Rebirth in 1960, My Industrial Age

Chapter 97: Going Out to the Steel Mill (Subscription Request)
In the new week, Zhou Fengnian came to the factory to work for a while, but was soon called away by the secretary sent by Deputy Director Gao.

Soon they were brought to the place where the cars were parked in the factory. However, when Zhou Fengnian arrived, Deputy Director Gao did not leave immediately. Instead, he said to Zhou Fengnian:
"Fengnian, wait a moment before setting off. Deputy Director Bai hasn't arrived yet."

"Hmm? Deputy Director Bai is going too?"

Zhou Fengnian was stunned when he heard this. It was just a small adjustment of materials, and two deputy factory directors had to be dispatched?
Deputy Director Gao saw the expression on Zhou Fengnian's face and explained, "It was just a coincidence. Deputy Director Bai had other things to do at the steel mill and he was on the same schedule as us, so we set out together.
After all, our deputy director’s car is for public use, and there is only one.”

In addition to its own transport team, the machinery factory can only provide travel vehicles for four or five people, two deputy factory directors, a factory director and the secretary and deputy secretary.

Besides, there are only two cars that can carry people, and they have used both of them today. If the factory director or the secretary needs to go out for something, they can only ride bicycles.

Deputy Director Gao was a step slow, allowing Deputy Director Bai to apply for it in advance. Fortunately, the destination was the same, otherwise Deputy Director Gao and Zhou Fengnian would have to ride bicycles to the steel mill.

"Is this the most valuable car in our factory? It's a Soviet jeep, right? Why didn't we apply for one or two more?"

Zhou Fengnian turned his head and looked at the car. It was also a classic old model, the army’s favorite jeep.

"How could we apply for this? Our factory only has two machines. It was only after Director Li went to the ministry and asked for an extra one that he got for a long time."

Deputy Director Gao sighed and said: "Five or six years ago, the machinery factory was very busy and bicycles were often used; but basically everyone was scrambling to get one, and those who didn't get one could only ride bicycles to get work done.
After a day of hard work, my legs and hips are all blistered, haha."

Director Li was always a step behind in applying for a vehicle. After riding a bicycle for a month, his legs cramped up, so he went to the ministry and struggled to get another jeep.

"That is, our factory is directly under the ministry, while the directors of other factories all ride bicycles, and sometimes use trucks from transport teams to travel."

At this time, cars are much more precious than people. If something goes wrong in transportation, the first thing leaders will worry about is probably what happened to the cars.

There are too few domestically produced cars. A number of automobile factories have been closed down in the past few years, and they may only gradually resume operations by mid-year.

It may take six or four years to produce cars and arrange them according to plan. Moreover, in most car factories now, workers process parts one by one, and the production speed is extremely slow.

But it is not difficult. When the original person was re-employed in the 1990s, he was in charge of machinery in an automobile factory. At that time, he studied domestic automobiles for a period of time.

"Fengnian, are you interested in cars?"

"You may be a little interested. Car manufacturing is not that difficult. Cars will be the main means of transportation in the future. Maybe in a few decades, every household will have a car."

"Haha, that's too far away. I might not even be able to see it."

When Deputy Director Gao heard this, he thought Zhou Fengnian was joking. He felt that he would not be able to do it in decades.

Although the country is developing rapidly, cars are in short supply. As the deputy factory director, he has to apply for a car if he wants to travel.

It would be great if every ordinary family could have a bicycle.

"Fengnian, can you build a car?"

Deputy Director Gao suddenly thought, Zhou Fengnian just said that making a car is not difficult? Could it be that he can even make a car?
"I've never built one, so I'm not sure. But I've read some books on the subject and it doesn't seem that difficult. But forget about building one. I have too many things to do."

Zhou Fengnian actually wanted to build a car. Which man doesn’t love cars? Moreover, he didn’t like the models of this era very much. He still liked the small cars of later generations better.

But it is true that he has no time. His current focus is on the automated CNC production line, which will improve industrial production efficiency after it is built.

Workers work during the day, and machines work at night when they fall asleep, so production efficiency can be increased several times.

Building cars is just an impulse, and it will be gone once the impulse wears off.

To put it bluntly, Zhou Fengnian saw that the country was lacking this and that, so he wanted to get involved in everything. However, an automated CNC production line took up so much of his energy that he couldn't afford to get involved in anything else.

"Fengnian, what on earth can't you do? You've given me so many surprises."

"The more you read, the more you will learn, Director. I have more than 200 professional books at home. If it weren't for the fact that some books are not sold to the public by the library, I would have 300 or 400 books, and I have read them all."

No matter who asks, Zhou Fengnian always gives the same answer: read more books, and you will learn a lot by reading more books. At least that’s how he responds.

