After returning to Wa, Luan Feng got off the bus at the team headquarters, while Wan Feng rode his bike to the brick factory and told Zhang Hai the news.
Zhang Hai told Wan Feng that he didn't need to go to school in the afternoon, and he even carried his schoolbag back for him.
Look at what happened. When he was asked to take a leave, he even brought back his schoolbag.
If someone is looking for a date and asks him to take care of the child, can he even bring the child back?
Since the people who are going to make the molds are coming tomorrow, we have to decide what shape of tiles to make.
The most common tiles seen in rural areas in the 1980s were square curved tiles, also called butterfly tiles, that were about 200 to 250 mm long and 150 to 200 mm wide. They were made of mud and fired in earthen kilns. They were gray and ugly.
Wan Feng had seen all kinds of building tiles used in later generations, including long, short, big, round, square, triangular, from the smallest decorative tiles to two-meter-long asbestos tiles.
Therefore he knows what tiles are beautiful and good looking.
So at the Wahou Team headquarters, he took a pen and designed on straw paper. He drew a total of four types of tiles, all of which were rectangular flat tiles.
The sizes are all 300.400x200.250, and he also designed patterns on the tiles of two of them.
Zhang Hai looked at the tile shape drawn by Wan Feng and fell into a state of confusion: "What kind of tile is this?"
"Pingwa."
"I know they are flat tiles, but I've never seen flat tiles like this before."
"You're right you haven't seen it. This will be the most popular tile on the market, but it's just an ordinary tile. Once we have some savings, we can spray paint the surface of these tiles to make colorful tiles. The colorful ones will be even more beautiful. If you make these tiles and you are a builder, would you buy them?"
"Of course I'll buy it. It would be so beautiful if I could build a tiled house with these tiles." Zhang Hai's eyes lit up as he praised them endlessly.
"These are just the types of tiles. There are many other varieties, such as steel tiles and asbestos tiles. Asbestos tiles have a very large area, with one sheet being one to two meters long. They are the best choice for factory tiles. In the future, when we have phosphorus reserves, we can expand the types and scale of production."
Zhang Hai couldn't let go of the blueprint Wan Feng had drawn. "My nephew, it seems I was right to ask you for help. I never thought you'd already started planning the future of the brick and tile factory. How do you know so much? It would be a shame if you couldn't get into university with your brain."
In his previous life, Wan Feng was a typical, down-to-earth farmer, a skilled hand at rural tasks. There was practically nothing he hadn't worked on. What he had just learned was merely an accumulation of experience, lacking any technical skills or connection to his chances of getting into university.
Wan Feng knew very well how difficult it was to get into university in the 1980s. It was like a huge army trying to cross a single-plank bridge. After thinking about it, he decided to give up.
"Once we have the mold, we must hurry to test the product. The main thing is the product's bearing capacity, which is related to the quality of the product and directly related to the fate of the brick and tile factory. We must not be careless."
In this regard, Wan Feng felt that he should be assured with Zhang Hai's personality.
"Once I've found the molds for the cement bricks and tiles, I should start looking for the machinery to make the brick pressing machines. I've heard that there's a factory in Dongdan City that produces these machines. I plan to get up in the next two days and try to buy the machine within ten days."
Xiao Dexiang will bring people here tomorrow morning, so why does Wan Feng have to stay at home?
Therefore, Zhang Hai took Wan Feng to Zhou Wen's house at night and asked Wan Feng for leave the next morning.
On the way home, Wan Feng asked a few practical questions.
“How are you going to solve the coal problem?”
This is very important. In the era of coupons, coal was a scarce commodity. The winter heating quota for urban residents was no more than 100 kilograms per person. Wan Feng did not think this was a simple issue.
This is also the reason why he also proposed cement bricks when he first established the project.
Once the coal supply is insufficient, we will produce cement bricks.
"Right now, the higher authorities are very supportive of rural sideline businesses. There are many preferential policies, and there is a significant tilt in terms of funding and materials. The commune secretary has already submitted a report on the coal issue, and he will definitely give us a satisfactory response."
Judging from the attitude of the commune, the spring breeze of the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee is about to reach the countryside.
"Nephew! Imagine if the brick factory starts operating in August. Will the members see any profit by the end of the year?"
"Why can't I see it?"
"Nephew, since we're alone and there's no one around, let me be honest. I may appear confident in front of others, but I'm completely unsure. I often can't sleep at night, afraid I might lose everything. This involves a loan of several thousand dollars. If it goes to hell, I'll be devastated and it might take years to recover."
Zhang Hai's idea is very normal. Those who were the first to start their own businesses in the early days of reform and opening up all did so with the idea that they would die if they failed, because no one knew what was waiting for them ahead, whether it would be stormy waves or a bright future.
"Uncle Zhang Hai, let's do some calculations so you can sleep peacefully. Let's not talk about cement bricks and tiles for now, let's talk about red bricks. A kiln of bricks, from entering the kiln to firing and leaving the kiln, usually takes 25 to 30 days, which means we can produce one brick per month. Our kiln can produce over 60,000 red bricks at a time. After deducting the defective ones, there should be at least 50,000 bricks left."
"Maybe there won't be any left. After all, we have never done this before and we don't have a good grasp of the technical skills," Zhang Hai added.
That makes sense. No matter what you do, you have to explore at the beginning, and there will inevitably be some losses in this process.
"Then let's just say it's 40,000 yuan, is that okay?"
"almost."
"The market price of red bricks is between three and four cents. This is based on grade. First-grade and second-grade red bricks are priced at three cents for second-grade bricks. Forty thousand red bricks can yield a gross profit of 1,200 yuan. Now let's assume the cost. A successfully fired red brick requires approximately nine ounces to one pound of coal. Of course, this value will decrease as the brickmaker gains experience, and can be reduced to as low as six or seven ounces."
In his previous life, Wan Feng worked in a red brick factory for two years and was familiar with the various processes in the factory.
"We're not very skilled at the moment, so we're calculating based on one kilogram of coal per brick. The current market price of coal is 10 yuan per ton, but that's definitely not a price we can afford. Businesses will definitely pay a premium for coal, so let's use 15 yuan per ton. That means one kilogram of coal costs 7.5 cents. Add in the cost of labor, machinery wear, water, and electricity, and my preliminary estimate is that the cost of one brick can't be less than one cent."
"Ah! Only one cent!" There was surprise in Zhang Hai's tone.
"Yes, there will be some fluctuation, but not much. Calculate how much profit we can make from one kiln of bricks."
So, Zhang Hai started to count the money: "Five by five, five by five, two hundred and five..."
What does this mean? Do you think you are an idiot?
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