"For this kind of stuff that I can just deliver and get paid for? A waste disposal fee? This would fetch at least 1,000 won per kg…"
I was surprised, but I didn't show it. I fiddled with the aluminum rods while I thought.
And I realized just how much of a rip-off the only junkyard in this industrial complex had been running.
Even if they bought it, they would still make a huge profit, but they even charged a disposal fee on top of that.
I was in a dilemma.
Should I also ask for a disposal fee here, or should I act generous and offer to take it for free?
"…First, I need to analyze the composition, so could I take a sample? I'll let you know as soon as possible."
"Sure, will this be enough?"
Assistant Manager Han handed me a few short aluminum rods. We exchanged greetings, and I left the company.
"A waste disposal fee… a waste disposal fee… What a scumbag. He's been taking advantage of people's ignorance all along. I should learn from him. Hmm… Should I visit him and have a chat? If we collude, it'll be beneficial for both of us."
I couldn't help but smile as I imagined the profit margin I could make by charging a disposal fee and then selling it.
It seemed like I could really become rich if I continued like this.
"I made the right choice coming this way."
And I continued to visit other companies.
Most of them had a lot of waste paper, but companies with a lot of aluminum, copper, or scrap metal invariably brought up the waste disposal fee.
I just said I would take samples and brought back small amounts. Some required processing, and some were in poor condition, which would lower their price, but none of them warranted a disposal fee.
The day was coming to an end, and I was leaving the industrial complex with my truck full of waste paper from the last company when another truck approached and honked.
I looked over and saw a truck with the name "Changjo Resources" written on it pulling up next to me.
The window rolled down, and an old man who looked well over 60 leaned out and said with a smile,
"Hey…So, I heard there's a new junkyard in Ansan Industrial Complex. You must be the one."
I was instantly offended. Who does he think he is, speaking informally to me like that?
"Nice to meet you. I'm Cha Seung-ho from Changjo Resources. It's nice to meet a fellow junkyard owner. How about a drink tonight? My treat."
I followed the Changjo Resources truck to the outskirts of the industrial complex. There was a junkyard with a large sign that read "Changjo Resources."
The fence was made of concrete, and the office, although small, was a proper concrete building.
'The land looks like it's almost 400 pyeong (approximately 1,320 square meters).'
It was a scale that couldn't even be compared to my junkyard, which I had worked hard to build.
I saw two 1-ton trucks and an excavator with a grapple.
'It would be really convenient to have that grapple to lift and move scrap.'
"Let's go to my office and have a drink. I have some chilled soju in the fridge."
As I was about to enter the office, I noticed a Mercedes-Benz parked next to it.
I was surprised by our owner's New Grandeur, but a Mercedes-Benz? He must be making a lot of money!
I entered the office and sat down, and the junkyard owner came in with soju and snacks. He poured soju into paper cups in front of each of us and said,
"I was curious about the new junkyard, but I didn't expect you to be so young. This is the first time I've seen someone this young in the scrap business. So, how old are you?"
"I'm 24 this year."
"You must have finished your military service. Anyway, it's nice to meet you. Let me introduce myself again, I'm Cha Seung-ho from Changjo Resources. You can call me President Cha."
"I'm Park Sol from Chunha Resources."
"Alright, President Park. Let's have a drink."
After we each took a shot, President Cha started talking about various things, but it was mostly meaningless small talk.
He talked about how hard his life had been, how much he had struggled to get to where he was, how the economy was doing these days, and so on. I just listened for a while, and then he finally got to the point.
"So, how is it collecting here?"
"There's a lot to do. They're practically begging us to come and take it away."
I exaggerated a little, and President Cha clapped his hands and said,
"That's right. Ansan Industrial Complex is so large, but there's only one junkyard here, so it was overwhelming. Now that President Park has started working, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Just consistently collecting waste paper here will bring in a decent amount of money, right?"
Feeling the effects of the soju, I played along appropriately.
"That's right. There are so many factories."
President Cha narrowed his eyes and said,
"So, here's the thing. It's just the two of us here, right? There's no need for us to compete. It would be much better if we divided the area and collected from our respective territories. There would be no conflicts, and it would be so much easier. Plus, you know how tough it is for small businesses like us to compete and reduce our margins, right? A young man like you, investing your youth in a junkyard like this, should get something out of it. I've been through it all, so I know."
President Cha nodded his head as if he understood everything and patted my shoulder.
"If we each stick to our designated areas, there will be less to worry about, and it'll be much better. What do you think?"
"It doesn't sound bad. I'm a newbie, so I'd appreciate any guidance you can offer."
President Cha smiled brightly and said,
"You're in the junkyard business, so you know, right? In this industry, having a large quantity is what makes you money. Even if it's the same waste paper, you'll get a better price for 10 tons than for 1 ton."
"Of course, I know that."
"So, here's what I'm thinking… How about you specialize in waste paper?"
"Huh?"
What nonsense is this?
"Since it's difficult for our junkyard alone to cover the entire industrial complex, I'm suggesting that we each specialize in a specific item. If you only collect waste paper and deliver it to the paper mill, it'll be easier to trade and manage. Having too many items will only make things more complicated."
