1988: Back to the human world for a few years

Chapter 372 Hot Products and Drivers (1)

As we all know, the subordinate platforms of state-owned enterprises are independent and their benefits and working styles vary greatly. Although they are sister companies or affiliated enterprises, business communication is more difficult and annoying than dealing with external units.

Therefore, when Tugou drove to the "Shishang Toy Factory" in Xiajin County as part of his mission the next afternoon after the morning meeting, he had a bitter face the whole time.

………………

"Manager Lu, are you the only one here to inspect today? Vice President Yang, Minister Mu... and Minister Du and the others didn't come with you?"

The factory director of Shishang Toy Factory is named Chen, a middle-aged man in his early forties.

He received an emergency call two hours ago. After arranging a lot of things in a hurry, he stood at the factory gate half an hour in advance with the factory cadres to welcome the leadership's inspection.

But it turned out that neither Yang Mo, who had regained power, nor the "old leader" Du Chuanming showed up. Only this delicate little girl came running over accompanied by the director of her own toy factory's office in Dahua Industrial Park. Naturally, he couldn't help but be disappointed. Even the row of toy factory cadres behind him all showed an "nonsense" look in their eyes. Two of them even sneered in a low voice, pouted their lips and turned away slightly.

Tugou seemed not to notice the sudden change in attitude of the crowd, and stretched out his right hand cheerfully: "Director Chen, look at what you said, I am just an errand boy, this time I came here just to communicate with your factory on some work under the instruction of General Manager Yang... What inspection or not... In terms of qualifications, you are my predecessor; in terms of level, you are my leader; you must not let others know this, otherwise I will be scolded to death!"

I have to say that after working as a quality control manager for a year and a half, although Tugou still has the same fierceness in his heart, he can still speak very nicely when it comes to polite words.

Director Chen looked at the confidence that could not be concealed under Tugou's hearty and modest smile, and felt a little dissatisfied... His words were very nice, but looking at his posture, he didn't have much respect that a junior should have.

After looking at the other person's hand stretched out in the air, Director Chen smiled, and finally stretched out his right hand and touched the other person's hand lightly.

A faint sneer came from the corner of the crowd: "Tsk tsk ~ Look at how close this leader is to the people... He is so good at being close to the people! If you don't know, you would think that a great leader has come... If outsiders see this, they would think that the famous Qingfeng Food has become our superior company!"

Tugou had very good hearing, so she naturally heard the chuckle mixed with sarcasm, but she didn't get angry. She just acted as if she didn't hear it, and still had a smile on her face.

Although Qingfeng Food is becoming more and more famous nowadays, it is still a subsidiary of the drilling company. According to the current evaluation standards of the system, it is even just a low-rate unit that cannot even reach the level of a section or department.

As for classmate Tugou, although those who know the inside story know that she is Yang Mo's childhood friend and his unique confidant, after all, the only position she is recognized for is just the manager of the brand management department of Qingfeng Food; her identity within the system is that of an ordinary formal worker, a worker, not even a clerk.

It just so happened that the Shishang Toy Factory was one of the tertiary production units under the Dongying Command, and was not in the same system as the drilling company. Although the people who came out to greet them today were basically ignored scraps in the command's system, they were all cadres after all, and Director Chen even held the title of deputy section chief.

Therefore, it was essentially a docking work between people of two systems. Lu Yingying, whose status was obviously two levels lower than hers, did not show the humble attitude that she should have, and naturally some people became unhappy.

Obviously, Director Chen also heard the sarcastic words of his own cadres, but he just turned his head and looked at them. He also didn't say anything. He just smiled at Tugou and said, "I have heard of Manager Lu's name for a long time. Qingfeng Food has become very famous in the past year. You, a capable general, have made an indelible contribution!"

After giving Lu Yingying a compliment, Director Chen suddenly changed the subject: "By the way, Manager Lu, you took the trouble to come all the way from Texas, but I wonder what the company has planned for you?"

As he spoke, Director Chen showed a hint of suspicion and surprise on his face: "Could it be that... Vice President Yang is finally willing to send an order to our factory?"

"Oh my, this is great news! Minister Du kept telling us that Vice President Yang must not forget us when he comes back. With his ability, he can bring back a large order in a few minutes... Thank God, Vice President Yang finally remembered our small factory!"

