In early autumn, Beijing has shed the heat of midsummer, with clear skies, gentle breezes, and a refreshing atmosphere. In the top-floor conference room of the "Natural Taste" headquarters building, outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, the plane tree leaves, already tinged with pale yellow, sway gently in the breeze, like a flowing autumn painting. Inside, the conference room is decorated in a dignified and elegant style. The smooth, dark brown solid wood conference table reflects the dazzling light of the crystal chandelier on the ceiling. Neatly arranged leather chairs surround the room, and the eight gilded characters on the wall, "Integrity First, Innovation Foremost," gleam in the morning light, showcasing the company's core values.

The atmosphere in the conference room was both solemn and enthusiastic. Lin Wanqiu sat upright in the main seat, wearing a well-tailored dark purple suit skirt, a pearl brooch at the collar that accentuated her elegant and noble demeanor, her brows revealing composure and decisiveness. Shen Tingzhou sat beside her, dressed in a dark gray suit, his posture upright, his expression serious, his sharp gaze sweeping over the documents on the table. Zhang Qiming, Director of R&D, Wang Gang, Production Manager, Li Jianguo, Director of Finance, and Shen Nian'an, along with other key personnel, were all present, each with a thick copy of the "Feasibility Report for the Industrialization of New Food Preservation Technology" in front of them.

Shen Nian'an, dressed in a light blue shirt with the cuffs rolled up to reveal his muscular forearms, had a hint of nervousness and anticipation in his eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses. His hands rested on the table, his fingertips slightly curled, his gaze fixed on the report. His mind replayed the past few days of equipment research and coordination with the production department. He had poured his heart and soul into this report, working overtime for several days straight, reviewing a vast amount of industry data, visiting more than ten equipment suppliers, and repeatedly communicating with the production department about process optimization plans. All this was so that at today's meeting, he could use detailed data and rigorous analysis to persuade the management and secure sufficient funding.

"Everyone, the main reason I've gathered you all here today is to discuss the industrialization project of the novel food preservation technology proposed by Nian An." Lin Wanqiu's clear and powerful voice broke the silence of the conference room. "Nian An's nanocomposite preservation technology and microcapsule encapsulation biopreservation technology have undergone repeated verification in the laboratory, and their technical feasibility is beyond doubt. Next, our challenge is how to transform this technology into actual productivity and achieve large-scale production. Now, I would like to ask Nian An to give you a detailed introduction to the project's specific plans and funding requirements."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's eyes were focused on Shen Nian'an. Shen Nian'an took a deep breath, suppressed his nervousness, stood up, picked up a laser pointer, and pointed it at the projection screen behind him. The overall project plan immediately appeared on the screen, clearly showing each stage from equipment procurement and process modification to product trial production and market promotion.

"Distinguished leaders and colleagues," Shen Nian'an's voice was calm and confident, "Based on the laboratory's research findings and the actual situation of the production department, we have formulated a detailed industrialization plan. First, in terms of equipment procurement, we need to introduce three core pieces of equipment: a nanomaterial precision feeding machine, a microcapsule dispersion homogenizer, and an intelligent preservation packaging machine. Among them, the nanomaterial precision feeding machine can achieve precise proportioning and uniform mixing of nanomaterials and food raw materials, with an error of no more than 0.1%; the microcapsule dispersion homogenizer can ensure that antibacterial microcapsules are uniformly dispersed in products such as pickles, avoiding local concentrations that are too high or too low; the intelligent preservation packaging machine can automatically adjust packaging parameters according to the characteristics of different products, ensuring the airtightness and preservation effect of the packaging. The total procurement cost of these three pieces of equipment is approximately 3.8 million yuan."

He paused, clicked the mouse, and images and detailed specifications of three pieces of equipment appeared on the screen. "These three pieces of equipment are currently the most advanced food processing equipment in China, with mature technology and stable performance. We have had in-depth communication with the three equipment suppliers, who have promised to provide free installation, commissioning, and technical training services, and the warranty period is three years."

"Secondly, in terms of production process improvement, we need to make partial modifications to the existing pastry and pickle production lines, mainly including equipment integration, production process optimization, and quality control system upgrades. The estimated cost for these modifications is 800,000 yuan," Shen Nian'an continued. "At the same time, we also need to establish a dedicated new preservation technology R&D laboratory for subsequent technology iteration and new product development. The laboratory construction cost is approximately 400,000 yuan. In addition, we need to reserve 1 million yuan in working capital for raw material procurement, personnel training, and trial production. In summary, the total funding requirement for the entire project is approximately 6 million yuan."

Six million yuan! This figure caused a slight commotion in the conference room. Li Jianguo, the finance director, frowned, adjusted his glasses, and said, “Mr. Shen, six million yuan is no small sum; it accounts for almost half of the company’s net profit for the first half of the year. Moreover, the industrialization of new technologies carries certain risks. If the market response is poor, or if insurmountable technical problems arise during production, the company will face huge losses.”

Production Manager Wang Gang chimed in, “Yes, Nian’an. Although your technology has been successful in the lab, large-scale production and lab experiments are two completely different things. For example, we can manually control the precise addition of nanomaterials in the lab, but can we consistently meet the standards when the production line is running at high speed? Also, will the microcapsules affect the flavor and texture of the pickled vegetables during fermentation? These are all unknowns.”

Hearing their doubts, Shen Nian'an felt a pang of anxiety, but he quickly regained his composure. He had anticipated such opposition and was well-prepared for it. "Director Li, Manager Wang, your questions are very pertinent," Shen Nian'an said sincerely. "Regarding investment risks, we have conducted detailed market research and risk assessments. Currently, the domestic food industry has a very urgent need for preservation technology, and consumers are increasingly demanding higher shelf lives and quality standards for food. Our new preservation technology can extend the shelf life of pastries by more than double and the shelf life of pickles to one year, giving us a strong competitive edge in the market. According to market forecasts, after products using the new preservation technology are launched, sales can increase by at least 30%, and the return on investment is expected to be around two years."

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