The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 98 Immense Glory, First Capital Creation [Please Subscribe]

"Comrade Fuhua? Comrade Fuhua!"

Secretary Yan Junsheng tapped the table impatiently, waking Liu Fuhua, who was almost asleep on the sofa, and then said with a stern face.

"If the colleagues in the technical department have any opinions or difficulties, they need you, the leader in charge, to resolve them, instead of relying on me."

I'm not a leader of the Industrial Bureau, nor am I a leader of the First Ministry of Machine Building. I don't have the ability to get people for you. It's inappropriate for you to be loitering here and sleeping.

"I didn't sleep! I didn't sleep at all, Secretary Yan! You can't just say that!"

Liu Fuhua quickly got up, sat back down on the chair opposite the desk, and continued speaking.
“Secretary Yan, I came to you because I couldn’t solve this myself; as far as I know, the technical section has a total of sixteen people, including the section chief Zhou Zhiqiang. Three of them are working in the countryside, two are sick, so there are only eleven people left now.”

These eleven people are responsible for providing technical guidance on the production processes to nearly a thousand apprentices every night. They can't even schedule shifts; everyone has to work together.

"There's nothing I can do, Secretary. Just now, Section Chief Zhou was pointing at me and complaining that I'm not helping at all and I still have to work like crazy."

Secretary Yan immediately frowned and said, "How can you talk about yourself like that?"

Liu Fuhua didn't speak, but pointed to the sick leave slip on the table.

There's no point in saying all that. People aren't made of iron, and they'll get sick eventually. If we don't solve the staff shortage problem in the technical department soon, I'm afraid we'll see more and more sick leave certificates.

If Zhou Zhiqiang, the most skilled technician, also gets sick and takes leave, it will be a loss for their factory.

"Secretary Yan, the technical department just reported some good news to me: they have developed and manufactured a small seeder, which is another type of agricultural machinery that improves the efficiency of field plowing and sowing."

The technical department is now reporting good news again, and they're working tirelessly. Even the logistics department has hired some workers; the technical department can't afford to discriminate.

Secretary Yan said with a dark face, "How can that be the same!"

Logistics is physically demanding work, but the tasks are simple and can generally be learned in a day or two.

The technical department needs technicians, and the minimum requirement for a technician is a vocational school diploma. These are the kinds of people that every factory and unit is vying for. How can a factory secretary compete with them?

"Then you go ahead with your work, Secretary. I'll rest a bit more. There's no rush."

After Liu Fuhua finished speaking, he got up and sat back on the sofa, looking like he would sleep there if you didn't solve the problem.

"Comrade Fuhua, Liu Fuhua."

Yan Jun was so angry that he called Liu Fuhua by his name, but the ringing of the phone interrupted him from saying what he was about to say.

Seeing this, Yan Junsheng glared at Liu Fuhua, then picked up the phone: "Hello, this is Yan Junsheng from Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory, yes."

"What? Is there such a thing?"

"What? You said nine thousand five hundred? That much?!"

"Okay, okay! I understand, thank you, boss."

"Understood, understood. I will immediately hold a meeting with Comrade Guangzheng and Comrade Fuhua to implement this matter as soon as possible."

"Yes, yes, boss, there's something I need to report to you. No, it's not clear over the phone. I'll report to you in person when we meet. Yes, yes."

Liu Fuhua, who was standing to the side, witnessed the entire change in Secretary Yan's expression, from sullen to beaming with joy, all in less than a minute.

And he just said he wanted to have a meeting with him and the factory manager. What is it about?

After hanging up the phone, before Liu Fuhua could ask any questions, Yan Junsheng said, "Wait a moment before you speak. I'll have someone inform Comrade Guangzheng, and we'll talk together when he arrives."

I was furious, but what could I do? Liu Fuhua was acting like a deadbeat in his office. How could an official act like that?

Yan Junsheng sent someone to inform Zhao Guangzheng, and soon after, the factory director Zhao Guangzheng arrived.

Upon entering the office, Zhao Guangzheng was taken aback to see that Liu Fuhua, the deputy factory director, had arrived at the secretary's office before him.

Secretary Yan explained, "Don't look at Comrade Fuhua, he was just acting like a scoundrel in front of me."

Comrade Guangzheng, I called you here today because I have something to tell you; the Municipal Bureau of Industry just called me and told me some good news.”

At this point, Yan Junsheng deliberately paused, waiting for Zhao Guangzheng and Liu Fuhua to lean forward slightly in anxiety before continuing.

