from behind.”
Lee Chang-jin, not to be outdone, tightened his grip. Manager Seo’s expression hardened as he felt the calloused hand under Lee Chang-jin’s suit. His arm strength was no joke, a result of handling heavy machinery for a long time.
“Well, if I get hit at night, I’ll assume it was you, Manager Seo.”
Lee Chang-jin maintained a relaxed expression even during the power struggle, his words glib and Manager Seo’s lips twisted in frustration.
“You never lose an argument, do you? Annoying guy.”
“Next time, I’ll bring some snacks for you, so you can enjoy it.”
Manager Seo finally released his grip.
“If you’re going to bring some, bring plenty. Don’t bring a small amount and get cursed out.”
On the way back, the factory workers gave them hostile looks but made no further moves. Once they were far enough from the factory, Gu Chang-dong sighed.
“Phew, those people are scary. Honestly, I almost wet my pants earlier.”
Gu Chang-dong, back to his innocent look, mimed wiping his forehead. Unaware of his own intimidating appearance, Gu Chang-dong was praised by Lee Chang-jin, who patted his shoulder.
“You did great earlier. Thanks to you, everything went smoothly.”
“I didn’t do much; it was all thanks to you, boss.”
“No, if it weren’t for you, we would have been in big trouble today. I really picked the right person. Did you use to play sports?”
“Yes, I did wrestling in middle and high school. I quit soon because I had no talent for it.”
“You could have been successful in that field too. I feel reassured with you around.”
Gu Chang-dong, pleased with the compliment, laughed like a child.
“Will those guys keep their promise? Some of them didn’t seem trustworthy.”
“They’ll keep it. It’s not a losing deal for them either. We’ll be seeing them often, so remember them well.”
Gu Chang-dong made a disgusted face.
“I’d rather not. Those people might show up in my nightmares.”
“Haha, they aren’t that bad. Life has made them this way. Once you get to know them, they are quite simple.”
Though they had to be tough for the initial power play, once familiar, it was all about brotherhood. If they were completely untrustworthy, they wouldn’t have been hired in the first place. Anyway, it was fortunate to have found a reliable supplier for materials.
Meeting Manager Seo was also a significant gain. Despite his money-minded nature, he was exceptionally skilled at managing the rough workers. Though he might need some re-education for his chronic hand habits, his extensive experience made him invaluable for future construction projects.
As soon as the materials arrived, Lee Chang-jin called in the turners and welders to start the assembly. Once the framework was completed, he arranged to get the related equipment from a machine parts company in Guro, giving them a four-month promissory note. They handled the reduction gears, trolleys, and end truck wheels through lathe processing, while they decided to manufacture the rest of the braking, cushioning, and deceleration devices internally.
They purchased the trolley hoist and motor separately through Kim Cheol-ho. Despite a few hiccups, the crane was completed on time. They called in riggers through a manpower office to install it. Riggers are specialists in installing large-scale machinery at high altitudes, relying on a single rope to scale structures like the Namsan Tower.
Seeing the crane installed in the factory, Daese Industrial employees were overwhelmed with emotion. They had been skeptical while making it, as it was their first time building such large construction equipment.
“It looks slick. You wouldn’t guess it’s not imported.”
“Really, I can’t believe we made something like this ourselves.”
Everyone nodded at Seo Yo-han’s words, all looking up at the installed equipment with admiration.
[DHI (Daese Heavy Industry Co.) LTD]
The yellow-painted crane looked impressive even at a glance. Lee Chang-jin couldn’t hide his pride. Despite this being his second life, he felt a strong attachment to the first product he made. Feeling a surge of emotion, Gu Chang-dong rubbed his nose.
“I feel a lump in my throat. This is quite a strange feeling.”
“Are you crying, Manager Gu? Men shouldn’t do that. It’s embarrassing.”
“I’m not crying. Something just got in my eye.”
“What are you talking about? You’re clearly crying. Look at your red eyes.”
“I’m not, damn it!”
Watching Gu Chang-dong and Seo Yo-han bicker, Lee Chang-jin smiled. He nudged Kim Jung-oh, who was looking up at the installed crane.
