Material Empire

As early as the early 1960s, the Pujiang Automobile Factory developed the Pujiang brand car by imitating the Volga car of the former Soviet Union. In the course of 20 years, Pujiang cars have produced a total of 40,000 vehicles, equipped with many government agencies and large enterprises, and become a symbol of the status of officials.

At the end of the 1970s, China reopened its doors, and high-level officials visited Europe, America, Japan and other countries intensively. Seeing the dazzling array of new cars on foreign streets, they were greatly shocked. Especially when the leaders of the central government visited the Toyota factory in Japan, they were shocked and speechless when they heard that Toyota’s car output in one day was equivalent to the output of Pujiang Automobile Factory in two years.

As the most important car manufacturer in China, Pujiang Automobile Factory was naturally selected as the first joint venture with foreign countries. After careful consideration, Pujiang Automobile Factory approached the German Wolfsburg Company to discuss the establishment of a joint venture to introduce the technology and models of the Wolfsburg Company for production and sales in China.

At the beginning, Wolfsburg had strong confidence in cooperation with China, and sent a large technical and management team to China to inspect the production strength of the joint venture partner. When they entered the production workshop of Pujiang Automobile Factory, the Germans were all shocked. They found that there was no automatic production line in this automobile factory, and instead they used benches, hand hoist cranes and rubber hammers.

The standardized management system required by modern large-scale production is simply missing here. After the same type of screw is produced, it cannot be used universally. When the workers assemble the screw, they have to use a file to trim it. Use a hammer to drive into undersized mounting holes.

"The cooperative project between Wolfsburg and the Chinese is like producing cars on a dilapidated and helpless island. It will be a failed experiment." This was the assertion of a German media at the time about the Pusang project.

The joint venture project was launched under a difficult background. The workers of the Pujiang factory learned the automobile assembly technology bit by bit, and at the same time, they also learned the concept of modern mass production. The first-phase project of domestic assembly of imported parts was successfully completed, and China made a request to Germany to start the localization process of Pusang in due course.

The engineers of Wolfsburg took out a complete set of technical materials of Pusang Automobile, and put forward precise requirements for each accessory. Chinese and German technicians comprehensively sorted out the accessories of the old Pujiang car and came to a conclusion that China can only provide four kinds of accessories: tires, horns, antennas, and signs, the total value of which accounts for 2.7% of the car's value.

"Call for supporting enterprises from all over the country, gather the strength of the whole country, and realize the localization of Pusang Automobile!" The Pujiang Municipal Government made a grand decision.

In this way, the Pusang Automobile Nationalization Office was jointly established by the Ministry of Machinery and the Pujiang Municipal Government, and began bidding for auto parts nationwide. The Pujiang Municipal Government promises to provide a series of supportive policies such as tax exemption and loans to the enterprises that win the bid. There is only one goal, that is, to increase the localization rate of Pusang Automobile to more than 70% within three years.

In China at that time, it was not that enterprises that had not reached a certain level of technology at all, but some of these enterprises belonged to the military and had heavy production tasks; Pusang Automobile has also developed a production system.

Leaving these large enterprises with strong technical strength, the rest are small and medium-sized enterprises all over the world. Pujiang City has long been a leader in domestic industry, and has provided technical and equipment support to many provinces and cities, which can be regarded as "a lot of help". A notice was issued, and all provinces responded one after another, calling on provincial enterprises to go to Pujiang to participate in the bidding for the localization of parts.

The huge bidding meeting lasted for a week, and a large group of companies came here in high spirits, but returned in disappointment. The sample drawings handed over to them by the Domestic Office made every enterprise daunting. These dizzyingly high technical requirements are far beyond the imagination of various companies, making them feel that this is simply a humiliation.

"Who proposed this standard?" Someone asked angrily.

"This is the standard of the German side. Wolfsburg has always purchased parts according to this standard." The staff of the domestic production office replied.

"We are not Germany. Our country is poor and our roads are in poor condition. Can't we set a transitional standard based on reality?" Someone suggested.

"No, we must meet the standard 100%, even if it is reduced by 0.1%!" Pujiang Municipal Government replied loudly.

"To meet such a standard, we must invest in equipment transformation. When we produce the product, what do you want to do? Can you guarantee that as long as we manufacture it, you will definitely purchase it?" Someone tactfully put forward the condition.

"As long as the accessories are qualified, we will definitely purchase them. But if they are not qualified, we will never compromise." This is the answer from the National Development Office.

"Damn, this is a bunch of traitors! What kind of Sino-foreign joint venture is completely decided by foreigners!" A group of business leaders who came to participate in the bidding began to curse, and then left the meeting with their team angrily, "You play on your own Come on, I won’t serve you anymore!”

