Chapter 80: Production Vanguard (Looking Up at the Sky for Monthly Tickets)

  Evening.

  The factory area of Dahua Industry is brightly lit.

  Outside the factory is also bustling with activity.

  The three-shift work schedule gave birth to a batch of fast food stalls, which were sold specifically to workers who missed meal times. Dahua Industrial's salary level is the highest in the oil field, and its consumption capacity is naturally not weak, and the number of fast food stalls at the door is also increasing.

  The bus stopped at the gate for a while, Director Yang got off to buy several baskets of buns and came back to distribute them. Chen Zuyan ate on one side and thought about something on the other, while Liu Qiu climbed up to the window to look out.

  Su Cheng looked at Liu Qiu and couldn't see any signs of him being a top student. 20 years later, this guy had the ability to end a discussion with just one article, and after becoming his graduate student, he could be said to have a lifetime of food and drink without worry.

  Who would have thought that this guy is now barely able to support himself?

  The bus stopped in front of the office building, and Director Li Zongxi came to greet us with a smile, saying: "Either go rest for a while first, I didn't expect the road to be so difficult to walk, it's already 9 o'clock."

  "Let's just visit first." Chen Zuo looked around, under the background of various state-owned enterprises stopping production and seeking reform, Dahua Industry still insisted on production at 9 o'clock in the evening, which itself showed its strength. He secretly sighed: If Jichai had an order for 500 large-power diesel engines last year, it might have been able to hold on until the 190 series was launched.

  As I walked into the workshop, all the workers were focused and dedicated. Some even stood up straight with their chests out and abdomens in, looking like they were undergoing militia training.

  Only when Su Cheng passes by will someone shout "Director Su" and then lower their head to work again.

  Liu Qiu looked at Su Cheng in surprise and whispered to Xiao Yang: "Is your Su family so well-loved?"

  "It's not like that." Little Yang smiled secretly, if it weren't for Mao being in the front, everyone wouldn't be so enthusiastic normally.

  After visiting the oil extraction machine in Workshop 1 and the anti-friction grinding system in Workshop 2, Liu Qiu unexpectedly said: "How can it be at this level? I thought a machinery factory would be more impressive. Ah, we can produce all these things too."

  Su Cheng heard it too, but didn't make a sound.

  Xiao Yang pouted and said, "No patent. What's the use of being able to produce it?"

  Chen Zuonian pulled Liu Qiu, who smiled and left reluctantly. They had stopped production for years, but now the sound of the belt rotating was extremely familiar.

  After a while, we arrived at the third car bay. As soon as we entered, under the bright light, I saw a white cabinet that looked like a refrigerator standing by the side, next to it were five or six layers of black and white machinery stacked up, somewhat resembling an X-ray machine in a hospital.

  Liu Qiu glanced at it casually and suddenly said: "Is this an electric spark line cutting machine bed? Why is it placed here?"

  "Where should I put it?" Li Jianxiang came over to receive it. He heard that and found it strange instead.

  "Of course, it's placed inside the workshop. The door is dusty and the wind that comes in can easily affect this equipment. It needs to be well maintained." Liu Qiu said with a nod, fondly patting the cabinet again, "Domestic DK3220 CNC lathe. Has taper cutting function. Not bad at all."

  "There's no more space inside." Li Jianxiang made a gesture.

  Liu Qiu only then noticed that in front of the electric spark cutting machine was a large horizontal milling machine.

  "Wow, how big is it?" He rushed to look at the nameplate. It was actually 1800mm in diameter.

  Seeing this thing, Liu Qiu's legs were already unable to move. His eyes, however, were fixed on the large lathe in front of him, thinking that this was probably a good thing too.

  Su Cheng smiled lightly, and unexpectedly, it was so simple that it shocked Liu Qiu, the future big shot. He said in a low voice: "Jinan Power Machinery Factory will also have such machines in the future."