After sighing, Director Chen enthusiastically led Tugou into the factory: "Come on, Manager Lu, please come in quickly... I wonder what order Vice President Yang asked you to send over? Is it a foreign trade order or a normal order? Is it a contract signed by Xialiu Sales Agency, or is it a company-designated production?"

Student Tugou smiled and glanced at Director Chen.

This was not the first time she had dealt with the tertiary industry in Dongying, so she naturally knew that the other party's not-so-clever performance was actually a common trick that could put her on the spot or make a fortune in silence.

Judging from past experience, Dongying's tertiary industry units have quite complicated feelings towards Yang Mo's group.

On the one hand, they are very resistant to letting external units such as Xialiu Marketing Agency, Qingfeng Food, and the Fifth Farm interfere in their own business management.

After all, except for the Fifth Farm, the levels of the other units are very low, and they cannot emotionally accept that a "pawn" who has no subordinate relationship with them is giving them orders.

But on the other hand, they are very eager for these units to bring them large orders.

After all, Yang Mo has the title of "Partial God of Wealth", and in the past few months, the tertiary industry units that have humbled themselves to cooperate with Qingfeng Food or Xialiu Distribution Agency have indeed gradually gotten rid of their difficulties, and some have even become visibly prosperous.

Of course, they are all part of the same system, so they naturally know how demanding the conditions are for cooperating with Qingfeng Food or Xialiu Distribution Agency. Although the other party does not directly interfere in the internal management of their own units, through various requirements on product and production delivery, they are indirectly stricter than their own father on some matters, and there is no trace of the accommodation and harmony that should exist between brother units.

Therefore, up to now, the attitude of these tertiary industry enterprises under Dongying towards the subordinate units of Yang Mo has gradually changed to...

Or, you take Dahua's documents and intervene in the management of your own company in an open and aboveboard manner, and then we can have an open and aboveboard fight, and let fate decide the outcome;

Or, you can come with the order and pay the money, and see if we can accept your requirements. After a lot of persuasion, everyone gave in.

Of course, if you don’t have any official documents, and you’re not here to deliver an order, but just come here to meddle in your own company’s affairs…

Then I'm sorry, either get out of here or wait for me to embarrass you!
Of course, if possible, they still hope to get some orders from these kind-hearted boys, so Director Chen used words to block the other party from the beginning to see if he could try to get around the problem.

Thinking of this, Tugou smiled and replied directly, "Director Chen, Vice President Yang asked us to contact each toy production unit separately this time, so there must be production tasks."

"First, Mr. Yang plans to select a group of toy manufacturers to participate in the public bidding meeting to be held in the city in ten days... This bidding meeting is very important, and Mr. Yang also attaches great importance to it."

"Secondly, Minister Mu has been connecting with foreign merchants from Hong Kong, Taiwan and other island countries these days, and the city is also helping to connect General Manager Yang with companies from other provinces... Therefore, the scale of this order is likely to be very large, and there will be both foreign trade orders and ordinary orders."

"It is precisely because of the tight task and time that Dahua Company did not even have time to send out letters right after the meeting, so they sent me, Manager Yan, and even Section Chief Qin to rush to various places to coordinate the preliminary work... If I have delayed your work, Director Chen, and caused you trouble, then I can only say that I am very sorry!"

Both at home and abroad?
Open bidding?
Going to toy factories all over the place?

Isn't it just this girl who was sent out?

Even Deputy Section Chief Qin was exposed?

Director Chen was startled, and then a burst of ecstasy surged from the bottom of his heart.

How big an order would it take to cause such a big commotion!
At that moment, his mouth was full of tears: "Look at what Manager Lu said, what troubles are there? Cooperating with the leadership is our most important job...Um, Manager Lu, may I ask, what kind of order do you plan to place for our factory this time?"

Tugou glanced at him with a smile, and then glanced at the group of cadres around him who were craning their necks to wait for an answer: "Don't rush about this. The time limit for this work is tight and the task is urgent. Let's go to the production workshop to observe it on site and do a preliminary review first... If the conditions are not met, everything will be in vain."

