This country has a population of only 80 million, so how could it produce 2,300 world-famous brands??

The German nation began industrialization quite late; when England and France completed the Industrial Revolution, Germany was still an agricultural country.

The German people started industrialization quite late. When Britain and France completed the Industrial Revolution, Germany was still an agricultural country. After entering industrialization, Germans went through a 'knockoff phase' similar to today's China: learning from Britain and France, stealing their technology, and imitating their products. Because of this, the British Parliament specially amended the Trademark Law on August 23, 1887, requiring all German imports entering the British mainland and colonial markets to be labeled "Made in Germany." At that time, "Made in Germany" was actually a symbol with insulting connotations.

At the beginning of Germany's industrialization era, university scientific research was completely disconnected from the production field. Although Germany was the "world scientific center" at that time, Americans were very smart. After obtaining degrees in Germany and returning home, they did not just go to colleges and universities to do research but entered the market to start businesses.

In the early 1890s, German scientists went to the United States and found that American industrial products had the highest technological content. This led to the clear proposal of the policy of "combining theory with practice" and the vigorous promotion of applied science development. Because Germany had a strong foundation in basic science, it quickly established a connection between scientific theory and industrial practice. Within half a century, it combined world-class scientists, engineers, and skilled workers to lead the "internal combustion engine and electrification revolution," enabling Germany's industrial economy to achieve leapfrog development.

Since then, Germany's machinery, chemical industry, electrical appliances, optics, and even kitchenware and sports goods have become the world's highest quality products. "Made in Germany" has become synonymous with quality and reputation. Germany's most famous companies almost all grew up during that era and still maintain a global reputation today.

Cherish "reputation after death" and do not greed for "immediate profit".

The German people are not a nation that "likes the new and dislikes the old." Germans like things with experience, historical memory, and cultural memory. I know a German professor whose family still has a wooden box-sized electronic tube radio produced in the 1960s. Because of its quality, it is still in use. I asked him, "You still use such an old thing?" He said, "Yes, whenever I see it, I remember the stories that happened beside this radio in my childhood. To me, this is more precious than anything!"

A German-made ballpoint pen can be dropped on the ground more than ten times and still be usable when picked up. Residential buildings built by Germans can last 120 years without collapsing. Even if destroyed by war, Germans insist on rebuilding them exactly as before.

There is a photo of German buildings called "Unchanging Germany," showing houses rebuilt by Germans after World War II in the style of late Baroque and Rococo from the Middle Ages. Why? After World War II, almost all German cities were ruins, and those ancient houses were basically destroyed by war. Germans were very distressed because they love their culture. What to do? Germans insisted on finding the old photos and design drawings and rebuilt each house exactly as before. Today, if you go to Germany, most cities have almost no modern buildings; they are almost all in Baroque and Rococo styles.

This country has a population of only 80 million, so how can it produce 2,300 world-famous brands??

There is a royal opera house in Germany that was completely destroyed by American planes during World War II. Germans were heartbroken because it took 200 years to build that opera house, and it was destroyed in an instant. What to do? After the war, Germans fenced off the ruins and gathered a group of scientists, cultural scholars, archaeologists, architects, and technicians—about a hundred people. They spent 35 years putting the broken bricks and tiles back together. Now, when you look at this royal opera house, you cannot tell it was bombed and rebuilt. This building has become a "World Cultural Heritage." UNESCO said, "This action itself is part of the world cultural heritage." It is precisely because Germans love and respect their culture to such an extent that it is called "Unchanging Germany."

Because Germany's economic development does not rely on the real estate market, it is difficult for a German architect to get a building project. When they finally win a bid, they must design it carefully, making it an artistic masterpiece that will be remembered for generations. Therefore, in Germany, you will never see two buildings that are the same. People say German architects value not "immediate profit" but "reputation after death."

This country has a population of only 80 million, so how can it produce 2,300 world-famous brands??

A person only does business once.

At a press conference, a foreign reporter asked Peter von Siemens, "Why does Germany, with a population of 80 million, have more than 2,300 world-famous brands?" The president of Siemens answered: "This relies on the work attitude of us Germans, the attention to every production technical detail. Our German company employees bear the obligation to produce first-class products and provide good after-sales service."

The reporter asked back, "Isn't the ultimate goal of a company to maximize profits? Why bother with obligations?" Siemens' president replied, "No, that is the economics of Britain and America. We Germans have our own economics. German economics pursues two points:

1. Harmony and safety in the production process;

2. Practicality of high-tech products.

This is the soul of enterprise production, not maximizing profits. Business operations are not only for economic benefits. In fact, adhering to business ethics and striving for excellence in manufacturing products is the innate duty and obligation of German companies!" Speaking of "duty," what does "duty" mean? It means "what God wants you to do."

In Germany, no company becomes rich overnight or quickly becomes a global focus. They often focus on a certain field or product as "small companies" or "slow companies," but rarely "bad companies" and never "fake companies." Most of them are world-famous companies with over a hundred years of history, highly focused on product quality and value, also called "hidden champions." There is a German winery nearly 400 years old. It survived World War II by chance and was lucky not to be bombed by American planes. Germany's Continental Tire Company was founded in 1871 and now has branches in almost every prefecture-level city in China. Adidas was founded in 1920 and has a history of over 94 years. You can see that these German companies have a long history.

