Swire foreign firm: it is not easy for a generation to start from scratch and stand on the shoulders of giants.

Text/Brand Alliance columnist Chen Shixin

Swire is an ancient enterprise. Rooted in Asia, it started from an old British-funded foreign firm, and after more than 50 years of development, it has formed a comprehensive multinational company covering commerce, shipping, sugar, aviation, beverages, real estate and other industries.

Although not a national enterprise in China, it had trade with China as early as the Qing Dynasty. A netizen commented on Taikoo: "I have been optimistic about China since the turbulent times, and my vision is so far-sighted. No wonder it won't fall for a hundred years. "

The starting point of the giants behind Coca-Cola and Taikooli

Buy a can of Coca-Cola every day and pay attention to the product company-Swire Coca-Cola. What is sacred about Swire's business? Can you prefix the brand with the highest brand value in the world? Occasionally, when drinking coffee in first-tier cities, I send a pack of Taikoo candy, Taikoo Li in Sanlitun, Taikoo Shing in Hong Kong, and even Xiamen Taikoo Aircraft Engineering Co., Ltd.

In fact, they are inextricably linked. After careful combing, we can turn our attention to this company-Swire Foreign Firm (Swire Group).

Looking back on the glorious course of a century-old enterprise, we can often draw some conclusions: it is not easy for one generation to start from scratch, but it is much easier for the second and third generations to take off on the shoulders of giants; Diversified and multi-regional industrial development can better resist risks and economic cycles; From unit business to multi-industry multinational companies, there may not be many strategic development plans, many of which are derivatives or extensions of existing businesses.

The inspiration for young people who are determined to start a business may be: start boldly first, and then link more resources or opportunities.

Many famous foreign enterprises are named after their founders' surnames, and so is Swire.

According to public information, Swire Foreign Firm originated from 18 16 as an import and export trading company in Liverpool, England. From the founder John Swire (Old Swire, 1793- 1847), we can see the context of this enterprise.

1866 65438+In February, Swire Foreign Firm opened in the old house of Willicha Foreign Firm at the Sichuan intersection of Fuzhou Road, Shanghai. It is said that the opening advertisement was also published in the North China Good News.

Swire foreign firm's English spelling is "Butterfield &; Swire "(Butterfield is a partner, and the company name will remain unchanged after more than one year), while wade's spelling is" tai-koo "-it has been used to this day, and most of the business in Greater China is under TaiKoo's name.

Wade-giles Romanization is a phonetic notation rule edited by Wade and others in England. Before 1958, it was widely used in names and places, such as the proper nouns Yijing and Taiji.

There is an important saying about why "Tai-Koo" was translated into Taikoo: Taikoo was named by Thomas Taylor Meadows, a British diplomat in Shanghai at that time, when the company opened. It is said that he graduated from Munich University and has a good knowledge of Sinology.

Coincidentally, the Englishman Wade served as the British ambassador to China in 187 1 and returned to China in 1883. Could he be the same person or family member?

This humble "butterfield &; Taikoo "laid the foundation for the future super foreign firm Taikoo.

Starting from textile trade, Swire Foreign Firm was established in China.

It is not easy to start from scratch. John Swire started from scratch. He was born in Halifax, a small English town. It is said that his family is a landlord, and his grandfather and father are engaged in wool trade.

With the rise of the new American continent, cotton textiles with high quality and low price are more competitive, and the wool industry has been greatly impacted, which directly led to the bankruptcy of his grandfather and father.

At that time, Liverpool was a prosperous trade center in Britain, and John Swire, who was only a teenager, decided to go there. In the early stage, I was an apprentice in a company run by my relatives, but I worked hard and struggled hard. A few short years later, he finally opened his own company in 18 16. This company is mainly engaged in the import of raw cotton and the export of cotton products-the import and export of textiles became the main line of Swire's early business, from which many businesses such as shipping and shipping were derived.

After 1847, Taikoo II officially took over. On the basis of predecessors, one of his brothers with great business talent, John Samuel Swar, began to expand his territory. According to relevant records, John Samuel Swire traveled all over the United States, Australia and other places in his twenties and set up branches. For example, through the branch established in Melbourne, there are many kinds of goods exported to Australia, and Guinness Beer is one of them. Swire engaged in Guinness beer bottling business in the1860s, which may have laid a "foreshadowing" for the huge beverage business later.

With the invasion and expansion of British colonies in the Far East, Swire II turned its strategic vision to the East: on the one hand, it focused on selling textiles shipped from Britain; on the other hand, it shipped precious tea and silk from China and shipped them to branches in Britain, Australia and the United States for sale.

