2003: Starting with Foreign Trade

Chapter 254 This is a sure thing!

What colors best suit the aesthetic preferences of the Chinese people during this period of rapid development?
If Tan Jincheng were to answer, he would definitely say it's gold.

When the Apple Gold version came out, it was heavily criticized by many people, but that didn't stop its sales. Although you have to buy a case for every phone you buy, the gold color is still the most sought-after.

This is similar to the "it smells so good" phenomenon.

The best-selling products of large companies are not necessarily the best designs, but there must be a reason for them.

Gold has always represented nobility in our traditional culture. Gold is one of the most popular precious metals among Chinese people. Apple launched the gold version during the most prosperous period of our country, and everyone was filled with pride. It is only natural that it sold out.

The 2008 Olympics also brought the Chinese people a great sense of pride and boosted their confidence to an unprecedented level. Tan Jincheng prepared gold as the main color for the new model of Fengchi.

The all-gold body, paired with a black steering wheel, looks very cool. In terms of components, Tan Jincheng plans to use the most advanced and mature cutting-edge technologies to give it a longer range.

Regarding batteries, there are two options: if our self-developed lithium batteries can achieve small-scale mass production before the Olympics, then we will use lithium batteries; otherwise, we will use graphene battery technology.

Those who have traded stocks should know that there was a period when the graphene concept was very hotly speculated. Some people said it was a cutting-edge technology, while others said it was a scam. There were all sorts of conflicting opinions.

But whether it's lithium batteries or graphene batteries, in an era dominated by lead-acid batteries, they all seemed like gimmicks. The purpose of launching a new car was to create hype; whether it could actually achieve mass production was not that important.

“This product is still in the experimental stage. Boss, even if you don’t come, I’ll still come to you. See if this meets your expectations,” Wang Chao asked Tan Jincheng, pointing to the computer screen.

Because it's targeted at the Olympics, this product is named the Fengchi "Guan Neng" series, with gold as the main color. They will find Olympic champions to be their spokespeople. If you can't remember who the champions are, just play the table tennis team.

Actually, Tan Jincheng really wanted to find Kobe. Kobe's popularity during the 08 Olympics was absolutely explosive. The opening ceremony broadcast gave him a 10-second close-up shot.

Unfortunately, it's too difficult. First, it's unknown whether Kobe would accept such an endorsement. Second, Kobe's fee for commercial endorsements starts at least at 200 million US dollars, which is more expensive than Jay Chou's.

However, if given the opportunity, Tan Jincheng would still like to give it a try.

James is an American and a major clothing importer, so he should have connections to Kobe or his agent.

"Can the whole vehicle achieve 70% of the effect shown in the rendering?" Tan Jincheng asked, sitting in front of the computer and clicking the mouse.

Renderings are usually exaggerated. If a complete vehicle can achieve 70% of the appearance of a rendering, that's already pretty impressive.

"Pretty much. The colors are a bit hard to control, but it shouldn't be a big problem."

The gold color of the car body mainly depends on the effect that the paint mixing can achieve. As for the other parts, once the design renderings are completed, they can be modified according to the dimensions of the internal parts. For Wang Chao, who is already used to doing this, it is not very difficult.

"Okay, let's do it that way. Try to make it perfect. Also, be careful to keep it confidential. Don't let anyone into this office except for the few of you."

The Guanneng design team consists of six members, including Wang Chao. They are all veteran employees from the first batch of the R&D department, so they have no problem with the technology. They have also signed confidentiality agreements. Tan Jincheng even signed a non-compete agreement with them for this car.

Confidentiality agreements and non-compete agreements aren't something you can just sign and expect them to be effective. You have to offer corresponding benefits; otherwise, they're just worthless pieces of paper. However, these are essential for major project development.

From now on, Tan Jincheng will sign these two agreements with any employees of FlashTech who participate in major projects, which will infinitely increase the cost for competitors to poach them.

If any employee dares to disregard these two agreements and be lured by the high salary, Tan Jincheng wouldn't mind taking them to court.

"Understood, I will apply for the patent in a timely manner." Wang Chao nodded.

"That's good. You guys hurry up with the research and development and try to get it done as soon as possible. It's March now, and we should try to see a prototype in the second half of the year. Then we can launch it into the market to test the trend. Also, the development of the Flash brand needs to keep up with the schedule."

The Flash brand focuses on "large" and has an exaggerated design, leaning more towards the "electric motorcycle" category. In comparison, the Wind brand appears much smaller. This will be the market impression of the two brands in the future.