  Liu Qiu sighed: "This bed will cost tens of thousands of yuan."

  "7.6 million." Su Cheng's voice was clear. The company would use half of its profits, as much as 110 million, to renovate the three workshops. By next year, when the delivery of products increases, the profit will also increase several times.

  Chen Zunian was shocked, looking at the dozens of brand new machines in the workshop, thinking: Suzhou used so much money to buy equipment, is there still money invested in Jinan Power Machinery Factory?

  He also didn't know how much oil well income was in Suzhou City.

  The evening visit exceeded the scheduled time, most of which was spent in the third workshop. Although due to the lack of foreign exchange, all the machine tools in the third workshop were domestic products, they have raised the level of Shengli Machinery Factory to the late 1980s after all.

  Compared with the 1970s equipment of Jinan Power Machinery Factory, Liu Qiu was willing to live in it.

  In the next few days, Liu Qiu pulled Li Xiang along, machine by machine, as the three cars were still in the debugging and trial operation stage. Liu Qiu also lent a hand, taking the opportunity to feel the lathe. Chen Zuyan was worried, he understood technology too, but more than 2,000 old and young masters were waiting for food, how could he be as carefree as Liu Qiu?

  Before coming, Chen Zuonian was worried that Dahua Industrial's capital was too small and couldn't revive the engine factory even after acquiring it. Now, he is worried that Dahua Industrial is too powerful and looks down on the engine factory. He has seen the attitudes of people like Chen Liang and Lin Changzhang, and knows they don't like him, which makes him even more anxious.

  The "ding-dong" of the alarm clock woke up Chen Zuonian.

  Another morning.

  "Three shifts a day." Chen Zuonian sat up, dazed for a moment. In his youth, it was the 1960s when the diesel engine factory was at its peak. As one of the few factories in the country that could produce diesel engines, the production tasks were extremely tight... The three shifts continued for several years, not only supplying the whole country but also earning foreign exchange through exports.

  Chen Zunian shook his head, feeling a little guilty. Anyway, the diesel engine factory was ruined in his hands.

  After washing up, he went to the canteen of Dahua Industry to have lunch. When looking at a state-owned enterprise, one should first look at its canteen. A canteen with generous subsidies, diverse dishes and many meat dishes is the hallmark of a large state-owned enterprise. As for those poorly managed small factories, their canteens often only provide basic food, and the subsidies are also meager.

  In a short time of having breakfast, Chen Zuyan saw seven or eight workers who had just finished their shift leaving with steamed buns, presumably to take home for their families.

  He tore off a piece of his own steamed bun, chewing it with big mouthfuls, and couldn't help but feel sentimental. Dahua Industrial's steamed buns were generous in ingredients and soft to the bite, and apart from the cost of flour, each factory also subsidized 2 cents per bun. The money wasn't much, but it was very affordable. It seemed that those workers would take home fragrant steamed buns every day for their wives and children to have for breakfast, making their neighbors envy them.

  As a manager, Chen Zuyan couldn't help but think that Dahua Industrial's overtime pay for night shifts was already high, and with this benefit, workers would definitely be more willing to work late shifts. The most difficult scheduling work in the workshop would definitely be much easier. Simplified management. Workshop directors and team leaders can focus their energy on supervising production processes, and production efficiency will also improve.

  The various policies of Dahua Industry seem to be designed to improve production efficiency.

  Chen Zu shook his head slightly, thinking to himself: The policy is good, but it's not something that other factories can learn from. How many state-owned enterprises can get orders for full production capacity these days? Township enterprises are said to be doing well, but with their management capabilities, it will take them several years to catch up with state-owned enterprises. The three-shift system not only tests management ability but also the discipline and self-control of workers. If workers who work the night shift don't get a good sleep when they go home and instead play around, they will definitely be dozing off during working hours. Not to mention that a fourth-level worker has become a second-level worker, with a high defect rate, and it's only a matter of time before an accident happens.