Swire II has established foreign firms (branches) in various places as the fulcrum for purchasing and distributing trade goods, extending the industrial chain, reducing costs and earning more profits. In this mode, John Samuel Swire, an English gentleman, came to the Bund in old Shanghai and slowly stepped off the ship from England. 1866 12. Swire foreign firm opened in Shanghai, marking the official start of Swire foreign firm in China.

Yan Hui founded Swire Steamship, which initiated the Yangtze River shipping industry.

Let's start with the Blue Chimney Shipping Company. The chimney of this company's ship has a circle of blue, which is very eye-catching and easy to identify, so it is estimated that it is named.

Franchise in ocean routes, purchase land in Shanghai Port, and build the first to fourth berths in succession at 19 10- 1924. According to records, "coastline 1800 feet, storage capacity of 50,000 tons" was the longest wharf in Shanghai at that time, and it was once called the most advanced wharf in the Far East, with strong strength.

Holt, the owner of Blue Chimney, is a friend of Swire, a down-to-earth fellow villager and one of the shareholders of Blue Chimney.

Next, the boss+professional manager "golden partner" will be staged to promote the rapid development of the company. John Samuel Swire, with great business talent, turned his strategic vision to the shipping industry-Swire is the agent of Blue Chimney in Shanghai.

Taikoo has a unique vision. Shortly after he arrived in Shanghai, he was very optimistic about the future of inland river transportation in China. Through the "golden waterway" of Shanghai-Yangtze River shipping, products from all over the world can be connected with the vast Yangtze River basin.

So, 1867, he went to lobby his fellow villagers and proposed to set up a "blue chimney" branch to operate the Yangtze River shipping. Unfortunately, the other party has no will and has to shelve it.

Four years later, Swire is still obsessed with shipping. Roughly in 1872, he founded Swire Steamship Company with a capital of 360,000 pounds, which was more than twice that of Blue Chimney.

Swire once conceived of raising funds to set up a shipping company in China, but it failed. He turned to Britain to raise 360,000 pounds of capital, with Swire Brothers, shipbuilding company family and Holt family as major shareholders.

I bought two second-hand boats from other shipping companies and placed orders for three new boats for the shipyard. Swire foreign firm started shipping business.

M&A industry pioneer, impacting the leading position of shipping.

Let's start with the Blue Chimney Shipping Company. The chimney of this company's ship has a circle of blue, which is very eye-catching and easy to identify, so it is estimated that it is named.

After the opening of the Shanghai-Hong Kong route, in order to quickly set foot in the shipping industry, William Lang, the first class of Swire Foreign Firm, did an extremely important thing and decided to enter by means of merger and acquisition. At that time, Qichang, Jardine Matheson and Justice Steamship were pioneers in the industry. Among them, the ship of justice was weak, so William Lang took aim at it and started negotiations.

Qicheng also intends to buy Justice Steamship, but despises Swire Steamship, a latecomer. In fact, this latecomer is full of ambition and strength.

William Lang had a secret discussion with the steamboat Justice, and the steamboat Justice offered 262,000 silver. Only ships still have some assets, such as docks and ships. Shanghai wharf is leased for a long time, and there are many assets along the coast, which is urgently needed for Swire steamship to carry out its business.

At that time, Qi Chang's cash reserves exceeded 752,000. If Qi Chang wins the Justice Ship, there is little chance of winning the Taikoo Ship. Swire quickly reported this information to the British boss, who was also very helpful. He immediately made a decision to ship 262,000 silver directly from England to Shanghai. In this way, Taikoo went to the next city first.

Subsequently, Swire launched a fierce attack on the shipping industry through "three major battles": scale war, talent war and customer war.

In order to gain a foothold in the Yangtze River shipping, the fleet size must reach at least 4-5 ships, and the success of merger and acquisition has taken the first step. The boss of Swire Steamship has decided that with the support of shareholders, there will be financial support-there are preparations for losses, as long as they can grab customers at low prices.

Then, Swire Steamship paid a lot of money to dig corners, and invited Zheng Heyan and others with an "irresistible offer"-professional managers without shares can get 8-20% profits.

Zheng is an extraordinary talent. He once worked for Baoshun Foreign Firm, and also wrote "Warning in a Prosperous Age". After eight years in office, he served as the deputy of China Merchants.

Yan can speak fluent Chinese, has rich industry experience and is familiar with local shippers. William Lang found him. 1873, Yan moved from the American merchant ship Joan Ji to Taikoo, and took charge of coastal vessels for 30 years.

Under Zheng Heyan's management, Swire Steamship promoted the enthusiasm of China shippers (middlemen and comprador) with new incentives, developed business among China people by shooting customers, attracted freight from China people, and gradually gained the upper hand in business.

The war of shipping industry in the late Qing Dynasty was brilliant. If we compare it to a movie, then the three foreign firms in China, Taikoo, Qichang, Jardine Matheson and China Merchants, are the "Four Kings" co-stars.