As early as the early 1960s, Pujiang Automobile Factory developed the Pujiang brand sedan by imitating the Volga sedan of the former Soviet Union. In the course of 20 years, Pujiang produced a total of 40,000 vehicles and equipped many government agencies and large companies.
Enterprises have become a symbol of officials’ status.
In the late 1970s, China reopened its doors and high-level officials visited Europe, the United States, Japan and other countries intensively. They were greatly shocked when they saw the dazzling array of new cars on foreign streets. Especially when central leaders visited the Toyota factory in Japan, they heard that
Toyota's one-day production of cars was equivalent to two years' production of Pujiang Automobile Factory. They were shocked and speechless. After returning to China, they ordered the reform of Sino-foreign joint ventures in the car industry.
As the most important car manufacturer in China, Pujiang Automobile Factory was naturally chosen as the first joint venture partner with a foreign country. After careful consideration, Pujiang Automobile Factory found the German Wolfsburg Company and negotiated the establishment of a joint venture to introduce Wolfsburg.
The company's technology and models are produced and sold in China.
At the beginning, Wolfsburg had strong confidence in its cooperation with China and sent a large technical and management team to China to inspect the production strength of the joint venture partner. When entering the production workshop of Pujiang Automobile Factory, all the Germans
Shocked, they discovered that there was no automatic production line in this automobile factory. Instead, benches, handmade hoists and rubber hammers were used.
The standardized management system required for modern large-scale production is nowhere to be seen here. After the same type of screws are produced, they cannot be used universally. When workers assemble the screws, they have to use files to trim them. Some screws can only be trimmed with files.
Use a hammer to hammer into the mounting holes that are insufficient in size.
"The cooperation project between Wolfsburg and the Chinese is like producing cars on a dilapidated, helpless island. It will be a failed experiment." This was the assertion of a German media at the time about the Pusang project.
The joint venture project was launched against a difficult background. Workers at the Pujiang plant were learning automobile assembly technology bit by bit, and at the same time they were learning the concept of modern large-scale production. The first phase of the project of importing parts for domestic assembly was successfully completed, and the Chinese direction
The German side made a request to start the localization process of Pusan in a timely manner.
Wolfsburg engineers took out a complete set of technical information on Pusang Automobile and put forward precise requirements for each accessory. After comprehensively sorting out the accessories of the old Pujiang Automobile, Chinese and German technicians came to a conclusion:
China can only provide four accessories: tires, speakers, antennas, and signs, with the total value accounting for 2.7% of the car's value.
"Solicit supporting enterprises from all over the country and gather the strength of the whole country to realize the localization of Pusang Automobile!" Pujiang Municipal Government made an ambitious decision.
In this way, the Ministry of Machinery and the Pujiang Municipal Government jointly established a Pusang Automobile Nationalization Office and began bidding for auto parts across the country. The Pujiang Municipal Government promised that for companies that win the bid, they can provide a series of support such as tax exemptions and loans.
The policy has only one goal, which is to increase the localization rate of Pusang Automobile to more than 70% within three years.
In China at that time, it was not that there were no enterprises that had reached a certain level of technology, but some of these enterprises were affiliated with the military and had heavy production tasks themselves; others also had their own supporting production tasks and were not worthy of specializing in
Pusang Automobile has developed a separate production system.
After leaving these large enterprises with strong technical strength, what remains are small and medium-sized enterprises in various places. Pujiang City has long been the leader of domestic industry and has provided technical and equipment support to many provinces and cities, which can be regarded as "de Dao Duo Zhu".
A notice was issued, and all provinces responded one after another, calling on provincial enterprises to go to Pujiang to participate in the bidding for the localization of accessories.
The massive bidding fair lasted for a week, and a large number of companies came to take advantage of the excitement and then returned disappointed. The sample drawings handed over to them by the Domestic Product Office made every company flinch. These dazzlingly high technical requirements were far away.
It is far beyond the imagination of various companies, which makes them feel that this is simply a humiliation.
"Who proposed this standard?" someone asked angrily.
"This is the German standard. Wolfsburg Company has always purchased parts according to this standard." the staff of the Domestic Production Office replied.
"We are not Germany. Our country is poor and the roads are in poor condition. Can't we set a transitional standard based on reality?" someone else suggested.
"No, we must meet the standard 100%, even if it is reduced by 0.1%!" the Pujiang Municipal Government's answer was resounding.
"To meet such a standard, we must invest in equipment modification. When we produce the product, what will you do? Can we guarantee that as long as we make it, you will definitely purchase it?" Someone put forward the condition tactfully.
"As long as the parts are qualified, we will definitely purchase them. But if they are not qualified, we will never compromise." This is the answer from the Domestic Products Office.
