Chapter 422: Problems as soon as I came back
Zhou Dazhong nodded to show that he understood and walked out of the office.
Just as he walked out, Director Hu walked straight into the office in a hurry.
Zhou Yimin was just about to ask Zhou Dazhong what time it would take when he looked up and saw Director Hu.
"Director Hu, what's the matter that makes you so anxious?"
If it wasn't an extremely urgent matter, Director Hu would definitely not come to the door in person, but would always arrange for his secretary to come and call the person over.
Director Hu frowned and said straight to the point: "Yimin, the factory is facing a big problem now.
The Canton Fair is about to open, but our factory can't produce any products that can attract attention. What should we do?
The higher-ups take this very seriously, and if this goes wrong, it will have a huge impact on the factory."
If the factory had no other good solutions, he would not have come in person. He hoped that Zhou Yimin could solve this problem just like he did last time with special steel.
Zhou Yimin's heart skipped a beat, as he knew very well the importance of the Canton Fair.
This is a key window for New China to break the Western blockade and expand foreign trade. Since its establishment in 1957, each session has become more lively than the last, with more and more foreign businessmen coming and the number of orders completed also increasing year by year. It is an important platform for the country to earn foreign exchange and display its strength.
Although the factory now has many products, there is no competitive product left. His brain started working rapidly, trying to think about whether there is any solution.
Zhou Yimin knew very well that this problem was extremely difficult.
Nowadays in China, people are still struggling to have enough food and clothing, and materials are severely scarce. The demand for daily necessities basically remains on "practical, durable and cheap".
It’s not like in foreign countries where even ordinary people have their own aspirations, so the gap is still a bit big.
It is not as good as the old-fashioned radios produced by the factory before, which have single functions and bulky appearance, but are still in short supply in rural supply and marketing cooperatives. People just want to be able to listen to the news and learn about national affairs.
But at the Canton Fair, we face foreign businessmen with discerning eyes and diverse demands. What they want are novel, sophisticated and high-performance products.
Internationally, the trade situation was even more volatile. Western capitalist countries banded together to impose an economic blockade on New China and set up numerous trade barriers.
The number of foreign businessmen who can enter the Canton Fair is limited, and each of them looks with a critical eye, looking for products that best suit their market.
In addition, the steel mills lack professional market research personnel and basically produce according to the instructions of their superiors.
With no clue about international market preferences and trends, the product positioning is like finding direction in the fog, very confusing.
Moreover, most of the production equipment in the factory are leftovers after layers of selection, not to mention their poor precision and low efficiency.
The equipment in the factory has a high scrap rate when processing simple parts, and the old craftsmen have to rely on their experience to manually polish and repair them.
As for technical workers, although they are experienced and hard-working, their educational level is generally not high, and their ability to accept new technologies and new processes is limited. Those who master advanced CNC technology are even rarer.
Developing new technologies is simply a fantasy. Without technological upgrades, product innovation is like cooking without rice and will be unsustainable.
Another problem is the supply of raw materials, which is even more of a headache. The domestic raw material market is in short supply, and many key raw materials, such as high-quality steel and special plastics, have to be allocated based on indicators.
Importing raw materials? That’s even more difficult.
The country now has strict foreign exchange controls, and applying for a foreign exchange quota is extremely difficult, even if you actually get the quota.
However, once foreign suppliers hear that the company is a Chinese factory, they will either raise the price or impose harsh conditions. The products may also be blocked or seized during transportation.
In addition, the procurement channels are limited and can basically only be obtained through state-owned import and export companies, which lack flexibility. Once a problem occurs in a certain link, the supply of raw materials will be cut off and production can only be carried out in vain.
Now that time is limited, we can only invent some competitive products so that we can overtake others.
Zhou Yimin fell into deep thought, his brain working rapidly.
Suddenly, an idea flashed in his mind, and he remembered the popular scene of suitcases during the overseas travel boom in later generations.
In this era when materials are relatively scarce and industrial products are mainly practical, a suitcase with novel design and reliable quality may become a hit.
He quickly told the factory director his idea: "Director Hu, I have an idea, how about we make suitcases?
Nowadays, more and more people are traveling far away. No matter they are cadres on business trips or students going to school, they all need something that can hold things and is easy to carry.
Moreover, when foreigners come to China, they also need to bring back some souvenirs and materials, so there is definitely a market for suitcases.”
Director Hu fell into deep thought. Every suggestion Zhou Yimin made had a good result. Most importantly, the factory had no other products at the moment.
We can only try our best to save the situation.
Then he raised his doubts: "Can our steel mill make suitcases? We have no experience in this area."
Zhou Yimin was still very confident about the suitcase, and then explained: "Director Hu, listen to me, it is precisely because we have never done it before that we have more opportunities to come up with new ideas.
Most of the suitcases on the market now are old-fashioned wooden boxes that are bulky and heavy, or simple cloth bags. If we can make a suitcase that is light, sturdy, and has multiple compartments for easy classification, it will definitely attract people.
Moreover, we are a steel mill, so we have natural advantages in materials and craftsmanship. We use our steel to make the frame, and match it with wear-resistant canvas or leather, so the quality is absolutely excellent. "
After listening to his clear and logical arguments, the factory manager's eyes gradually brightened and he began to seriously consider this proposal.
Seeing this, Zhou Yimin struck while the iron was hot and continued, "Director, think about it, there are so many foreign merchants at the Canton Fair, they come from all over the world, and suitcases are a necessity for them.
If we can make a unique suitcase, it will not only solve the urgent needs of the factory, but also promote the reputation of China's industrial manufacturing. This is a good thing that kills two birds with one stone!"
Director Hu pondered for a moment, then slapped his thigh and said, "Okay! Yimin, let's do as you say. Let's give it a try!"
"Think about what materials you need and make a list. I'll apply to my superiors."
Now that we have made up our minds, we must do our best and not delay the progress due to raw materials.
After hearing this, Zhou Yimin finally convinced Director Hu.
"We need to test the specific materials in the factory."
He has no idea what material is best for suitcases. The only thing he knows is what the standard of a good suitcase is.
Director Hu said at this time: "Yimin, take a look. If you need someone to cooperate, just tell Director Liao and the others and say that it was me who asked them to do so."
"I'll leave this matter entirely to you."
(End of this chapter)
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