As she spoke, Lv Yingying raised her wrist to look at the Seagull watch that someone had given her during the Chinese New Year, and then took the initiative to extend her hand: "Director Chen, please lead the way... I'm sorry, the schedule is a bit tight, I can only stay in your factory for an hour and a half at most."

!!!

Can I only stay for an hour and a half? Do I need to undergo a preliminary review, and those who don’t meet the requirements will be directly excluded?

Feeling the other party's strength and determination, Director Chen's heart skipped a beat, and then the corners of his mouth turned bitter.

Damn it, you act like this right from the start, how can I negotiate for the order with you?

Also, go straight to the production workshop and only give us an hour and a half at most?

There is no time for people to prepare for the inspection!
But the more aggressive the other party was, the more lucrative this order, whose specific content he didn't know, was. Therefore, he quickly calmed down and pointed to a long row of red brick flat-roofed houses not far away: "Since Mr. Yang has made arrangements, Manager Lu... please!"

………………

Shishang Toy Factory is actually not small in scale. Although the production plant looks a bit shabby from the outside, it has a construction area of ​​more than 1800 square meters, including the tailoring workshop, warehouse, hand-sewing workshop, packaging workshop, and sewing machine workshop. There are 412 registered workers, which is considered a medium-sized factory.

Although the toy factories in Qilu at that time were mainly engaged in "three-in-one" production, the characteristics of the subordinate units of central enterprises determined that Shishang Toy Factory also insisted on exploring the path of independent operation. Therefore, the various related equipment in the factory were very complicated.

Electric sewing machines, injection molding machines, crushing machines, color mixing machines, drying machines, spark machines, spray machines, printing machines, milling machines, grinders, drilling machines, etc., it can be said that there is everything... Just from these new equipment, you can see the reason why Shishang Toy Factory is not profitable.

Standing in the factory where the operating rate was less than 1/3, Lu Yingying staggered because of the strange smell that hit her face. After taking the mask handed to her by the staff and putting it on, she glanced at the broken materials on the ground, then raised her eyebrows and started to visit the workshop.

"Director Chen, is your factory still mainly engaged in the production of plastic toys?"

Watching several female workers take out a few pink calves that could be used as props in horror movies in the future from the mold and throw them into the box at their feet, Lu Yingying picked up a little foot that was still warm, tried the feel, and asked with her head tilted.

Director Chen nodded and shook his head: "In addition to plastic toys, plush toys are also our best-selling products... At present, our orders mainly come from Southeast Asia and Europe and the United States. The plastic dolls and plush dolls we produce are very popular there... Although the tin frogs, toy guns, toy beach shovels and other products produced by our factory also have good sales in the province, the profits are still lucrative from export products."

The local classmate, who was watching a female worker drawing eyes on a foreign-looking plastic doll with a dip pen, couldn't help but twitch his eyes when he heard this guy bragging shamelessly.

Although bragging in front of customers is a necessary skill for any business person, she is not a customer. We are barely part of Dahua. Isn't it a bit too much for you to treat me like a fool?

Without saying anything, he directly pulled out a document from his briefcase: "Director Chen, with the rise of environmentalism in Europe, countries have been raising their quality standards for all kinds of products since last year, especially toys. Since they are in close contact with children, they are no more sensitive than other products... In the past two or three years, quite a few exported toys have been recalled or even destroyed on the spot in Europe."

After a slight pause, Tugou turned to a certain page in the information: "So, I really want to know whether your factory has implemented the product rectification suggestions it received two years ago?"

"According to the data, the batch of 1988 plastic doll toys exported to Europe by your factory in November 11, with a total value of 4300 euros, could not be cleared due to violation of the local REACH regulations, and ultimately had to be returned in full;"

"The explanation given by the other party is..."

"The measured values ​​of the materials di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and diisononyl phthalate (DINP) in the product are 41.9% and 0.24% respectively; the content exceeds the standard. These phthalates are harmful to children's health and may cause damage to the reproductive system and liver."

"This is a serious quality problem, which is directly related to your factory's improper procurement and use of raw materials... I just don't know if your factory has changed and found a new raw material supplier that meets quality and safety standards, and improved the process?"

Upon hearing this, Director Chen broke out in a cold sweat. In 1988, 2.81 Euros was a large sum of money, and it was also extremely valuable foreign exchange. The consequences of this being held accountable would be serious.

