Reborn Industrial Tycoon

Linen car seat cushions are definitely something that Chinese people cannot afford.

In the 1980s, the output of flax fiber was not large to begin with. Li Weidong used flax yarn in production, which was much more expensive than cotton yarn, and the price was even comparable to silk.

Wool fiber was an expensive clothing material. At that time, wearing a sweater was something worth showing off, and high-end woolen sweaters were even more of a luxury item.

Many people don't even own a sweater, so how can they put wool products under their buttocks as cushions? This requires a lot of money to do!

So things like linen car seat cushions were originally intended to be sold to foreigners.

To sell goods to foreigners, you have to have channels. China in 1987 was not the world's factory in later generations. It was impossible to make a business with just a few WeChat messages like it was in later generations.

So Li Weidong set his sights on the Canton Fair.

In the era when the West imposed an economic blockade on China, the Canton Fair was China's only channel for trade with the world. After the reform and opening up, the scale of the Canton Fair has been expanding year after year, attracting more and more foreign businessmen.

In the 1980s, China's foreign trade was not developed. The Canton Fair held twice a year was the best way to deal with foreign buyers. Of course, Li Weidong could not miss this opportunity.

And the reality of later generations has proved that linen car seat cushions are a very marketable product. As long as they are presented at the Canton Fair, they should be able to attract foreign buyers.

The key question now is how to participate in the Canton Fair.

An important exhibition like the Canton Fair is not something you can just go to. If you want to participate in the Canton Fair, you have requirements not only for products, but also for companies.

The latter is Li Weidong's biggest weakness.

Qinghe Transportation Company itself is only a prefecture-level enterprise, and the garment factory is only a tertiary industry of the transportation company. In the foreign trade system, it is simply out of the ordinary. It is almost impossible to enter the Canton Fair.

Li Weidong first went to the Bureau of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation in the Qinghe area, and the answer he got was that the quota recommended by the Bureau of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation was already full.

The Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau has three recommendation quotas, and one quota is for willow weaving handicrafts, which is weaving baskets and baskets using willow branches.

There are two counties in Qinghe that are very good at making willow handicrafts, so the local government organized farmers to purchase willow handicrafts with government funding and then exhibited them at the Canton Fair, hoping to generate foreign exchange.

Willow weaving is a specialty product of the Qinghe area. Foreigners still prefer this traditional handicraft. Although it does not sell for much money, it can still earn some foreign exchange.

The second quota was given to the Qinghe Ceramics Factory. The Qinghe area produces more than ten kinds of ceramic raw materials such as purple clay, quartz powder, clay, green clay, and yellow medicinal soil. The porcelain produced by the Qinghe Ceramics Factory is white and shiny. Compared with Jingdezhen,

It won't be much inferior.

Foreigners are still quite obsessed with Chinese porcelain. Although Qinghe porcelain is not as famous as Jingdezhen, it is cheaper. If you meet those stingy foreigners who are greedy for cheap, you can still create some foreign exchange.

The third spot was given to a tea factory. Qinghe produces green tea, but the quality is average and it is not well-known. Even the locals don't like to drink it.

Considering that foreigners do not understand tea, the Qinghe Foreign Trade Bureau planned to promote tea to the Canton Fair in an effort to deceive one or two ignorant foreigners.

The Qinghe Foreign Trade Bureau had nowhere to go, so Li Weidong had no choice but to try his luck at the Provincial Foreign Trade Department.

When we arrived at the Provincial Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, a large number of people were filling out forms, all of which were companies that wanted to participate in the Canton Fair.

In fact, the vast majority of companies that signed up did so with the intention of making a profit.

As long as you can attend the Canton Fair, even if you don't sell a single product, it will be a very honorable thing to look back on. At least there will be a bright spot when writing the year-end summary.

If the blind foreigner you meet really takes a fancy to your product, you can earn foreign exchange through export. This is not only a highlight during the year-end summary, but also the company can get many real benefits.

So when registration for the Canton Fair started, many companies enthusiastically participated, wrote out registration forms and submitted them to the Department of Foreign Trade to try their luck.

It is certainly a good thing to be selected for the Canton Fair. If you are not selected, the company will not suffer losses, and it is not tiring to fill in multiple forms.

Li Weidong also came to fill in the form. While filling out the form, he also asked about the situation of the people around him.

Then Li Weidong's heart felt so cold.

Many of the other people who filled out the forms were provincial-level enterprises, and few were at the prefecture-level. And most of the prefecture-level and municipal-level enterprises were resource-based enterprises, such as some municipal-level small iron ore mines, small copper mines, and small-scale enterprises.

Rare earth mines, or some companies that produce wood.

In the 1980s, China mainly made money by exporting energy, minerals and industrial raw materials, so all those participating in the Canton Fair were companies of this type.

It is simply impossible for Li Weidong, a tertiary clothing factory, to break out from these enterprises.

