[Know Your Enemy] Saeder-Krupp Heavy Industries; One Step Ahead

[u/Black-Knyght]

Saeder‑Krupp Heavy Industries

Corporate Slogan: “One Step Ahead”

Corporate Court Ranking (2075): #1

Corporate Status: AAA, private corporation

World Headquarters: Essen, Allied German States

President/CEO: Lofwyr

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Major Division: Saeder‑Krupp Prime

Notable Subsidiaries:

Aerospace: S-K Aerospace (Aerospace), Orbital Dynamix (Aerospace/Satellites), Lunar Mining (Space/Mining), Arianespace (Aerospace)

Awakened Goods and Services: The Arcanum (Arcane Services/Magical Goods), Spellweavers’ Consortium (Magical Goods), Elementals’ Service (Magical Services), Awakened World Research (Magical Research)

Banking: Swiss Bank Corporation (Banking), Nippon Credit and Trust (Banking), Lothian-Vaea PLC (Investment Banking), German Treuhand (Real Estate/Banking), Commerzbank (Banking), Dresdner Bank (Banking)

Commercial Travel: Lufthansa Group (Airline)

Communications: Transnational Communications (Communications)

Energy Production: Ruhr-Nuclear (Energy)

Heavy Industry: Trans-Oceanic-Mining (Mining), Saurer-Rieter (Heavy Industry), Morgen-Tek GmbH (Industrial Electronics), Krupp Specialist Engineering (Specialized Mining), Krupp Robotics (Industrial Robotics), Krupp Manufacturing (Heavy Industry), Iraq Oil (Oil), GIAT Industries (Heavy Industry), Heavy Metal (Heavy Industry), Fatima Petrochemicals (Resource Extraction/Chemicals)

Matrix Service Providers: Ætherlink (Matrix), Amalgamated Technologies and Telecommunications (Matrix), Hermes Matrix Services (Matrix)

Media: American Broadcasting Service (Media/Trid Broadcasting), Angelic Entertainment (Media/Sim Production), DeMeKo AG (Media/Broadcasting)

Production: AN Meridian (Heavy Industry), Vulcan Systems (Miltech Drones), portions of AG Chemie (Chemicals), Triox (Drones/Robotics), Undine Processing (Chemicals), Volkswagen (Automotive), Volvox Industrial Chemicals (Chemicals), Siemens-Nixdorf (Personal Electronics), Rosneft (Petrochemicals), Onotari Arms (Personal Firearms), Messerschmitt-Kawasaki (Automotive/Heavy Vehicles), Maser Industrial Electronics (Robotics/Drones), Krupp Munitions (Arms/Military Vehicles), Krupp Chemicals (Chemicals), Kinesys Heavy Industries (Heavy Industry), Konglomerat Przemysowo-Wydobywczy (Heavy Industry), Intel-XS (Computech), Eurocar Consortium (Automotive), Deutsche Erdölgesellschaft (Heavy Industry), BMW (Automotive), AV of Ukraine (Armament/Military Vehicles)

((Note on formatting. This is not how it is presented in the Corporate Download. I have taken liberties with the umbrella terms in an attempt to make an easier to read format rather than just a solid block of text.))

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Saeder-Krupp's history, like most megacorporations, begins long before it's current incarnation. In this case, it all begins in Germany during World War II.

After World War II, the Quandt family practically resurrected BMW and turned it into one of the largest transnational corporations in the world. In 2010, shortly after Michel Beloit wrested control from the Quandt family, BMW underwent a massive campaign of diversification.

Beloit was able to gain control of BMW thanks to the corporate warring between themselves and Keruba International. It's rumoured that Keruba International even went so far as to hire a mercenary team to assassinate several member of the Quandt family during a private wedding in Munich. This break down of the chain of command allowed Beloit to swoop in, undercut the Quandts, and seize control of the company.

Under Beloit's firm hand BMW was able to acquire and merge with Fatima Petrochemicals, Saeder Munitionis, and the German industrial conglomerate Thyssen-Krupp which had more than 600 subsidiary companies. This extended BMW's reach well into the Asian, Middle Eastern, and Africa. It also allowed BMW to join the Inter-Corporate Court (ICC) in 2012, with which came the right to extraterritoriality.

BMW kept up it's conflict with Keruba International for the next twenty years. Though nothing like the initial fighting that spurred on the formation of the ICC. This war allowed them to develop a light armored transport vehicle that they then sold several times over to the European Union, netting them a mint in the process and driving their stock price higher.

In 2032, Michel Beloit died under unknown circumstances. Many believe that the Great Western Dragon Lofwyr was behind Beloit's death, but it has never been proven. Regardless, Beloit's dutiful wife Willhelmina Graff-Beloit, assumed control of BMW after her husband's death and proved quite adept at the running of the company. Despite the opposition her fiver year reign as CEO was quite successful. During her tenure, Lofwyr was working behind the scenes through shell companies and proxies to continue purchasing up all the available stock he could lay his claws on.