He was a scammer through and through.
"Scrap metal and aluminum have a higher unit price, but they require processing and more work. Since you're just starting out, you might end up losing money if you handle them. Even processing requires know-how. With waste paper, you just collect and sell it, so there's no risk of losing money."
He seemed to think I was a fool because I was young. I wasn't angry, just dumbfounded.
Anyone who worked in a junkyard for even a week would know that was nonsense. Did he really believe such talk would convince me?
"Let me give you a tip. Before you sell the waste paper, spray it with water and then sprinkle salt on it. That way, it'll weigh more when you weigh it later. So…"
I was getting tired of his nonsense, so I interrupted him.
"Yes, I appreciate your concern. So, you're suggesting that I specialize in waste paper, and you'll handle scrap metal, aluminum, copper, and other non-ferrous metals?"
"Exactly. You're a smart young man. In return, I'll give you the data I've compiled on where and how much waste paper is generated. How about it? You'll save time and effort, wouldn't that be great?"
"Well, let me see the data first. I'll think about it."
President Cha immediately brought out the data and showed me a document that listed how much waste paper each factory produced per week, along with explanations.
He started explaining how much was generated here, when to collect from where, how much I could earn per week, and so on.
The next day, I headed to Ansan Industrial Complex early in the morning.
"He really thinks I'm a fool. This is interesting. Very interesting. But I can make good use of this data. Time to teach that scammer a lesson about justice, right?"
He must have lost his touch after enjoying a monopoly without any real competition. I chuckled at the thought of outsmarting him as I drove.
I headed straight to Samhwa Metal, where I had received the sample yesterday. I went to the office and said to Assistant Manager Han,
"Assistant Manager Han, I've come to give you the quote."
"Is that so? What's the quote?"
"It'll be 400 won per kg. I'll have to load it onto the truck to be sure, but let's say 500 kg per truckload, so about 150,000 won."
Assistant Manager Han looked displeased and said,
"That's expensive. The previous company charged us 100,000 won per truckload for disposal."
I spoke as if I didn't understand anything.
"Huh? Then isn't my quote better?"
"Excuse me? What do you mean? 100,000 won is cheaper than 150,000 won."
"If I give you 150,000 won, isn't that more than 100,000 won?"
Assistant Manager Han paused, tilting his head as if he didn't understand what I was saying.
"What do you mean you'll give us 150,000 won?"
"Exactly what I said. I'm saying I'll buy it from you for 150,000 won per truckload, given its condition."
"Huh? You're saying you'll buy it?"
"Of course. I'm confident that this is the best quote you'll get."
Assistant Manager Han was flustered and seemed to be wondering if this was some kind of scam before he said,
"The previous company charged us 100,000 won for disposal…"
I pretended to be very surprised and said,
"You're telling me they charged you a disposal fee for something like that? What kind of scammer is that? They've had a monopoly for so long, but this is just too much."
Assistant Manager Han's face turned red. He seemed to feel cheated.
And by a junkyard, no less.
I watched him leisurely as a middle-aged man entered the office. Assistant Manager Han stood up and said,
"Welcome, sir."
"Yes, Assistant Manager Han. Who is this?"
He asked who I was, and Assistant Manager Han explained the situation. The CEO's gaze turned sharp.
He thought for a moment and then said to me,
"You're the CEO of Chunha Resources?"
"Yes, I'm Park Sol."
"You're not lying about the quote, are you? You won't suddenly lower the price later, will you?"
"Absolutely not. Trust me and give it a try."
The CEO nodded and said,
"Assistant Manager Han, hand everything over to this CEO from now on. It's not a big deal even if we don't get a few pennies for it. He was ripping us off, wasn't he? It's embarrassing."
Starting with Samhwa Metal, I visited all the places where I had collected samples yesterday and gave them quotes. And I told them about how much of a scammer Changjo Resources was.
It was impossible to visit hundreds of companies at once. I focused on companies with "metal" in their names and quickly gave them quotes.
It took three days for the rumors to spread. It took four days for President Cha of Changjo Resources to come find me.
"…You little…"
"Hello, President Cha?"
President Cha was trembling as he spoke.
"I clearly told you to specialize in waste paper, to divide the work…"
"I never agreed to that, did I?"
"You backstabbing bastard?"
"What did I do? I just gave them a quote when they asked."
President Cha shouted,
"What do you know about giving quotes? I've been doing this for five years! I know the materials from these companies better than the number of chopsticks in my house! I don't know what kind of quote you gave them, but if it's lower than what I was charging, you're definitely going to lose money! There's a limit to disrupting the market price! You clueless newbies give quotes without thinking and end up losing money and getting hurt. Stop messing around and go back to those companies and tell them you made a mistake and can't do it at that price!"
I grinned and said,
"I don't want to."
"You're talking back to me? I have a son older than you!"
"I'm not your son, am I? Tsk tsk, you should have been nicer. I'll be going now. Let's not see each other's faces anymore."
I laughed out loud and returned to my junkyard, leaving President Cha trembling with rage behind.