Vol 6 Chapter 20: Aggrieved Corning

For some well-known reasons, even as the New Year holidays approached, Corning President Wendell Wickers, who had been in office for nearly two years, was not happy at all.

In fact, compared to the situation faced by his last Horton, Vickers' current situation is much better.

The main task during Horton's tenure was to do everything possible to make the company profitable again.

How difficult the task was, Vickers actually had a direct experience. He was chairman of the Corning Management Committee at the time.

According to Vickers, Horton led Corning to achieve that goal in an incredible way.

Corning, led by Vickers, is currently very optimistic, especially the multi-mode optical fiber they developed, which has a leading technology, has been widely welcomed since its inception in 2005.

Since he took office, Corning's progress in the glass field has also been quite gratifying. It has applied for more than 100 important patents.

New products produced based on these new technologies, such as polarized glass, gradient index lenses, etc., are also welcomed by the market.

The success of these new products has allowed Corning to achieve substantial growth in revenue.

But there are some things that no one can imagine.

Horton’s original plan to revitalize Corning included the sale of some seemingly redundant technology patents. At that time, Vickers also agreed to this plan. After all, as a company with a long history, some of the things they put on the shelf looked good, but actually There are no useful patents, not one or two.

Clearing out some inapplicable patents in exchange for funds that Corning urgently needed at the time was a very good choice at the time.

This approach is not without precedent in Corning's history.

But Vixvan never expected that some of their seemingly correct and reasonable choices at the beginning would now bring such a big regret.

Although Apple is still taking various measures to keep the content of their press conference confidential, in fact, for the industry and some people, what Apple will release at this press conference is not Apple TV, but an unprecedented one. Cell phone.

After all, in today's society, it is a very difficult thing to be completely confidential, especially the mobile phone that Apple is about to release is a product that requires the collaboration of many companies.

Although the people at Apple still regret this, many manufacturers of accessories, as well as some manufacturers who have mastered the key technologies required by Apple's mobile phone, will always reveal some news.

Including because they want to put Yahoo mail, Google search, and Facebook into their mobile phones, there are more people who let Silicon Valley know about this.

Especially the wireless operator that reached a cooperation agreement with Apple, Singele, they launched a music service in the fourth quarter of 2006. You can download any song and ringtone for $15. At that time, an executive of Singele was accepting In the interview, he said that the music and entertainment services of Singele will be centered on Apple products in the future.

This can be said to further increase the speculation that Apple is developing mobile phones.

So although Apple has not let go on this issue so far, as long as you Google it, you will find relevant news, which is already overwhelming.

In fact, since the fourth quarter, some Corning employees in Corning Town have been discussing with great regret that the company has missed becoming a supplier of this mysterious new mobile phone panel of Apple because it sold a patent a few years ago. I completely missed this new business opportunity.

The reason why this is a new business opportunity is because everyone knows that once Apple releases a mobile phone that is different from all existing mobile phones, then just like Apple released the first personal computer that year, other manufacturers will definitely Follow up soon.

Originally, based on Apple's strict requirements for suppliers, after becoming an Apple supplier, it can naturally become a supplier of other mobile phone manufacturers, but now it seems that this opportunity will completely miss them.

Vickers and some executives knew this rumor in the middle of the year, and it was indeed true.

Because at that time, Apple had asked them vaguely related questions, "Does Corning have any technology close to Gorilla Glass? Or how long will it take to develop a technology close to Gorilla Glass and produce a finished product? ?"

Because whether it is in terms of cost or stability of supply, Apple is naturally unwilling to let an important component be controlled by a supplier.

Unfortunately, Corning does not currently have a similar technology.

The emergence of Gorilla Glass, just like the emergence of penicillin, was a beautiful mistake. It seems that for Corning, this mistake is not a beautiful mistake.

Therefore, there is no similar product in their product line.

In addition, there was no sales of this kind of glass at that time, otherwise Corning would not put this kind of technology on the shelf, and naturally did not waste more resources for research and development on the kind of technology that has no sales.

What is even more annoying is that the agreement signed by the lucky Feng with Corning fully took this issue into account. That agreement had very strict regulations on the development of similar competing products by Corning.

For example, it was like they had designed a very scientific and complete patented solution, which almost blocked Corning's intention to develop similar new technologies based on the technological achievements.

According to Vickers' judgment, Feng Yiping should have paid a very expensive fee to the law firm that drafted the agreement for the perfect agreement.

For Corning at the time, they understood that as Feng Yiping's prudence. After all, no one wanted to be a fool.

A front foot bought a patent at a high price, and the back foot seller immediately took out a patent-like fool.

It now appears that Mr. Feng is obviously not only cautious, not just that he does not want to become a fool after spending millions of dollars to acquire a technology patent. He obviously has a hunch, or that is. , He does have unusual good luck.

In short, Corning’s attempt to develop related new products was blocked by Feng Yiping. Because of Feng Yiping’s strength and influence, whether in China or the United States, even facing the temptation to become the most popular supplier in a new field, Corning can't ignore the original agreement.

