Gustav Krupp was utterly astonished. In his view, the establishment of the German Arms Company was bound to be profitable. Particularly, if a breakthrough in light weaponry could indeed be achieved, then with Qin Tian's influence, the German army would undoubtedly purchase their produced arms in large quantities. This, without a doubt, signified enormous profits. Now, the fact that Qin Tian was willing to share a portion of those profits with them completely caught them off guard.
"Your Highness, are you suggesting that the Krupp Company could invest in the German Arms Company?" Gustav Krupp asked, somewhat uncertainly.
"Yes, Mr. Krupp. I am willing to jointly hold shares in the German Arms Company with the Krupp Company," Qin Tian replied with a smile.
Gustav Krupp took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and said, "Your Highness, it is our honor!"
Qin Tian was not surprised by Gustav Krupp's agreement. It was only natural; as long as he wasn't completely out of his mind, he wouldn't refuse the opportunity to partner with him. This was an assured profit-making venture!
"Your Highness, how shall we collaborate?" Gustav Krupp inquired. He believed that even if the Krupp Company experienced some losses initially, it would still be acceptable.
"Mr. Krupp, the German Industrial Group will invest cash, while the Krupp Company will contribute technology. Although light weaponry is not the Krupp Company's forte, I believe you have some technical expertise in this area. You should be fully capable of developing the few weapon designs I have proposed," Qin Tian explained.
Gustav Krupp was not surprised that Qin Tian could design weapons for the army. In his eyes, Qin Tian had long been synonymous with genius—not only a commercial savant but also a prodigy in shipbuilding. For Qin Tian, designing army weapons was likely a trivial pursuit.
Gustav Krupp nodded; the idea of contributing technology in exchange for shares was entirely acceptable to the Krupp Company.
"Your Highness, what percentage of shares would the Krupp Company hold in the German Arms Company?" Gustav Krupp asked. Business is business, and since they were to cooperate, it was natural for him to hope for greater profits.
"Mr. Krupp, the German Arms Company will have a 70% stake, with the German Industrial Group investing 100 million marks. The Krupp Company will have a 30% stake through technology contribution. What do you think?" Qin Tian asked.
"Your Highness, a 30% stake is simply too little. How about this: aside from the technology, the Krupp Company will invest an additional 50 million marks, raising our stake to 50%?" Gustav Krupp proposed. As Germany's largest arms giant, the Krupp Company also enjoyed considerable profits, making their financial resources quite ample.
Qin Tian shook his head. While he agreed to partner with the Krupp Company, that did not mean he would relinquish control of the German Arms Company. Qin Tian wanted to keep full control of the arms company in his hands, not wishing to encounter issues in the future.
"Mr. Krupp, a 50% stake is out of the question. I wish to maintain control of this arms company. I believe you wouldn't want anyone to seize control of the Krupp Company either, would you?" Qin Tian said with a smile. If they couldn't come to an agreement on this matter, he would rather forgo the partnership with the Krupp Company.
Gustav Krupp nodded. In fact, his request for a 50% stake was merely a test of Qin Tian's position. It was evident now that Qin Tian held a firm stance on the control of the company. Therefore, there was no need to discuss this matter further.
"Very well, Your Highness. The Krupp Company is willing to take a 40% stake in the German Arms Company through technology and an investment of 30 million marks," Gustav Krupp conceded.
Qin Tian nodded. By conceding 40% of the shares, he would still retain 60%, which provided him with complete control over the company. Although this would result in a significant loss of profits, he did not mind.
"Mr. Krupp, here's to a fruitful partnership!" Qin Tian raised his glass. The crimson liquid swirled in the cup.
"To a successful collaboration!" Gustav Krupp beamed with a smile.
"Clink!" Their glasses clashed together, producing a crisp sound. This signified a deeper partnership between Qin Tian and the Krupp Company, as well as the Krupp family. Even for their future interests, the Krupp family would undoubtedly support Qin Tian wholeheartedly.
"Mr. Krupp, the German Arms Company's intention to share profits from light weaponry will inevitably provoke a strong backlash from Mauser and Rheinmetall. After all, they regard the army's light weapons as their exclusive domain. This issue will likely require the Krupp family to mediate," Qin Tian remarked.
Gustav Krupp nodded. Mauser and Rheinmetall were undoubtedly the largest suppliers of light weaponry to the German army. While these two arms companies might not rival the Krupp Company, they held considerable influence in Germany. The weapons they produced were also exported overseas. Within Germany and the military, they wielded significant power. If they strongly opposed the German Arms Company, the latter's development would undoubtedly be severely hampered.
"Your Highness, with your influence and the capabilities of the Krupp Company, you can effectively withstand their counterattacks. I believe this should not pose any problem," Gustav Krupp stated.
He had long suspected that becoming a shareholder in the German Arms Company would require him to contribute in some capacity. Otherwise, Qin Tian wouldn't have proactively suggested collaboration with the Krupp Company. After all, Qin Tian was fully capable of going solo. He had sufficient funds, and finding technical personnel would be straightforward. If necessary, he could even poach talent from other companies. It was now clear that Qin Tian sought collaboration with the Krupp Company to counter the pressures from Mauser and Rheinmetall.
Gustav Krupp would certainly not refuse this. The Krupp Company had long regarded Mauser and Rheinmetall as competitors. They had been eager to tap into the lucrative light weapon market but had faced resistance from Mauser and Rheinmetall, preventing them from succeeding. Now, they finally had the opportunity to enter this field.