This country has a population of only 80 million, so how can it produce 2,300 world-famous brands??

German products do not engage in price wars or compete with peers. This is partly due to industry protection and partly because price is not everything. Price wars may cause the entire industry to fall into a vicious cycle. German companies pursue profits, but as long as basic profits are guaranteed and money can be made, Germans are not greedily or endlessly pursuing profits. They consider longer-term, sustainable development. Therefore, Germans prefer "to ensure basic profits while converting part of the profits into higher quality products and better services."

I once chatted with a manager of a Fissler cookware store in Berlin. I said, "Your German-made pots can last for 100 years, so every pot sold actually means losing a customer, as they won't need to buy from you again. Look at the Japanese pots, which last only 20 years, so customers have to come back every 20 years. Think about it carefully, is it worth it for you? Why do you make things so durable? If you shorten their lifespan a bit, wouldn't you make more money?"

The manager replied, "Not at all. Everyone who buys our pots never needs to buy a second time, which leads to word-of-mouth praise and attracts more customers. We're so busy we can't keep up! Our cookware factory was converted from a former arms factory after World War II, and in just a few decades, we've sold over 100 million pots. Do you know how many people there are in the world? Nearly 8 billion, and there's a huge market of over 7 billion people waiting for us!" You see, Germans think differently; their marketing strategy is unique. They make a lifetime deal with you, so you praise their products, which influences another person, who then becomes their customer, and so on. That's their business.

This country has a population of only 80 million, so how can it produce 2,300 world-famous brands??

Seek the essence, consider the long term.

Today, only three German cities—Berlin, Hamburg, and Frankfurt—are designated as "international cities" and are declared "undefended cities" in case of war. Other cities are medium or small-sized. The vast majority of Germans live in cities with populations of 50,000, 100,000, 150,000, or 200,000. Even a city with 500,000 people is considered too large by Germans. A typical feature of German cities is that the highest point on the skyline is always the church steeple; no building is allowed to surpass it.

I once discussed with a German professor why Germans are punctual. He said, "Small cities make punctuality easier. To be punctual, cities must be designed small. To avoid traffic jams in the 'age of mass car ownership,' two conditions are needed. First, no building should exceed five floors. In Germany, constructing buildings over six floors requires parliamentary approval. Second, half of the city's space must be roads. If both conditions are met, the city won't have traffic jams."

Today, Germans generally build high-rises only in Berlin, Hamburg, and Frankfurt, and these are world-class skyscrapers. But there's a condition: when such a building falls from any direction, it must not crush another building. So, the taller the building, the larger the surrounding open space. This is called "seeking the essence of things and determining long-term strategy." When Germans build houses, they always consider what will happen if the building collapses.

This country has a population of only 80 million, so how can it produce 2,300 world-famous brands??

Germany does not believe in cheap and good quality.

The advantage of "Made in Germany" is not in price; even Germans admit that "German goods are good quality but not cheap." You can negotiate prices with the Japanese, but not with Germans; you can't cut a single cent. Germans don't even acknowledge the concept of "cheap and good quality." The advantage of "Made in Germany" lies in its quality, proprietary problem-solving technology, and excellent after-sales service. German companies generally develop products that are world-leading, highly complex, and cannot be made by other countries for the time being. Over 30% of Germany's export goods are unique products with no competitors in the international market. German industrial products, from large tunnel boring machines to small office staplers, are world-class in quality.

All products for children under three years old in Germany must contain no artificial additives and must be natural; all milk powder is regulated as medicine; all mother and baby products are only allowed to be sold in pharmacies, not supermarkets; all chocolates are required to use natural cocoa butter as raw material; all health and skincare brands must have their own laboratories and plant nurseries to ensure sourcing from natural organic quality.

German-made chemical products for non-industrial use, such as cleaners, hand sanitizers, and dishwashing liquids, besides having cleaning and sterilizing effects, mostly use biodegradable technology, meaning microorganisms break down the chemical components to minimize harm to the human body. German water filter pitchers can filter both inorganic and organic harmful substances and are rich in magnesium. Water filtered through German water filter pitchers has a slightly sweet taste.

German cookware has natural antibacterial and high-temperature resistance properties, making it energy-saving and environmentally friendly with excellent heat conduction. People say, "Using this German cookware, a single candle can cook a delicious meal." A German pot can last 100 years, so many Germans use pots passed down from their grandmothers. For Germans, any kitchenware only needs to be bought once in a lifetime because it won't wear out. German pots for stewing soups are made entirely of steel, so heavy that even men find them hard to lift. The inside of the pot lid has a unique pattern. I asked a German salesperson, "Why make these patterns?" He said, "When the lid is on, the steam naturally circulates up and down, preventing it from drying out. It's a technology." German cookware lids fit tightly; if it says it takes three minutes to heat up, it really takes three minutes, saving you a lot of gas.

I also asked a German entrepreneur why German products can often "last 100 years." He answered, "There are two reasons. One is that Germany has no resources; almost all important industrial raw materials are imported, so we must make full use of them and extend the product's lifespan as much as possible, which is the greatest conservation of raw materials. The other reason is that Germans believe product quality is mainly reflected in whether it is 'durable and long-lasting.'"

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