"Damn, these are a bunch of traitors! What a Sino-foreign joint venture, foreigners have the final say!" A group of business leaders who came to participate in the bidding began to curse, and then left the meeting with their teams angrily, "You guys have your own game.
Come on, I won’t wait on you anymore!”
What Qin Hai and the others encountered was exactly such a company that was frustrated at the bidding meeting. Director Zhao’s full name is Zhao Ziran, and he is the director of Jiangzhou Machinery Factory in Haidong Province. Chief Jia’s name is Jia Yangao.
The production section chief of the factory. The elegant middle-aged man sitting next to Zhao Ziran is the technical section chief of the factory, named Ma Changfeng.
"My name is Qin Hai, and this is Director Ning of our Qingfeng Agricultural Machinery Factory." Qin Hai also introduced himself to the other party. Listening to the lively chat between him and Zhao Ziran and others, Ning Zhongying also left the table and came over.
, Qin Hai quickly introduced Ning Zhongying to him.
"My name is Ning Zhongying." Ning Zhongying said.
"Director Ning, I have heard of your name." Zhao Ziran finally stood up this time, walked forward enthusiastically, and shook hands with Ning Zhongying: "I am Director Sun of the Guanbei Agricultural Machinery Factory in our province.
That's right, you are a righteous man and you are Song Gongming who is eager for justice and loves justice."
"Oh, it's Lao Sun. I remember that one year during a meeting in Guangzhou, he suddenly suffered from appendicitis. I was the one who carried him to the hospital." Ning Zhongying said with a laugh.
"That's right, that's what he was talking about." Zhao Ziran said. After that, he quickly ordered his subordinates, "Old Jia, go and get Director Ning's bowls and chopsticks. Since we bumped into each other,
Just eat it together."
The corporate circle is not big. If you talk casually, you can find a few acquaintances who know each other, so the relationship suddenly becomes closer. Ning Zhongying and Qin Hai brought their dishes to Zhao Ziran's table.
Working together with them, the dishes ordered by Zhao Ziran and others had already arrived. Everyone poured beer into their glasses, and then started drinking in a mixed manner.
After everyone chatted for some time, Zhao Ziran asked about the purpose of Ning Zhongying and his party's trip to Pujiang. After hearing that they were looking for product sales, Zhao Ziran pointed at Qin Hai and said, "Xiao Qin, you just asked
Do you also want to try the bidding thing? Listen to me, don’t touch this business, the National Production Office has no sincerity at all, it is purely to coax the leaders above."
Qin Hai smiled and said: "In fact, foreign businessmen have always had strict requirements on product quality standards, not just for our Chinese companies. By the way, Director Zhao, can you tell me what products your factory is bidding for?
?”
Zhao Ziran nuzzled at Ma Changfeng. Ma Changfeng turned around and took out a blueprint from his bag, handed it to Qin Hai and said, "This is a blueprint, can you understand it?"
"He still has a few tricks up his sleeve technically." Ning Zhongying saw the group's contempt for Qin Hai and quickly explained. Qin Hai's age is indeed a flaw, and his chin is so smooth that he can let him down with just one look.
People think of the ancient saying "a hairless mouth means a weak workmanship".
Qin Hai thanked Ma Changfeng, took the drawing and looked through it, then asked Ma Changfeng: "This bevel gear, according to the customer's requirements, should be made using powder metallurgy technology. Does your factory have a powder forming press?"
?”
As soon as this statement came out, everyone at the table, except Ning Zhongying, suddenly changed their views on Qin Hai. Powder metallurgy technology is not a new technology in China, but its application range is not wide. Most people don’t know this.
Concept. Qin Hai was able to guess the process requirements of the accessories just by looking at the drawings, and directly asked about the relevant equipment. In any case, he was at least a knowledgeable person.
"We have a hydraulic powder forming press imported from the United States." Ma Changfeng replied in a serious tone.
"From Alpha Company?"
"Yes, it's from Alpha Company." Ma Changfeng's eyes were clearly filled with surprise.
"Where's the sintering electric furnace?"
"There are also German ones."
"Kremer's?"
"That's right, it's Kramer's!"
Listening to the questions and answers between Qin Hai and Ma Changfeng, Zhao Ziran's disdain for Qin Hai had long since disappeared. He turned to look at Ning Zhongying, and received a proud look from the other party.
"Where did you guys graduate from?" Zhao Ziran asked in a low voice.
"The agricultural machinery technical school in our province." Ning Zhongying replied.
"No way? A graduate from an agricultural machinery technical school, knowing so many things? This is a talent." Zhao Ziran said.
Ning Zhongying chuckled and said: "Of course they are talents. How about I go to Pujiang on a business trip and not bring anyone with me, but just such a stupid young man?"
"With the equipment level of your factory, there is no problem in taking over the production of this bevel gear. How could you give up?"
Over there, Qin Hai's voice suddenly became louder, and there was a hint of regret in his eyes.