Chapter 265 Void Pancake Factory Manager, do you still remember you came here to clean up the mess...?
Feiyan No. 2 Factory underwent a thorough cleaning. Not only the factory interior, but also the garbage piled up along the outer walls was cleaned up. Qin Xiangxiang suggested planting some simple flowers and plants along the walls.
In just a few days, the factory underwent another dramatic change.
Young workers like Wang Youyou are particularly sensitive to the changes in the factory. The most obvious change is the lighting at night. The factory has replaced all the light bulbs with new ones, and the bright lights make it easier for workers on the night shift to see things. This also reduces the number of falls.
The factory has replaced all the curtains with warm-colored fabrics, which smell of fresh detergent, making the cold workshop feel as if it has a touch of homey warmth.
Around three or four in the afternoon, during shift change, beautiful folk music plays over the loudspeaker, and the aroma of steaming green tea fills the air. The experienced tea masters sit on the stone steps, holding their teacups, and listen to the tunes with their eyes half-closed.
"This female factory manager is really something else. Our Factory Manager Qin understands life and is worried about us workers getting tired!"
"You'll have more energy to work when you're well-rested!"
After a thorough cleaning, there were no more cobwebs or dark insect spots in the corners, and the toilet no longer smelled terrible, but instead had a faint sandalwood scent.
The workers also seemed to become more conscious of hygiene.
The factory environment has been completely transformed, brimming with vitality like newly sprouted green branches on withered trees in this springtime. The workers are much happier as they work, and a sense of pride fills their hearts: "Our factory is now cleaner and brighter than our homes!"
"After the new factory manager came, our factory became so much better. It's bright, clean, cozy, and there's even music and the aroma of tea."
Unbeknownst to them, these changes stemmed from Xianyu Xiangxiang's fear of a horror novel.
At this moment, Qin Xiangxiang finally felt at ease and finished reading her book "A Pair of Embroidered Shoes" in the bright office.
"This is much more comfortable. At least there's plenty of yang energy, and the ghostly shadows are gone."
At this moment, Secretary Li from the factory ran over excitedly, saying in a thrilling tone, "Director Qin, your tricks are truly amazing! Now our factory workers are full of energy, and even though there were no special measures, the defect rate has decreased, and the production quality has visibly improved!"
"And everyone says you're meticulous and considerate! You manage the factory very well!"
"Someone like you doesn't need to go to school. You should be a professor at a university and teach those old fogies!"
"They still have a lot to learn from you when it comes to factory management experience!"
Qin Xiangxiang, still engrossed in the book, looked bewildered: "Huh? What management experience... in class..." She paused, "It's nothing, things are fine as they are now."
Secretary Li's words reminded Qin Xiangxiang that university had already started, but Qin Xiangxiang was skipping classes. She had been granted permission not to attend classes on weekdays, but she still had to take the final exams, and the school would then award her a diploma.
Even so, Qin Xiangxiang should still go to school, but she has a procrastination problem. In fact, it's better not to attend the classes at the beginning of the semester.
Now, Feiyan Factory No. 2 is the best place to learn! You can learn more there than in school!
We need to study the items in the warehouse slowly.
Besides that, Ning Chengcai has recently come up with some new tricks. He has transformed the factory's stockpiled fabrics. He dyed the previously dull polyester fabrics into bold, contrasting colors, and cut some khaki fabrics into geometric shapes, piecing them together into small pillows, cushions, canvas bags... These unexpectedly became bestsellers at Friendship Store.
"These little pillows are so pretty! Can our factory keep some for ourselves?"
"I like this handbag, but... wouldn't it be too conspicuous to take it out to buy groceries?"
“My distant relatives all praised this cloth bag for being stylish, and they even wanted to buy it from me.”
...
Qin Xiangxiang then arranged for Feng Xiaoxiao to visit the production line, asking her to record the problems with defective fabrics encountered each day, as well as various minor machine malfunctions, and to write them all down in her notebook.
Feng Xiaoxiao is the most patient, and she also loves doing this.
"Director Qin's request is too good! It's completely different from my old master!"
"Write down even the small problems? Okay, I'll write them all down!"
Feng Xiaoxiao recorded various problems and details, which happened to be minor issues that the experienced workers were used to and too lazy to deal with. Qin Xiangxiang then summarized these minor issues, addressed them uniformly, improved production efficiency, and reduced the defect rate of products.
Instead of rushing to develop new products and fabrics at Feiyan No. 2 Factory, Qin Xiangxiang focused on finding defects and reducing the defect rate.
Based on her previous assessment of Feiyan Factory No. 2... there were problems with the machines, problems with the workers' production, the defect rate was too high, and it was all a waste of raw materials to produce anything.
