Maj Holdings is the largest and most powerful private-sector conglomerate in the Divine Republic of Kresimiria. Founded and chaired by the influential businessman and politician Bran Maj, the company has grown from a small agricultural trading firm into a sprawling corporate empire with interests in nearly every sector of the Kresimirian economy.
The company’s immense size and its founder’s political activities have made it the subject of numerous controversies and scandals, particularly concerning its market dominance, labor practices, and potential conflicts of interest.
Corporate History
Origins (1948–1985)
The roots of Maj Holdings lie in the immediate post-war era. In 1948, Severtzi Maj, the grandfather of current chairman Bran Maj, founded Pologradska Agro-Trade in the city of Polograd. Originally a modest agricultural logistics firm, the company focused on acquiring and consolidating struggling local cooperatives across District III.
Under Severtzi’s conservative stewardship, the company spent decades building a near-monopoly on grain distribution in eastern Kresimiria, accumulating significant capital reserves but remaining strictly within the agricultural sector. Following Severtzi’s death, control of the family enterprise eventually passed to his grandson, Bran Maj, who sought to leverage the company’s stable assets for aggressive expansion.
Expansion into Heavy Industry (1986–1994)
The pivotal moment in the company’s transformation came in 1986. Under the direction of the young Bran Maj, the company made a high-risk diversification into heavy industry. Utilizing the capital accumulated by his grandfather’s grain empire, Maj began acquiring several aging and inefficient state-run steel and ironworks in and around the industrial city of Novi Otonik (District II).
This aggressive entry into the industrial sector caused significant social friction. Maj’s attempts to modernize the plants and cut labor costs led to immediate and bitter conflict with the local trade unions, most notably SZNO, which was then organized by the rising political figure Ljubo Sanjakorin. The clash between Maj’s private capital and Sanjakorin’s labor movement would define the political economy of Kresimiria for the next two decades.
This period coincided with the leadership of Blue Dawn’s Ljubo Sanjakorin, whose government was struggling with the high costs of maintaining outdated industrial plants. Maj successfully argued that private ownership could revitalize the sector. He implemented aggressive modernization programs, cut down on labor costs, and invested heavily in new technology. By the early 1990s, his revitalized steel and iron divisions were outcompeting the remaining state-run enterprises.
Consolidation and Diversification (1995–Present)
In 1995, the company was formally restructured and renamed Maj Holdings to reflect its diversifying interests. With a near-monopoly on private steel production, Maj expanded into adjacent industries. Maj Logistics was formed to manage the transport of raw materials and finished goods, while Maj Manufacturing began producing consumer goods. By the early 2000s, it was estimated that Maj Holdings owned or controlled nearly 35% of all private businesses operating within Kresimiria.
Controversies and Scandals
Maj Holdings has been embroiled in numerous public controversies throughout its history.
The Cetingrad Steelworks Incident (1998)
In November 1998, a blast furnace at the company’s largest steelworks in Cetingrad, District VIII, catastrophically failed, resulting in the deaths of seven workers and injuring over twenty. The subsequent investigation by the Council for Development found that Maj Holdings had repeatedly ignored safety warnings and had failed to replace a critical valve that had been flagged for maintenance 18 months prior. The council’s report, though damning, resulted only in a moderate fine, a decision that critics, including then Assembly Chair and leader of Blue Dawn Ljubo Sanjakorin, attributed to Vjetrusa’s control of District VIII under Senator Misko Maretic, accusing Maretic of suppressing the local Chamber for Development’s report due to Maj’s financial contributions to his campaign. The incident became a rallying cry for labor activists and cemented the company’s negative reputation among industrial workers.
Insider Trading Allegations (2004)
Two years after Bran Maj was elected to the Assembly, Maj Holdings acquired a smaller, state-run agricultural firm, “Ravna Skrad Grains,” for a price well below its market valuation. It was later revealed in a leaked document that Maj, in his capacity as a Senator, had attended a closed-door briefing with the Council for Growth and Agriculture three weeks before the sale, where the state’s intention to privatize the struggling firm at a discount was discussed.
The opposition CRF, under leader Boj Volansky, called for an official inquiry, alleging that Maj had used privileged information for personal gain. The Superior Tribunal declined to hear the case, citing insufficient evidence of direct wrongdoing, but the affair damaged Maj’s public image and led to accusations that he was using his political office to enrich his company.
The “Iron Triangle” Monopoly Lawsuit (2015)
In 2015, a coalition of smaller manufacturing companies filed a landmark lawsuit with the Superior Tribunal, accusing Maj Holdings of engaging in anti-competitive practices. The suit alleged that Maj Holdings was using its three largest divisions: Maj Steel, Maj Logistics, and Maj Manufacturing, to create a “closed loop” or “Iron Triangle.” The claim was that Maj Steel would sell raw materials to Maj Manufacturing at a preferential rate, while Maj Logistics would refuse to transport goods for any competing manufacturer, effectively strangling any potential rivals.
After a lengthy legal battle, the Superior Tribunal ruled in 2017 that while Maj Holdings’ practices were “aggressive,” they did not technically violate Kresimirian monopoly laws. The verdict was a victory for the company, but it confirmed its public perception as a ruthless corporate behemoth that stifled competition. The case remains a key point of reference in debates about economic regulation in Kresimiria.
Rivalry with YakaSys (2016)
YakaSys has a tense relationship with Maj Holdings. Bran Maj has frequently criticized the government for granting YakaSys a total monopoly on software, arguing that his own logistics division could develop better solutions. In 2016, Maj Holdings attempted to sue YakaSys over “exorbitant licensing fees” for using KresiX on Maj Logistics’ fleet management terminals, but the case was dismissed by the District II Court.