The two brands, Flash series, target low-end consumers, while Windspeed series targets the middle-income and female market, while Crown Energy focuses on a high-end strategy, thus creating a complete product system.

"Okay, we'll get on it as soon as possible."

"Your tasks are quite heavy this year. Our new industrial base will be completed in the second half of the year. We must keep up with the R&D progress. In addition, we also have plans to go global in the future. Foreign products are ultimately different from domestic ones. You should also do some research in your spare time to see what kind of products are suitable for which regions."

Although electric scooters aren't popular in the European and American markets, Tan Jincheng remembered that one type of electric bicycle sold very well, so developing such an electric bicycle seemed like a viable option. "Then we'll have to hire more people again," Wang Chao said with a smile.

"As for manpower, we'll recruit as needed. Also, I'll talk to Ningbo Vocational College to see if we can cooperate with them, which would make recruitment much easier."

Ningbo Vocational College is a university located in Beicang District. Tan Jincheng's former residence, the Golden Coast Community, was located opposite Ningbo Vocational College. Almost all the majors offered by this college serve the local industries.

If the electric vehicle industry chain in Beicang District is as complete as expected, Ningbo Vocational College could easily open a new major in it.

“That’s great. Starting from school, the employees’ sense of belonging to the company is different.”

"That's all nonsense. A sense of belonging is built with money. Cooperating with schools is just for convenience."

"Haha, that's an interesting thing to say, boss."

"Alright, I'm not going to waste any more time with you. You guys need to speed things up. If you need anything, just come to me. I'm planning to acquire a motor manufacturing plant soon, so that in the future we can have our own batteries, motors, and controllers. That way, it will be easier for your R&D department to work on the research and development."

Tan Jincheng would communicate with Wang Chao about the general development guidelines for FlashTech's products. The R&D department is a very important department, and if R&D is carried out simply by following the tasks assigned by Tan Jincheng, things will fall into chaos.

Formulating annual R&D tasks and schedules based on the company's development plan is the proper procedure for a formal company's R&D department.

"That's great! Using our own technology will make communication much easier," Wang Chao said happily.

The boss was preparing to transition from an assembly plant to self-developed technology, which reassured Wang Chao considerably.

He jumped ship from his previous job at Chipstar to Flashpoint, going from a new industry leader to work for a previously unknown startup, simply because he was tempted by the high salary.

But like most job-hoppers, the biggest concern when switching from a large company to a smaller company in the same industry is how long they can keep the high salary.

The electric vehicle industry is currently a booming industry, and making money is relatively easy. If the boss doesn't want long-term development, there's no need to invest heavily in research and development.

To put it bluntly, this thing is just a simple assembly plant. Set up a few production lines a few hundred meters long, buy parts from various suppliers, and you can get started. As for the exterior parts, that's even simpler.

Find a few best-selling products in the market, buy them, disassemble them, find a mold company to make a few molds, and you're all set.

When I first came to FlashTech to develop our first product, the boss did exactly that. He bought several products from the market, made a series of improvements, and sourced the components from non-major manufacturers. In less than two months, our first product was ready to go on the market.

Unfortunately, the boss was also a marketing whiz and unexpectedly capitalized on the popularity of the Super Girl contest, leading to a surge in product sales. However, this was not necessarily good news for Wang Chao.

If the company's product becomes popular, you can just assemble it and sell it to make money. But if the boss thinks that research and development is no longer useful, then his good days are over.

Although the boss later developed a new brand, it was only one style, and he did not invest much in research and development. The staff he hired were mainly recent graduates.

After joining Flashpoint Technology in mid-2005, Wang Chao's income rose rapidly, and he received a substantial year-end bonus. However, the more this happened, the more uneasy Wang Chao felt.

Because he earns so much, he is afraid of losing it. Wang Chao is truly afraid that one day his young boss will discard him after he has served his purpose.

Fortunately, all of this has changed this year. The boss first established a battery R&D company, and then gathered the best technical team in the R&D department, including himself, to develop new products. He attaches great importance to this project.

Now they're talking about acquiring motor and controller manufacturers, which clearly means they're going to take the path of independent research and development. FlashTech is finally going to shed its image as an assembly plant.

The difference between a company that develops its own technology and an assembly plant is significant, especially for groups like Wang Chao who are engaged in technology research and development. Self-development means that their status will become increasingly important.

That way, you won't have to worry about the boss kicking you and your team out one day if he's unhappy.

Non-compete agreements are a constraint for them, but they can also be a guarantee, since there is a compensation system involved.

As he watched his boss walk further and further away, Wang Chao thought to himself, "This is it!"

(End of this chapter)