As for whether the raw material supplier has been changed according to the rectification suggestions...

Isn't this nonsense? If the supplier was really changed, the workshop would not smell like this.

Besides, their Shishang Toy Factory is just a tertiary industry unit under the Dongying Command. How can a mere factory director like him have the final say on such matters?

Seeing this, Lv Yingying raised her lips and looked at the documents in her hand again: "In addition, your factory signed a contract with a toy import and export trading company in Hong Kong in April last year, and delivered a batch of 4 sets of dart-type plastic toy guns for sale in Western Europe."

"But similarly, when these toy guns were resold, they were refused entry and destroyed on the spot because they violated EN71-1 and REACH regulations."

"The reason for violating EN71-1 is that the suction cups of the bullets in these toys are easy to fall off. If infants and young children put them in their mouths, the suction cups can separate and block their respiratory tracts. If the bullets accidentally hit people, the kinetic energy is too high and may cause harm, especially to the eyes."

"Of course, this cannot be entirely blamed on your company. After all, in addition to the fact that the bullet suction cup is easy to fall off because the workmanship is indeed not rigorous, the evaluation results given by European Customs actually take other factors into consideration."

After a slight consolation, Tugou changed his tone and said, "But, after nearly half a year, your factory has once again violated REACH regulations. This is very annoying!"

"According to the information, the materials of this batch of toy guns produced by your factory were tested, and the measured values ​​of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) were 6.5% and 15% respectively... It is obvious that your factory has not changed the supplier of plastic raw materials."

"In addition, the other three batches of cotton stuffed doll toys exported by your factory last year were also destroyed on the spot because they violated the EN71-2 regulations... The reason is that your factory's stuffed dolls use a large amount of polyamide fiber (polyester nylon), and this chemical fiber does not contain flame retardants. When close to open flames, it will burn rapidly in a short period of time and drip onto the skin, causing serious safety hazards to children's lives."

After reading several pieces of information, Tugou stopped and looked at the people around him with a smile: "Director Chen, I admit that your factory's processing technology may be acceptable, but so many times in a row, the products have been recalled or even destroyed on the spot due to material quality and safety issues... Your factory's raw material problems are very serious!"

As she spoke, Lu Yingying chuckled, then glanced at the information in her hand: "From 1988 to April this year, even if we count the recalled and destroyed products, the total output value created by your factory is only 4 million... We all know the gross profit margin of toys. With such a small output value, and the output value that needs to be discounted in half, Director Chen actually said that your factory's products are very popular in Europe, America and Southeast Asia... Isn't this treating me as an outsider?"

Director Chen's face looked a little unhappy, and he said in a deep voice: "Manager Lu...what do you mean?"

As the saying goes, don't hit people in the face, and don't expose people's shortcomings. You can see that I am bragging, so just laugh it off. At most, you can find a reason to make their toy factory lose the selection. Apart from being disappointed, he won't really bear a grudge about anything. But now you turn around and come up with a bunch of data to slap us in the face... What do you mean?
To be honest, the person in front of me is a pretty young girl. If it were a man, I might point at him and tell him to get out.

Lu Yingying stared at the surprised expressions of Director Chen and others, but she smiled: "Director Chen, don't get excited, I don't have any other intentions;"

"What I mean is... judging from the scale of your factory's past orders, they are all haphazard, and the low output value of each order is a bit unbearable;"

"Obviously, your factory's problems are not just in the supply of raw materials. You have never been able to identify the real needs of the domestic and foreign markets... In my opinion, you have wasted so many skilled workers in your factory."

Director Chen frowned. They were all mixed up in the system, even if they were just mixed up on the edge of the system, but he was not a brainless person. He immediately heard that the other party had other intentions and shook his head: "Manager Lu, this is the first time we meet... Just say whatever you want to say."

Lu Yingying's eyelashes curved. "Director Chen, what I mean is... your factory's technology is still up to standard. If you mobilize it, the production capacity should also be up to standard. As for the current problems, they are not difficult to solve. "

"So... are you interested in trying a small adjustment to challenge a super-profitable product?"

Super item?

Lucrative?

Upon hearing this unexpected turn of events, Director Chen's eyes almost popped out of his head...

(End of this chapter)