What Qin Hai and the others met was exactly such a company that was frustrated in the bidding meeting. Director Zhao's full name is Zhao Ziran, and he is the director of Jiangzhou Machinery Factory in Haidong Province. Jia Kechang is called Jia Yangao, and he is the head of the production section in the factory. The well-mannered middle-aged man sitting next to Zhao Ziran is the technical section chief of the factory, named Ma Changfeng.

"My name is Qin Hai, and this is Director Ning of our Qingfeng Agricultural Machinery Factory." Qin Hai also introduced himself to the other party. Hearing his lively chat with Zhao Ziran and others, Ning Zhongying also left the table and came over , Qin Hai quickly introduced Ning Zhongying to the other party.

"My name is Ning Zhongying." Ning Zhongying said.

"Director Ning, I've heard of your name." Zhao Ranran finally stood up this time, walked forward enthusiastically, and shook hands with Ning Zhongying: "I'm Director Sun of our Provincial Guanbei Agricultural Machinery Factory." It is said that you are a righteous person, Song Gongming who is eager for justice and loves righteousness."

"Oh, it's Old Sun. I remember, one year when I was in Guangzhou for a meeting, he suddenly suffered from appendicitis. I carried him to the hospital." Ning Zhongying said with a laugh.

"That's right, that's what he was talking about." Zhao Ziran said, and after finishing speaking, he hurriedly ordered his subordinates, "Old Jia, go and get all the bowls and chopsticks from Director Ning and the others. Just eat one piece."

The circle of the company is not that big, and if everyone talks about it casually, they can find a few acquaintances who know each other, so the relationship is suddenly drawn closer. Ning Zhongying and Qin Hai brought their dishes to Zhao Ranran's table, and joined them together, just as Zhao Ranran's food had already been served, everyone poured beer into their wine glasses, and then drank staggeringly opened.

After everyone chatted about some gossip, Zhao Ziran asked about the purpose of Ning Zhongying and his party's trip to the Pujiang River. After hearing that they were looking for products to sell, Zhao Ziran pointed to Qin Hai and said, "Xiao Qin, you just asked about Do you also want to try the bidding thing? Listen to me, don’t touch this business, the domestic office has no sincerity at all, it’s purely to coax the leaders above.”

Qin Hai smiled and said: "In fact, foreign businessmen have strict requirements on product quality standards, which are also consistent, not only for our Chinese enterprises. By the way, Director Zhao, what kind of products does your factory bid for? Can you tell me about it? ?”

Zhao Ziran pouted at Ma Changfeng, and Ma Changfeng turned around and took out a blueprint from his bag, handed it to Qin Hai, and said, "This is the blueprint, can you understand it?"

"He still has some tricks in technology, and he has a bit of a bad idea." Ning Zhongying saw the contempt for Qin Hai from the group, and quickly explained. Qin Hai's age is indeed flawed, and his chin is smooth, which reminds people of the old adage "no hair on the mouth, no work well".

Qin Hai thanked Ma Changfeng, took the drawing and looked it over, and then asked Ma Changfeng: "This bevel gear should be manufactured by powder metallurgy technology according to the customer's request. Does your factory have a powder forming press?" ?”

As soon as this remark came out, everyone at the table, except Ning Zhongying, had a sudden change in their views on Qin Hai. Powder metallurgy technology is not a new technology in China, but its application range is not wide, and most people do not know this concept. Qin Hai was able to guess the technical requirements of the accessories just by looking at the drawings, and he directly asked about the related equipment. Anyway, he was at least a knowledgeable person.

"We have a hydraulic powder forming press imported from the United States." Ma Changfeng replied in a serious tone.

"Alpha company?"

"That's right, it belongs to Alpha Company." Ma Changfeng's eyes clearly showed some astonishment.

"What about the sintering furnace?"

"Also, from Germany."

"Kramer's?"

"That's right, it's Kramer's!"

Listening to Qin Hai and Ma Changfeng's question and answer, Zhao Tianran's disdain for Qin Hai had long since dissipated. He turned his head to look at Ning Zhongying, and what he got was a smug look from the other party.

"You guys, where did you graduate?" Zhao Ziran asked in a low voice.

"The agricultural machinery technical school in our province." Ning Zhongying replied.

"No way? Graduating from the Agricultural Machinery Technical School, you know so many things? This is a talent." Zhao Tianran said.

Ning Zhongying laughed and said, "Of course it's a talent. Why don't I take anyone with me when I come to Pujiang on a business trip, and just bring such a stunned young man?"

"With the equipment level of your factory, there is no problem in taking over the production of this bevel gear. Why did you give up?"

Over there, Qin Hai's voice suddenly became louder, and there was a bit of regret in his eyes.