"Then you can try to build a car. Maybe you will succeed!"

However, Deputy Director Gao persuaded them and said temptingly, "Whatever you need, I will find a way to adjust it for you. If it is manufactured, I promise you that your technical department will definitely use it first."

If someone said that making cars was not difficult, Deputy Director Gao would definitely smile and say nothing, thinking that person was bragging.

But Zhou Fengnian became an eighth-level engineer six years after joining the factory and also developed world-class machine tools.

If this kind of person says it can be done, then it is 80% likely to be achieved.

If it succeeds, maybe the Second Machinery Plant will be able to have another automobile branch.

Zhou Fengnian said: "Let's take a look when we have time. It shouldn't be difficult to build just one, but at this stage, we should focus on completing the tasks assigned by the ministry."

"Okay, we'll talk about it later."

Deputy Director Gao said with satisfaction that as long as Zhou Fengnian did not explicitly refuse, it would be fine. He also knew what was more important and at present, machine tools were still the main focus.

Soon, Deputy Director Bai also arrived. The first thing he did when he arrived was to apologize: "I'm sorry, I'm late and kept you waiting."

"It's okay, Deputy Director Bai. It's not even half past nine yet. We came early."

Deputy Director Gao smiled and said, "Now that everyone is here, let's get in the car."

Neither of them brought a secretary, and the jeep was not big, just enough for three people.

Deputy Director Gao got directly into the front seat. After Zhou Fengnian opened the back door, he motioned Bai Yujie to get in first, and then he got in.

"lets go."

After hearing this, the driver agreed and started the car and drove towards the steel mill.

Although they were both in the old city, the two factories were quite a distance apart. Plus, you couldn’t drive too fast in the city, so it took twenty minutes to reach the steel mill.

After talking to the security guard and registering, Zhou Fengnian and his party drove into the factory.

After getting off the car, Bai Yujie said, "Deputy Director Gao, I need to go to the Women's Federation and the Youth League Committee to do something. If you have any arrangements, please let me know."

"Okay, if you don't have time to go back at noon, just have a meal here and go back in the afternoon. I'll have someone notify you then, Deputy Director Bai."

After Deputy Director Gao finished speaking, the two sides went their separate ways.

Then Deputy Director Gao brought Zhou Fengnian to Deputy Director Li's office. However, Zhou Fengnian asked in a puzzled voice, "Director, shouldn't we ask Director Yang for this matter?"

"Usually, I am. This time, it was Deputy Director Li who contacted me privately. We are friends who I have dealt with several times."

Deputy Director Gao advised: "We can just adjust the materials later. We won't interfere in their factory's affairs."

Although they had heard of it, they were not from the same ministry, and the people from the First Ministry of Machinery could not get involved, so they came only to adjust the materials. After knocking on the door and entering, Deputy Director Gao smiled and said, "Director Huaide, it's been a long time since we last met. It must have been more than a year."

"Haha, one year and three months. Last time, your factory took away the live pig, causing me to be complained by the workers in the factory. Sit down and talk."

Li Huaide also smiled, then looked at Zhou Fengnian and asked, "Director Zhiyuan, who is this..."

"Zhou Fengnian, a pillar of our factory and an eighth-level engineer in the technical department, developed the CNC machine tool you want to replace."

Deputy Director Gao introduced. His words surprised Li Huaide, who then stood up and walked towards Zhou Fengnian to shake hands.

"I didn't expect Mr. Zhou to be so young. I really envy the machinery factory for having such a pillar like Mr. Zhou."

"Deputy Director Li, you are too kind, too kind."

After a while of pleasantries, Deputy Director Gao got down to business, and Zhou Fengnian also took out the usage data of the CNC machine tools.

It was handed to Li Huaide, who took it and looked at it carefully.

After a while, he nodded and said, "Not bad, really good. This machine tool can definitely replace the workload of some senior workers."

Deputy Director Gao said, "Director Huaide, your factory is directly under the Ministry of Metallurgy. You have more people than ours, so there shouldn't be a vacancy for senior workers."

"Don't mention it. There are five level eight workers, sixteen level seven workers, and forty-seven level six workers. These are all the senior workers in the steel mill now."

Li Huaide shook his head and said that the last time the mission was delayed, he was criticized by his superiors for not being responsible for the production progress, otherwise he would not be so worried about this matter.

The steel rolling mill used to be okay, but a few years ago it punished people too harshly and no senior workers have passed the assessment since then.

Those master craftsmen were always secretive when teaching their apprentices, resulting in the steel mill only producing one level 7 worker in two years.

No matter how many people there are, most of them are junior workers. If their factory could have a Zhou Fengnian, Li Huaide would be so happy.

