Chapter 447: A Clash of Ideals
After news spread that the Bosnia and Herzegovina Province intended to build itself into a major heavy-industry province, it immediately caused a stir in capital circles.
Outsiders watched the spectacle; insiders saw the workings beneath.
Heavy industry had always required major, long-term investment. It was perfectly normal for an investment to take several years, even over a decade, to recover its costs.
Likewise, once a business in this industry grew large, the profits it earned were far higher. This threshold alone eliminated most competitors. Compared with other industries, heavy-industry enterprises had far fewer rivals.
Austria's economy had only just emerged from the crisis and was in a period of rapid growth. Demand for steel and copper had surged, leaving supply unable to keep up with demand.
In theory, as long as the products were manufactured, there was no need to worry about selling them. Yet this was only the modern era; entering this industry was not something that produced results in a day or two.
Based on past experience, from finding suitable factory premises to seeing products reach the market, it took at least two or three years.
In reality, even more time was needed. Leaving aside preliminary internal preparations, such major investments required organizing professionals to survey mineral deposits, conducting comprehensive cost assessments, considering transportation, and carrying out market analysis.
There were not so many specialized agencies in this era to handle such matters. Investors had to organize and judge everything themselves. Even that was not enough. Even with bank loans, the initial investment would cost at least several hundred thousand Divine Shields.
It could be said that most people were eliminated from the outset. Those without money need not come; this industry was the domain of capital behemoths, and small workshops no