"Our team that went to the Canton Fair is coming back, and they've basically finished negotiating; within a week, 37 foreign trade companies signed orders with us for a total of 9,500 small tractors."

"What?! So many?"

Factory director Zhao Guangzheng was so surprised that he stood up abruptly and asked hurriedly, "Is this true, Secretary? Nine thousand five hundred units? Not nine hundred and fifty!?"

Secretary Yan waved his hand and said, "I'm not so old that I can't even hear the numbers right. It's nine thousand five hundred units."

Liu Fuhua also said with a look of surprise, "My goodness, nearly 10,000 small tractors were sold at once? Who bought them all, Secretary Yan? I remember the Canton Fair lasts until November, right? How come we're back so soon?"

Previously, the China Export Commodities Fair was jointly organized by foreign trade companies, but the name was too long and difficult to remember, and it was also troublesome to write reports, so Mr. Zhou changed the name to Canton Fair.

“Trade goods are brought out in batches. We left the first batch, and after a period of exhibition, we made way for other goods. Once the export trade orders are signed, we will naturally come back.”

Secretary Yan said with a smile, his face showing many more wrinkles from grinning.

"As soon as this news came back, I called Comrade Guangzheng over so we could discuss how to handle this matter properly."

"At the latest, these orders must be delivered by the end of next year; this is the deadline given to us by the Ministry of Foreign Trade."

"The end of next year? That's way too rushed!"

Upon hearing the deadline, Director Zhao felt as if he had been doused with cold water, and instantly regained his composure.

He was in charge of production and had a very good understanding of the factory's production situation.

The apprentices recruited in August are still getting familiar with the production process, and the factory's current production of small tractors relies entirely on experienced workers.

Previously, the factory had more than a thousand people, but Dafeng Machinery Factory took away two hundred of them, leaving only more than eight hundred skilled workers.

Although the technical department improved the machine tools and accelerated the production efficiency of core components, their factory could only produce a maximum of 320 small tractors per month.

This was achieved with apprentices helping to handle most of the physical labor, allowing skilled workers to fully dedicate themselves to production, and it was all done by working overtime at night.

They want 9,500 units all at once, and they want them delivered by the end of next year. Do they really think Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory is a factory with 10,000 employees?
"So, this isn't about us coming up with a solution first."

After Secretary Yan finished speaking, he remembered something, turned to Liu Fuhua and said, "Comrade Fuhua, don't you also have something to do? Comrade Guangzheng is here too, why don't you talk to Comrade Guangzheng as well?"

what's up?

Factory Director Zhao sensed something was off about Secretary Yan's tone and gave him a suspicious look. Then he heard Liu Fuhua say what he had to say.

After listening, as expected, Director Zhao glanced at Secretary Yan and then said in a serious tone, "Secretary, as the factory director, I am only in charge of production, while you, as the secretary, are in charge of personnel and discipline. You can't overlap your duties."

"Comrade Fuhua, you'll need to keep in touch with Secretary Yan regarding the expansion of the technical department."

Needing people, especially skilled technicians like these, sounds like a troublesome matter, and it's not within his jurisdiction as the factory manager. There's no need for him to get involved. 'One or two'

Secretary Yan felt frustrated and then said, "Tomorrow we'll go to the Industrial Bureau for a meeting. The three of us will go together to talk to Deputy Director Xu. It concerns the factory's production, so no one can run away."

"Comrade Fuhua, you can try your method today; I think it's quite suitable."

Liu Fuhua said somewhat embarrassedly, "If you and the factory director were with me, I would definitely have the courage to use it."

The shortage of personnel in the technical department does need to be addressed, but their private discussions were useless. They could only go to the Municipal Bureau of Industry tomorrow to see Deputy Director Xu Rui, who is in charge of personnel.

The three leaders from Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory then discussed matters related to boosting production.

There's no good solution. Continuing to recruit more apprentices won't work either, because the newbies we bring in don't know anything and are just manual laborers.

Moreover, the technical department has already reached its limit in training apprentices. If the problem of staff shortage in the technical department is not resolved, it is better to forget about recruiting apprentices.

Request your superiors to allow for large-scale, extended overtime!
At this stage, this is the best and only solution.

But now the factory needs workers to work overtime because they have earned foreign exchange and must secure this foreign trade order.

Those were 9,500 small tractors. Their small tractors were priced at $1,800 at the Canton Fair, which is roughly equivalent to 4,300 Chinese yuan.

Nine thousand five hundred units can generate foreign exchange equivalent to more than seventeen million US dollars, which is a huge honor that can shock the whole country.