  "Director Chen." Deputy Director Xiao Yang hurried over. He said: "We are from Dahua Industry. Today, there is a commendation meeting for employees and we invite you to attend."

  "Oh, okay, is it a bid evaluation soldier?" The procedure of a state-owned enterprise. Chen Zuyu was more familiar with it than anyone else.

  "Yes, selecting production model workers. Basically all employees participate, only reserving the most basic caregivers."

  That's to say the production line didn't stop, Chen Zuo thought to himself: Their orders must be a lot, to be so busy.

  Xiao Yang asked Liu Qiu's location again and hurriedly ran away.

  Chen Zunian had finished his breakfast and was strolling around the factory area when he heard the loudspeaker announcing the workers' commendation meeting.

  At this time, he also noticed that after the shift change was over, there were no idle people in the Dahua Industrial Park, not even a group of stout old ladies chatting and sitting idly by, but instead they were all busy rushing to and fro, posting slogans and supervising the flow of people between workshops.

  "It's a bit too strict, isn't it?" Chen Zuonian thought for a moment: With these old ladies around, being the factory head is not easy either.

  After the noon break, Chen Zuonian found Liu Qiu, and the two entered the auditorium of Dahua Industrial ahead of time. Compared to their workshop and cafeteria, the auditorium was indeed simple. The workers had to stand tightly together in order to barely accommodate over a thousand people.

  The air around seemed polluted, which made Chen Zuyan miss the assembly hall of Jichai. It was a 10,000-seat grand auditorium built in the late 1960s, where leaders had envisioned that the factory would soon expand from 5,000 to 15,000 people.

  Who would have thought that after more than a decade, Jichai is left with only 2,500 people, but the auditorium looks even more magnificent.

  Li Zongxi's speech was very short, and Su Cheng only said a dozen or so words. The deputy factory directors who followed had even fewer words, with only short intervals in between. It wasn't until He Chang said "We have received orders for 2000 sets of anti-deviation drilling systems from Zhongyuan Oilfield and 5000 sets from Liaohe Oilfield" that Su Cheng led the audience in a long and enthusiastic round of applause.

  After a while, the commendation meeting officially began.

  The list of announcers, the reasons for commendation, and the awarding of commendations are all old routines that have been going on for decades. Not only Liu Qiu but also Chen Zuyu looked drowsy.

  Liu Qiu couldn't help but say: "Wasting time, I don't know what their workers are excited about."

  "It's always an honor." Chen Zuonian maintained a sentence that he didn't even believe himself, and the thousands of workers around him were really too excited.

  Liu Qiu also said: "When we issued double pay bonuses in the past, it wasn't like this, was it?"

  Chen Zuonian was just about to nod when the prize on stage appeared.

  A brand new suit, single-breasted, with a beautifully ironed collar and shoulders, looked very high-end at first glance. Su Cheng held up the wide wooden clothes rack and handed it to the worker in the front row.

  Liu Qiu was shocked immediately: "What's with the prize, a big fur coat?"

  The worker in front had long been annoyed and said disdainfully: "What's the big deal about a woolen coat, a woolen suit!"

  Chen Zuonian also shifted uncomfortably and said, "The first prize is a woolen Western-style suit? Doesn't that mean the next prizes will be three or four overcoats?"

  The worker said with a smile: "Each workshop has 20 people, and they are all awarded woolen western suits. From now on, there will be a big prize every half year, and a small prize every month."

  "40 pieces of woolen suits? You have a woolen factory?"

  "60 pieces." Another worker turned around and said seriously: "We three cars are not eating free meals either."

  Too rich!

  Chen Zuonian and Liu Qiu exchanged a glance, then couldn't say another word.

  The commendation meeting ended soon, Chen Zuo said in a low voice: "I'm going to Beijing tomorrow, if the department doesn't let us reform, I won't serve anymore."

  ……()