Sure enough, Li Weidong waited for a week, but still didn't get the result. He went to the Foreign Trade Department to inquire in person. He apologized and handed over cigarettes, and finally got a sentence:

"Your company does not meet the standards to participate in the Canton Fair!"

Li Weidong didn't ask where it didn't meet the standards. This was obvious. Asking about it was just humiliating himself.

"It seems that it is no longer feasible to obtain a quota for the Canton Fair through the foreign trade department." Li Weidong sighed helplessly, and he decided to adopt option two.

The so-called second option is to go to the Canton Fair, such as setting up a stall outside the Canton Fair venue, or selling products to a foreigner when you meet one. As long as you can find the right customers, the remaining problems will be solved.

If a foreign buyer wants to buy linen car seat cushions, is it possible that the foreign trade department can still shake its head? How can you not make money if you have foreign exchange!

As long as foreigners are willing to place orders, it is no longer a problem whether linen car seat cushions are on the list of exhibitors at the Canton Fair. I believe that the foreign trade department will give Li Weidong the green light by then.

While Li Weidong was thinking about the meeting, he walked out the door. At this moment, a "beep beep" horn sounded from behind Li Weidong, and an Audi 80 sedan appeared behind Li Weidong.

"The second-generation Audi 80, those who can be equipped with such a car must be at least department-level cadres!" Li Weidong thought to himself, and then stepped aside to make way for the Audi car.

The Audi car passed by Li Weidong, but suddenly stopped. The window rolled down, revealing a familiar face. He looked at Li Weidong and said with a look of surprise: "Gong Li, it's really you!"

"You are Master Lin!" Li Weidong also recognized the other party.

"Gong Li, you still remember me!" Master Lin simply turned off the engine and got out of the car.

This Master Lin was the Crown Car driver that Li Weidong met at the Huanghe Factory.

At that time, except for problems with the Crown car's gearbox, no auto repair workers in Huanghe Village dared to repair it. It was Li Weidong who stepped forward and repaired the Crown car.

At the same time, Li Weidong also quietly told the driver not to drive in neutral in the future, as that would damage the automatic transmission.

The gearbox failure of the Crown car was caused by improper operation by the driver, Master Lin. Li Weidong helped Master Lin keep the secret. Master Lin owed Li Weidong a favor.

That Crown car is specially used by the Department of Foreign Trade to pick up and drop off foreign guests, and Master Lin is naturally also the driver of the Department of Foreign Trade.

Li Weidong looked at the Audi car and said with a smile: "Master Lin, it seems that you have been promoted. The second-generation Audi 80, this should be the car of some leader! Driving with the leader will have a bright future."

"I am now working as a driver for Hall Chen." Master Lin smiled honestly, and then asked: "Gong Li, what are you doing at the Foreign Trade Hall?"

"I contracted a garment factory to produce a product. I wanted to participate in the Canton Fair. I registered two days ago. Today I came to check the registration results." Li Weidong kept the story short.

"The quota for the Canton Fair is not easy to get." Master Lin then asked: "What's the result? Have you registered?"

"No, they say we are not qualified to participate in the Canton Fair. I'd better think of another way!" Li Weidong said.

"Otherwise, let me help you think of a solution." Master Lin said.

Although Master Lin is just a driver, Li Weidong does not dare to underestimate him. Being a driver with the leader is a very promising position.

The leader's driver is equivalent to a personal bodyguard and nanny. They follow the leader on a daily basis and are familiar with the leader's various habits. Those drivers who are "knowledgeable" can become the leader's "own people", and it is inevitable to be promoted in the future.

Even if you don't get promoted, there are still many people who will take the initiative to fawn over the leader if you stay with them all day long.

Li Weidong didn't know the leaders of the Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, nor did he know which leader Master Lin served, so he asked: "Master Lin, is it convenient? If it's not convenient, forget it."

"I happen to be going to the hospital to pick up our leader. I will mention your matter by the way. As long as he is willing to let go, it will be no problem. If he doesn't let go, there is nothing I can do. In short, it is up to the person to decide.

Everything will come true!" Master Lin said.

"Are you going to the hospital? Are your leaders in good health? Are you hospitalized?" Li Weidong wondered whether he should bring some gifts along the way.

"It's not a big problem." Master Lin lowered his voice and whispered: "Hemorrhoids! The doctor said that it was caused by covering up due to poor blood circulation due to sitting for too long."

Li Weidong's eyes lit up and he asked: "If you have hemorrhoids, it won't be convenient for you to take the car, right?"

"Who says it's not the case, but we can't let the leader come back!" Master Lin said.

"What a coincidence. The product from our factory is just suitable for your leaders to use." Li Weidong said.

"What are the products of your factory?" Master Lin asked involuntarily.

"Flaxen car seat cushion." Li Weidong continued: "Linen can resist bacterial growth and insect infestation. The key is to be breathable and never cover your buttocks. It is the most effective for hemorrhoids!"