“How is it, hyung? Not bad, right?”
“It seems well-made, but we need to test it to be sure.”
“Hyung, if it’s well done, just say it’s well done. It’s not like it costs anything to praise. Don’t be so stingy.”
“Alright, fine. You did well. Happy now?”
Lee Chang-jin grinned at Kim Jung-oh’s grumbling, who stubbornly refused to outright praise him. The test run showed no issues. Feeling bittersweet, Gu Chang-dong commented.
“It’s really over now. It feels like sending off a child.”
“No, there’s one more thing. We need to take a photo.”
The employees, including Gu Chang-dong, looked puzzled.
“Is that necessary? Isn’t it enough to take a photo amongst ourselves?”
At the time, hiring a photographer was quite expensive. They wondered if it was necessary to spend money on it, but Lee Chang-jin thought differently.
“Think about it. If we just deliver the product, who will know we made it? Will we show documents every time we do business? Instead, a single photo will be much more effective for marketing. I plan to have this photo published in a magazine.”
“Ah, using the photo for advertising. That’s a great idea.”
Only then did Gu Chang-dong understand what Lee Chang-jin meant. In a market dominated by a giant like Mido, securing a single crane contract might seem insignificant, but Lee Chang-jin thought ahead. He documented the entire crane-making process with photos, making it appear as though they were handling multiple contracts at once.
It might seem like a trick, but a few photos were more persuasive than a hundred words. People trust what they see. After that, Lee Chang-jin actively distributed crane photos during meetings with clients.
Several days later, a photo with the following catchphrase was published in a magazine:
[Cranes by Daese Industrial Lead the Market.
From manufacturing to assembly and construction, all in one go.]
To enhance competitiveness, Lee Chang-jin made a smart move. He hired renowned riggers as full-time employees instead of day laborers. This was unprecedented at the time when broken parts meant buying new ones. For the riggers, it was more stable to receive a fixed salary as company employees than to chase unstable jobs.
As a result, Lee Chang-jin’s company grew rapidly. However, not everyone welcomed this growth. Mido Machinery was one such company.
Mido Machinery’s headquarters, CEO’s office.
A serious conversation was taking place about the sharply decreased performance.
“Why are the quarterly order volumes so low? Sales dropped by 10%…”
This was the first downturn in recent times. The CEO’s irritated reaction prompted a quick excuse from Executive Director Shin, who was in charge of sales.
“Several clients, including Cheongwoo, suddenly switched suppliers…”
“Cheongwoo? You said we could charge double if we waited, that they had no other options?”
“Well, Daese Industrial took our business.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
Mido Machinery was the leading crane manufacturer, holding the largest market share in the Seoul crane industry. They exploited their dominant position to charge 20-30% higher prices compared to other regions. It was a form of monopoly and collusion.
Manufacturers had no choice but to pay the exorbitant prices for cranes, gritting their teeth. However, a new competitor, Daese Industrial, had entered the market, disrupting the well-established order. CEO Joo’s face hardened as he learned the details.
“So, Woo Sung-chan handed over our blueprints and specs to a competitor?”
“Yes, it seems they used our blueprints to make their products.”
“That bastard. This is ridiculous.”
Furious, CEO Joo fiddled with his tie, his face turning red.
“Daring to mess with my business? How do I crush them?”
After some thought, CEO Joo gave an order.
“Then, hire a lawyer and prepare to sue for leaking core technology. Also, investigate Lee Chang-jin thoroughly. See if there’s any other way to take him down.”
“What? Sue over production blueprints? That’s a bit… We copied the ceiling crane blueprints from Japan’s Fuji and Yamada, didn’t we?”
“So what? We need to crush this upstart before he grows. Contact the legal team and get some good lawyers. We need to show them what real power is.”
Even if they lost the lawsuit, dragging it out for years would be tough for a small company like Daese Industrial. Under CEO Joo’s orders, Mido Machinery’s legal team began preparing for a lawsuit.
Lee Chang-jin heard about these movements a few days later.
- To be continued in Episode 20 -
