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Revisiting the Niuzhuang Oil Mill (1868–1870): Transferring Western Technology into China
- Enterprise & Society
- Oxford University Press
- Volume 14, Number 4, December 2013
- pp. 749-768
- Article
- Additional Information
In 1868, the prominent British firm, Jardine, Matheson & Co., opened the Niuzhuang Oil Mill, one of China’s earliest mechanized factories, but closed it in 1870. The mill faced no oppositions from local government officials but suffered from some technical defects. It produced better quality products that obtained higher prices. This essay argues that the mill’s failure had to do with high capital costs and low profitability.