Obviously, they can't talk about the related lawsuits. With Feng Yiping's influence, if Corning dared to do something like that, then in a short period of time, their behavior will be known to the world. Corning's image will be seriously negatively affected.

Even, because of Feng Yiping’s influence in China, their business in Greater China may be hit. Although Corning had investments in China in the 1990s, Corning’s senior executives still hold such an outdated attitude towards China. understanding.

That is, on this issue, the means of playing rogue helplessness is obviously not realistic, so the only feasible way is to hope to cooperate with Feng Yiping.

What makes Vickers even more difficult to accept is the fact that it was recently confirmed by Corning’s Greater China headquarters that Feng Yiping’s optical industrial park in China is indeed relying on Gorilla Glass’s technology, and the overtime production seems to be greater than the current one. Some iPod-sized glass.

It must be the matching glass for Apple mobile phones.

After learning the news, Wicks immediately instructed Eric Musser, the head of Corning Greater China, to contact Jiasheng and Feng Yiping to discuss the possibility of the two companies continuing to cooperate on this technology.

Whether it is setting up a joint venture company or cooperating in technology, Corning is willing to make options.

Especially for the latter option, Vickers is especially confident.

Because even on a global scale, Corning's accumulation and scientific research capabilities in this field are unmatched.

But unfortunately, until now, they still have not been able to contact Feng Yiping, not even Jin Ling.

"The relevant departments of Jiasheng headquarters have never agreed to our meeting request," Eric Musser reported to Wickershui via telephone at Corning's Greater China headquarters in the Jinqiao Export Processing Zone.

"Feng Yiping is so well-known in China. How can we not find any reports about his whereabouts?" Wickers said angrily. "Erik, after they successfully provide Apple's support, we want to cooperate with them. It’s even harder, don’t you know about this?"

"In China for so many years, can we not find out Feng Yiping's contact information?"

Eric Musser, who has run into a wall many times in Jiasheng, could not help but return to Vickers, "In that case, can you tell me the contact information of Bill Gates or Jobs now? Or, Bill Where is Gates now?"

Who is Feng Yiping? He is in China, just like Bill Gates is in the United States. Not to mention contact information. If they want to keep it secret, how can the outside world know their whereabouts?

There was a brief silence on the phone.

Soon, the two said almost simultaneously, "Sorry,"

They all understand each other's feelings.

Because of the acquisition of the patent and the well-designed agreement, Feng Yiping did not become a fool, but Corning and the two of them are now on the way to become fools.

For the sake of the original 10 million, Corning will not say how much it will lose in the future. Think about it next, it is very likely that many people in the United States and China will point to their backs and laugh at them as fools. , This is really not a pleasant thing for them.

"I think of a way from Apple to get them to help contact Feng Yiping," Vickers said.

"I also think of other ways," Eric Musser said.

…………

After hanging up the phone, Vickers stood in front of the window, looking at this small town that can be said to belong to Corning, and the still lush forest outside the town, still feeling unhappy at all.

Play as a hooligan, dare not, want to talk about cooperation seriously, people don't give a chance.

Ugh!

I don't know how much discussion about management's shortsightedness is circulating in the town with this breeze just now.

But this is not to blame the company's employees, it is really because of how successful Feng Yiping is now, and how many senior leaders headed by him have failed now.

He thought for a while and called the management committee, "I hope to set up a new committee now. The main task of this committee is to analyze all our patents, mainly those that are currently on hold. The requirements must be specific to each patent~www.wuxiaspot.com~ I hope to see the first report after the New Year holiday."

"Yes, this means that this committee will work during the New Year holidays. Do you think I still care about this now?" He said grimly.

In Corning's Greater China headquarters, Eric Musser also assigned tasks to his subordinates, "Contact the heads of these investment promotion departments now,"

The last public report of Feng Yiping they knew was to participate in the forum in the province, and Eric Musser asked his subordinates to contact Feng Yiping's provincial capital and Feng Yiping's city's investment promotion department.

He believes that if he uses investment as an excuse, he can definitely get some news from the investment promotion department.

What they didn't know was that Feng Yiping was also talking about them at this time.

"President Feng," Pan Shimin approached Feng Yiping immediately after the meeting.

"It looks very motivated," Feng Yiping smiled.

"You should say that there is a lot of pressure," Pan Shimin said, "I already have a lot of work at hand, OK?"

"Should I find someone to share the worries for you?" Feng Yiping said.

"Even though you, the boss, pressurized me somewhat unkindly, I still want to challenge," Pan Shimin said immediately.

"But Mr. Feng, there are some things. I need your support. I have already contacted the head of the Optical Research Institute. His opinion is, if possible, can we recruit some experts from Corning? After all, in this field. Corning’s level is first-rate,"

"This is not so good," Feng Yiping said, "If you know the source of our technology, then you should also understand Corning's current mood."

Under such circumstances, he even digs people from Corning. He feels that doing so is too bullying.