Overtime is a must. They, the managers, will work overtime with the workers at the factory.

Logistics also need to be taken care of. We need to keep the frontline workers organized from time to time, otherwise they will definitely resent working overtime for long periods of time.

When it comes to logistics, one cannot ignore An Xiangjie, the deputy factory director.

After hesitating for a moment, Secretary Yan and the others sent someone to summon Deputy Factory Director An Xiangjie.

An Xiangjie did a great job with the last unplanned cross-province procurement; no one else could have bought so much stuff.

This kind of thing should be left to professionals. An Xiangjie is indispensable if they want to ensure logistics. Unless they can find someone more suitable.

------

"Comrades, help yourselves if you want some tea. I brought it back from Deputy Factory Director Liu."

"Deputy Section Chief Chen, would you like a cup of tea?"

After returning to the technical department, Zhou Zhiqiang invited the others in the office to have tea.

Many technicians have started brewing tea now; the bitter tea instantly refreshes them.

"I don't like tea, never mind."

After shaking her head, Chen Li looked like she wanted to ask something, but after glancing around, she didn't ask in the office.

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished brewing the tea and went into the office, Chen Li followed him in, closed the door, and asked, "Section Chief, has the leadership said they're going to provide us with personnel support?"

"Deputy Factory Director Liu said that Secretary Yan must go to the leaders, and that he should be able to get it done. If he can't, I'll live in his office from now on."

Zhou Zhiqiang sighed and said, "It's tough. The two people who took leave have disrupted tonight's work schedule. If all else fails, I'll have to work harder."

I'm quite good at substitute teaching training; it just means I have to run around a bit more.

"Section Chief, aren't you working too hard? And your wife is pregnant, isn't she?"

Chen Li hesitated for a moment, then decided to say, "How about I go back and ask my acquaintances? Maybe they can help our factory transfer a few technicians."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang immediately looked up at Chen Li. The one who had wanted to say but didn't must have been "my dad," a second-generation Red.

However, he shook his head and said, "It's impossible. You can't ask for talent allocation, and even if you could, you shouldn't bother with it."

One person could do it, but one person is useless.

Talent allocation is a matter of...
"I'll be busy for a few days, but my sick leave shouldn't take long. I'll find someone to look after my wife later."

Zhou Zhiqiang was thinking of going to find Zhao Tiandong later and asking Tiandong's wife, Mao Pingping, to stay at his house a little longer.

"Then we can only wait for news from the leadership."

Chen Li sighed, then looked up and asked, "Section Chief, can I take that notebook of yours back to read? I won't finish reading it in a short time."

"Take it, just don't get it dirty or lose it. This is the only copy. If you lose it, I'll have to rewrite it."

Upon hearing this, Chen Li solemnly assured her, "I definitely won't lose it."

dong dong!

Suddenly someone knocked on the door. After Zhou Zhiqiang called him in, Li Yan pushed the door open and poked his head in, saying, "Section Chief, Shen Yu from the factory office is looking for you."

"Shen Yu, what does he want with me?"

Zhou Zhiqiang got up and walked outside. When he arrived at the entrance of the technical department, he saw Shen Yu and asked, "Assistant Shen, is there anything I can help you with?"

Shen Yu said, "Section Chief Zhou, Secretary Yan wants to see you and asks you to go to his office now."

"Okay, I see."

There wasn't much work to be assigned in the technical department, so Zhou Zhiqiang knew the Party Secretary was looking for him and immediately headed towards the Secretary's office.

After knocking twice at the door and hearing voices inside, Zhou Zhiqiang pushed the door open and went in.

However, upon entering, Zhou Zhiqiang was immediately stunned to find two deputy factory directors, a factory director, and a party secretary—all the factory's top leaders were there.

Zhou Zhiqiang asked, "Secretary Yan, who are you looking for?"

"Come on, Zhiqiang, sit here."

Liu Fuhua was the first to wave and gesture for Zhou Zhiqiang to sit next to him.

He and Guo Linhua were good friends, and Zhou Zhiqiang was considered his junior.

Liu Fuhua never hid his relationship with Zhou Zhiqiang's father-in-law at the factory. He took care of him whenever possible, and the factory director and secretary both knew about it.

After Zhou Zhiqiang took his seat, Secretary Yan spoke up, "Section Chief Zhou, our factory has achieved great success, but we also face a major problem. That's why I called you here to ask for your opinion."

　Asking for a monthly ticket!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)