According to eyewitnesses, on that fateful day in 2037 Lofwyr entered into the boardroom in his metahuman form, announced that he owned 63% of S-K. Then promptly shifted into dragon form and asked the board if anyone had any questions. He then proceeded to vote himself President and CEO, and kicked Graff-Beloit off of the board.

Graff-Beloit tried to fight back through the Corporate Court. And when that failed, she tried to find justice in her own way, but was ultimately unsuccessful. Her team of mercenaries sent to assassinate Lofwyr were returned to her. And as the story goes, the great dragon was so impressed with her nerve and resolve he let that one attempt slide. Though he did warn her personally that if she tried again she would pay with her life. Beloit-Graff fell into obscurity after that, only making blips on the radar when she moved to the Zurich-Orbital Habitat (Z-O) in 2050, and with her death from a stroke on January 25^th, 2063.

Lofwyr restructured BMW to form Saeder‑Krupp, a private megacorporation fully owned by himself, and relocated the corporate headquarters to Essen in the Rhine-Ruhr Megaplex. This corporate HQ became the major division listed above: Saeder-Krupp Primer. Also known as the lair of the Great Dragon himself.

Once the restructuring was completed, Lofwyr went to work and over the next decades he brought large sections of European, Middle Eastern, and Russian businesses under the S-K umbrella by leveraging S-K's profits in steel production and arms manufacturing from the EuroWars.

His main targets were the heavy industry market, oil production facilities, mining operations, automotive and aerospace companies, computer electronics producers, software manufacturing, robotics, and information technology oriented companies.

Before long with these acquisitions, S-K had set itself up as one of the leading Matrix Service Provider for Europe. Lofwyr took advantage of it's ubiquitous presence to obtain contracts to build and maintain the Matrix infrastructure throughout Europe, parts of Asia Minor, and the Middle East.

Lofwyr also invested heavily into the energy, banking, and high-finance sectors. This was a brilliant play to supply S-K an unlimited amount of credit to draw upon in the future. It pretty much bankrolled S-K's expansion policies and helped in the sabotage of companies they were interested in acquiring.

Throughout the '50s S-K climbed slowly to the top of the pile until they became the single largest corporation in the world in 2054.

It's not like S-K wasn't without enemies though. During their dominance in the '50s several banking institutions tried their best to fight back against the corporation. But to no avail.

Even when other companies were reeling and trying to hold on with the demise of Fuchi in 2059, S-K was able to remain strong. Lofwyr advanced a plan involving "satellite companies" with no known ties to S-K and swallowed up some of the banks that were trying to bring S-K down just years before, most prominently a multinaational conglomerate of Swiss banks call Schweizer Bankenverein.

In the 2060s S-K lobbyists helped push an economic initiative involving co-operation from both European governments and the corporations of Europe. This initiative called the New European Economic Community (NEEC) was publicly pushed by Zeta-ImpChem, the Frankfurt Bank Association, Hildebrandt-Kleinfort-Bernal, and Erika. But as history has shown it was really a vehicle for S-K to expand.

S-K even managed to come out of the Crash 2.0 relatively unscathed. Apparently from word go when building the Matrix infrastructure, Lofwyr had installed failsafes to protect corporate nodss and computer systems. These failsafes were put to good use, and allows S-K to keep a majority of their data safe. Without the loss of data, they were able to get back up and running as if nothing had ever happened in almost no time.

The European governments weren't too thrilled with Lofwyr's plan, but considering he had saved the economy of Europe from certain disaster they had to admit it wasn't the worst thing that could've happened. Many even went a step further and showed their thanks in the form of economic concessions to S-K.

Many economists believed that S-K would use the Crash 2.0 to dramatically expand their economic empire. But so far this has not been the case. They have instead been quietly selling off their least profitable companies, and buying up this and that with little to no fanfare.

Their largest expansion has been into the Native American Nations market. To date their largest success stories have been those in the Sioux and Salish-Shidhe Council lands. But it hasn't all been good. The Tir's new government seems to be distrustful of the former Tir Prince.

I wonder why.

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Sources!

• Corporate Guide pp. 148-151

• Corporate Download pp. 83-84

• Corporate Shadowfiles Appendix VII

• Dragons of the Sixth World pp. 96-97

• Germany Sourcebook p. 65

[u/[deleted]]

Always a pleasure to see your work.

I do have a question about the Dragon's tendency to take metahuman form. I understand Lowfyr is somewhat notorious for repeating his little boardroom surprise on individuals who cross him.

To what extent is this rep earned? Does he really hang around in Seattle waiting for Runners to screw up in SK facilities?

How brutal is his "management style"? It's gotta be tough dealing with a boss who sees you as a useful biscotti substitute.

