Building the First Industrial Empire in Another World

A week later, after final touches, the construction of the soap manufacturing facility was now completed!

Workers gathered outside of the main entrance, facing an elevated platform with a podium on it.

Ernest approached the podium and swept his gaze to the new workers of the Helmarte Soap Works.

"Good morning everyone. I would like to announce to you all the completion of a new factory that would bring cleanliness to everyone in the Kingdom of Belfast."

Hearing that, the workers smiled and clapped their hands. Hollen and Ernest’s family stood at the back, watching their son give a speech.

"Can’t believe what happened to Ernest," his mother said to Victor. "After recovering from fever, he suddenly becomes a genius."

"Well, I don’t know about that but for sure he really has a potential."

"But this is just the beginning," Ernest continued. "The factory is complete but it has yet to produce our products. Which is why we are going to start today and produce their very first official batch of soap for commercial distribution."

More applause followed immediately afterward.

Actually, many workers standing there still looked slightly amazed by the scale of the operation around them.

Most of them previously worked in ordinary workshops.

Blacksmith shops.

Warehouses.

Mills.

Manual labor yards.

Compared to those places, the Helmarte Soap Works felt different.

Behind Ernest, the massive production building loomed proudly while smoke lightly drifted upward from the chimney vents where heating systems already operated for pre-production preparation.

Meanwhile near the river, the great waterwheel continued rotating steadily beneath the cold winter sunlight.

The sound itself already became symbolic to Ernest somehow.

The sound of production.

The sound of industry.

Ernest placed both hands atop the podium afterward before continuing.

"For today’s opening production run, the Helmarte Soap Works will manufacture approximately six thousand bars of soap."

That immediately caused murmurs among the workers.

Six thousand.

Actually, even Hollen looked impressed hearing the full operational target spoken aloud publicly.

Because compared to traditional handcrafted soap workshops, that production scale sounded absurd.

Several workers exchanged looks immediately.

One older laborer even muttered quietly—

"Six thousand? In one day?"

Actually, technically the factory would not complete the entire curing process in one day.

The boiling, molding, and preparation stages however would absolutely begin at industrial scale immediately.

Ernest continued calmly.

"The factory will operate three primary kettles simultaneously."

Then he pointed toward the production hall behind him.

"Each kettle batch will produce approximately one thousand soap bars every boiling cycle."

Actually, the numbers themselves still sounded surreal to him sometimes.

Back in his previous world, industrial manufacturing figures reached millions easily.

Meanwhile here?

Producing several thousand standardized products already represented a massive leap forward.

Ernest continued.

"Two production shifts will operate daily."

"Morning shift and evening shift."

"The waterwheel-powered mixing systems will allow continuous kettle operation while reducing physical labor requirements."

Several workers visibly nodded hearing that.

Because unlike forge labor, nobody here wanted endless exhausting manual stirring.

Then Ernest finally addressed the part everyone truly cared about.

Pricing.

"Our standard soap bars will sell for one hundred riels per piece."

Murmurs immediately spread among the gathered workers afterward.

Actually, one hundred riels was not exactly cheap for ordinary commoners.

A laborer earning roughly three hundred to four hundred riels daily would still think carefully before spending money on soap regularly.

But Ernest already calculated the balance carefully.

The product needed to remain affordable enough for workers eventually while still generating sustainable profit margins for industrial-scale manufacturing.

The Helmarte Soap Works alone employed workers at twelve thousand riels monthly already.

That was above average inside the Kingdom of Belfast.

Actually, several laborers joined the factory specifically because of the wage offers.

Compared to ordinary workshops and dangerous forge labor, the factory provided cleaner working conditions, more stable employment, and better pay.

Of course, that higher salary structure also increased operational expenses significantly.

Which meant pricing mattered heavily.

Raw materials.

Animal fat.

Oil.

Ash processing.

Transport contracts.

Packaging.

Maintenance for the waterwheel systems.

Worker salaries.

Everything cost money.

And unlike small handcrafted soap workshops, this factory operated at industrial scale.

Ernest continued calmly afterward.

"Our scented household soap variants will sell for one hundred fifty riels per bar."

Several workers nodded hearing that.

Actually, the scented variants already became surprisingly popular among families during early sample distribution.

Especially women.

Lavender soap.

Mint soap.

Even simple citrus-scented variants.

People liked products that made them feel cleaner and smell pleasant afterward.

Then Ernest finally revealed the premium line pricing.

"And our premium merchant soap line..."

He paused briefly.

"...will sell for three hundred riels per bar."

Now that caused genuine reactions.

Three hundred riels.

For soap.

Actually, from a laborer’s perspective, that sounded absurd initially.

But Ernest already understood something important from modern economics.

Different social classes consumed differently.

A noble household could easily spend several hundred riels on luxury dining, imported wine, decorative fabrics, or perfumes without concern.

To wealthy merchants and nobles, premium scented soap represented comfort and status.

Not necessity.

And luxury products always carried higher margins.

Actually, Laurent himself encouraged maintaining a premium product line specifically targeting upper-class customers.

Because once nobles publicly adopted the soap, demand among wealthy households would spread naturally through social influence.

Ernest slowly looked across the gathered workers afterward.

"But remember this carefully."

The crowd gradually quieted again.

"This factory is not merely producing soap."

He pointed toward the towering production building behind him.

"It produces stable jobs."

"It produces trade."

"It produces industry."

Actually, many workers standing there probably did not fully understand the word industry itself.

But they understood one thing clearly.

The Helmarte Soap Works was different from ordinary workplaces.

Better wages.

Cleaner conditions.

Mechanical systems reducing physical strain.

Structured operations.

And standing beneath the winter skies while the great Aldren River continued turning the massive waterwheel beside the factory...

The first true industrial soap manufacturing operation in the Kingdom of Belfast officially prepared to begin production.

"Now, let’s get to work. We have a lot of soaps to produce."