Qin found it too offensive to even think about.
In such situations, not producing is a different kind of "making money".
Aunt Pan, Shi Kaibei, Ning Chengcai, and Feng Xiaoxiao are all gradually becoming more and more valuable in the factory. It seems that the eccentric geniuses she found, though a bit odd, are quite useful.
Then there's the exchange of goods between Feiyan Factory No. 1 and Factory No. 2. Feiyan Factory No. 1 on the island has a variety of fresh agricultural and fishery products, such as kelp, sea fish, sausages, pickles, and salted duck eggs; while Feiyan Factory No. 2 in Shanghai also has a variety of urban resources, such as old inventory, old lace patterns from the Republic of China era, buttons, suits and cheongsams, and various sequined accessories.
These sequined accessories, in particular, are a popular item in stage costumes of this era, and are specially supplied to various performing arts groups.
In addition, there are seaweed chips, shrimp chips, rice crackers, and cream cakes produced by Feiyan No. 1 Food Factory, which are all excellent factory benefits; while Shanghai No. 2 Factory is close to various industrial production bases. Shanghai has local chemical plants, more comprehensive dyes, and can obtain various scrapped imported machine parts and various industrial supplies at low cost. It can be said that it has a complete range of industrial categories.
Feiyan Factory No. 1 has a variety of distinctive products, such as their "Top Scholar" short coats, wave-like gauze dresses, puffy slippers, various sandals, and shadow tapestry scarves. Meanwhile, Shanghai has more retired master craftsmen, easier access to the latest international news, and more sales counters for foreign markets.
In addition, having a "Made in Shanghai" label also gives it a special brand aura.
"The previous short coat for workers and peasants was suitable for use nationwide. In Shanghai, we can make some minor adjustments to the design and add more colors."
"And the lace-covered pickles... we must design them well so we can sell them at a high price."
"Now that we have a frontline position in Shanghai, this is our window to the outside world. In the future, we should explore new channels to expand foreign trade orders and not rely entirely on trade shows."
"The Canton Fair is a good window to the outside world, but you can't ask for high prices at the fair."
"We should try to sell at a higher price to foreign buyers."
...
“Since the factory has a history of producing suits and so many fresh samples, we can’t lose this experience. We need to get the workers to pick it up again, and we need to find someone to translate those foreign books… Oh, right, we’re not going to make old-fashioned bourgeois suits, we’re going to make ‘national diplomat uniforms,’” Qin Xiangxiang said shamelessly. “We’re going to try to get an order from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs! We’re going to bring glory to our country!”
Secretary Li: "..."
Factory manager, do you remember you came here to clean up this mess?
Their old, zombie-like textile factory, which has been losing money for years and is on the verge of bankruptcy, with outdated machinery and various problems, is trying to get "Ministry of Foreign Affairs orders"?
"Factory manager, I'm afraid this won't work for us."
Qin Xiangxiang said confidently and righteously, "How will we know if it will work if we don't try?"
Even if it doesn't work out, it doesn't matter. Her goal is to secure the Ministry of Foreign Affairs order, so she called on the original factory workers to restore the suit-making technique. Putting everything else aside, her thinking is absolutely correct.
"Also, we need to bring back all the skilled master craftsmen from the factory who were criticized before, and form a group. They won't have to do any other work, just teach the young people how to button up clothes and tie cheongsams."
"Factory manager, but those are all 'feudal remnants'!"
Qin Xiangxiang said, "These old feudal styles, after being reformed and innovated by our young working class, become the new aesthetics of our working class."
After these measures, the factory's veteran workers were moved to tears. Their old skills were respected, and their enthusiasm for work greatly increased.
Furthermore, news that General Manager Qin wanted to "win glory for the country and secure orders from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs" spread like wildfire throughout the factory. The workers discussed it amongst themselves, some thinking it was wishful thinking, while others harbored their own fantasies...
"Don't dream about it. Our factory can make diplomats' uniforms?"
"What if..."
"That's right, what if? Our Factory Director Qin is a very capable person! He's only been here a short time, and our factory has already undergone a complete transformation!"
"I had bad luck with blind dates before, but now I've finally found someone!"
...
The atmosphere in the entire factory suddenly became lively. Many people said they didn't believe it, but they started to work hard. People from the 1960s and 70s valued "honor" very much.
Instead of steaming buns, we're fighting for pride. If we can actually get an order from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs... everyone feels like they're floating on air, and their hands don't feel tired anymore when they're working.
This was undoubtedly like dangling a carrot in front of a donkey; Qin Xiangxiang casually drew a pie in the sky.
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