"That's it, Director Zhiyuan, Engineer Zhou, please take a look at what the machinery factory needs."

Li Huaide also handed over an inventory list of the steel rolling mill. They produced various semi-finished steel products, some of which were highly confidential and were specifically used for military missions.

We have accumulated a lot over the past two years, and often exchange our needs with other factories.

Zhou Fengnian looked at it for a while, then wrote down the steel materials his factory needed. He simply checked most of them and almost packed them up to leave.

There are no prices for the materials in the plan. For example, the steel from the rolling mill and the CNC machine tools in their factory have never been sold, so there is not even an accurate price.

However, this is not the first time that private adjustments have been made, so each factory has its own estimate.

After Zhou Fengnian finished selecting, he handed the list and what they needed back to Li Huaide. When the latter took it and looked at it, his face turned a little pale.

"Mr. Zhou, are you packing up all our unplanned inventory? This won't work. Even if I agree, the factory director and secretary won't agree to it."

Li Huaide quickly shook his head. If he did such a thing, the factory director and secretary would suspect that he was an undercover agent sent by the machinery factory.

"It's too much. Reduce it a little. I won't blink an eye if it's five or six tons, or even eight or nine tons. But you're asking for dozens of tons."

"Not much, Deputy Director Li, the difference between steel and machine tool technology is not a little bit, we have to start from other angles."

Zhou Fengnian also refuted. He naturally wanted to seek benefits for the machinery factory, otherwise Engineer Luo and the workshop workers would have spent a lot of time and effort to build an unplanned CNC machine tool.

If I can't get enough benefits in return, I will be ashamed to face the people of Jiangdong.

Deputy Director Gao also interrupted a few words. Outnumbered alone, Li Huaide was no match at all. In the end, he just said that he would discuss it with the director and secretary, then left with the list.

As soon as the person left, Deputy Director Gao laughed and said, "Haha, Fengnian, you asked for so much that I was shocked."

"You can just pay the high price on the spot, Director. It's unplanned anyway, and the steel mill can make its own decision."

Zhou Fengnian said with a smile: "I didn't expect that the steel mill has accumulated so much wealth. It is indeed a large factory with 10,000 employees. Even if we have to take back half of it this time, it will be a big profit."

"Okay, I'll try my best later."

Deputy Director Gao smiled and said that this time the decision to make the adjustment was made for the sake of the sister factories and friends.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Fengnian was thinking of cutting off the meat with one knife and feeding the machinery factory.

If he could bring the supplies back with Zhou Fengnian, he would also become a "hero" of the machinery factory.

Zhou Fengnian suddenly said: "But this Director Huaide knows a lot about production. It seems that he has done a lot of work."

Just now, Li Huaide talked about everything about production. Those who didn't know him would think that he was in charge of production tasks.

"He is energetic, young, and has a background. It is normal for him to know about the factory."

Deputy Director Gao smiled and said, "But I remember that the director of the steel mill is also young, so it's hard to say."

After saying this, Gao Zhiyuan felt secretly lucky in his heart. Fortunately, Old Li and Old Wang in the machinery factory were old. Once these two people retired, his chances of promotion would be about 80% to 90%.

Thinking of this, Gao Zhiyuan wanted to thank Zhang Anhong. If he hadn't been so stupid, he would not have been able to lead the technical department.

He did nothing, but all the credit was attributed to him.

After a while, Li Huaide came back and discussed with Zhou Fengnian for a long time. In the end, he reduced the amount of supplies Zhou Fengnian asked for by two-fifths, which was considered as his stamp of approval.

Zhou Fengnian and Deputy Director Gao were also very satisfied, as it was a little more than their bottom line.

Although Deputy Director Li looked painful, their factory also gained a world-class CNC machine tool.

Moreover, the steel rolling mill is not far from the machinery factory, so if there is any problem, people from the machinery factory can be called to repair it at any time.

Unlike the Soviet Union, when a machine tool broke down, it was very troublesome to find someone to repair it.

"Director Zhiyuan, Engineer Zhou, we have finished discussing this matter. Let's have a meal at our factory."

Li Huaide smiled and said, "The skills of the chefs in our factory are quite good. It's almost time for dinner. I have asked someone to make arrangements. We must try the skills of the steel rolling mill."

After everything was discussed, Li Huaide no longer felt bad about it, because he was using the factory's inventory anyway, not his own.

"Thank you for your help, Director Wilder."

Deputy Director Gao thought about it and agreed, then continued: "But Director Bai Yujie is coming with us. She used to be the director of the Women's Federation of your factory. Let's invite her to come along."

Li Huaide immediately agreed and said, "Director Yujie, you are also a veteran in our factory. No problem, I will arrange it right away."

(End of this chapter)