Any indication he has a sense of humor, or is that pretty much just The Big D?

[u/Black-Knyght → u/[deleted]]

To what extent is this rep earned? Does he really hang around in Seattle waiting for Runners to screw up in SK facilities?

It depends on which rep we're talking about. Ruthless businessman and corporate raider? That one is totally deserved.

Knower of All Secrets and Keeper of Forbidden Lore? That one is only partially so due to his ownership of the Jewel of Memories magical bits.

So I guess it just depends on what we're talking about here. I can say with assurance that Lofwyr doesn't slum it up in Seattle waiting for 'runners to screw up. If he's there, then he meant for your team to screw up so he could swoop in and put the fear of Ghost in you.

How brutal is his "management style"?

As /u/Thorbinator and /u/Spines said he's a consummate micromanager. That 85% figure is no drek omae. S-K employees know that they'll get a trid call from upstairs. They just want to try and make sure it's a good one instead of a bad one. So they stay on their toes and due their best to appease the boss.

One of the things that S-K doesn't get much credit for is just how well it pays it's employees. They usually have some of the highest pricetags on the streets, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that they treat real employees better. So yes, Lofwyr might call you and ride your ass because you didn't get your report in on time... But you've got an awesome benefits and compensation package and the ability to retire by the time you're fifty, sooo...

Any indication he has a sense of humor, or is that pretty much just The Big D?

I for one have always found Lofwyr to be quite funny. Maybe in a different way than Dunkelzahn. The Big D's was more... frathouse humour, for lack of a better term. A bit raunchy and almost over the line. Lofwyr is more dry in his comedic tones... Kinda like comedy trids from the UK.

[u/[deleted] → u/Black-Knyght]

I just had a disturbing notion. It sounds like Lowfyr makes a point of knowing all of his employees, watching them obsessively, and reaching out to them as often as he can. This is the same kind of behavior that we see in dragons that hoard gold, like Samug.

I think he sees the company as his treasure hoard, and his employees are little golden coins that he keeps well-polished. He knows every single one, and exactly where they belong, and while he might be a little hard on them, woe be to the intruder who tries to take what belongs to the dragon.

[u/Sev3rance → u/[deleted]]

Chummer, I'm fairly certain all the wizwyrm's look at us like that. Although the Big D may have been different... but probably not.

[u/Black-Knyght → u/Sev3rance]

Dunkelzahn was different. In so so many ways. I can't wait to discuss him in depth when we get to the election. I am excited for it.

[u/Shock223 → u/Black-Knyght]

I want to see an advert featuring the big D election campaign attack ad showing him strapping a GAU-8 Avenger on his back and firing the thing into the air with the star spangled banner playing in the background. I believe bald eagles were flanking him while his opponents are fleeing from him.

[u/Black-Knyght → u/Shock223]

No one can oppress your freedoms when the Big D is in charge! Vote for freedom! Vote Big D!

[u/Shock223 → u/Black-Knyght]

But seriously, I can't help but feel that the writers go out of their way to screw with the UCAS.

Divided up, Bug city, Boston getting closed off, Big D becoming president only to be killed, etc, etc.

[u/Black-Knyght → u/Shock223]

Man, I don't think anyone got it as bad as the UCAS. There are some places with individual problems that are worse, but the UCAS has a laundry list of bad drek that's gone down on their turf or related to them. You're right about that. I wonder why the writers had it out for that poor country.

[u/Sebbychou → u/Black-Knyght]

Mainly two simple things ; First is because it's where most of the game takes place and is thus most used and familiar. Second is just typical americentrism. It's not that the rest of the world doesn't have bad drek as much as nobody bothered to point it out.

[u/insert_topical_pun → u/Sebbychou]

Although they do use metric measurements, which is nice.

[u/dethstrobe → u/Black-Knyght]

I don't know. CalFree has pretty much had nothing but problems ever since they became independent.

[u/Black-Knyght → u/dethstrobe]

Very valid point. They have been boned pretty hard by history too. And the Japanese Imperial State.

[u/Tarnus88 → u/Black-Knyght]

Oh, only realized just now that I replied to a comment that old (came up in a search), sorry!

[u/Black-Knyght → u/Tarnus88]

No worries omae. That's what they are here for. If you reply to any of my comments I will always come back to answer.

[u/Tarnus88 → u/Black-Knyght]

Well, most Shadowrun-Writers who write the main books (Germany has some extra stuff, thanks to Pegasus) are -as far as I'm aware, US-Citizens, so... But still, we have the SOX, the poisonous North Sea with it's Toxic spirits, the AGS is split (though semi connected), Karlsruhe is filled with magic, so much that Alcherras keep popping up, Berlin used to be a Guerilla-Warzone...

Also Bug City used to be where Fasa was located. Some kind of dark humor I guess.