The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 169 Year-End, Zhou Zhiqiang Distributes Tickets
When Zhou Zhiqiang arrived at the workshop, the universal grinding machine had already been started and was processing parts.

The machine tool runs very smoothly, and the humming sound is normal, with no abnormal noises.

There were quite a few technical staff watching, almost all of them from the technical department, and they all looked a little nervous, after all, this was the result of several months of hard work.

Ding Zhixue leaned closer to Zhou Zhiqiang and said, "Factory manager, I'm having them process it first to test it out and see what the grinding parameters will be."

"Okay, then let's wait here for a while."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, he stood aside and waited, letting the workers concentrate on processing the machine tools.

The entire workshop was waiting for the machine tool to finish its work, and no one dared to breathe loudly, for fear that the slightest noise would cause the workers to fail.

After the machine stopped, the worker operating the machine tool quickly took out the finished parts and presented them, along with the blueprints, to Zhou Zhiqiang, saying...
"Factory manager, you can inspect it."

Ding Zhixue, who was standing to the side, also spoke up: "Yes, factory director, it would be best if you did the inspection, and you should announce the results."

Zhou Zhiqiang took the parts and blueprints and said, "Okay, okay, then let me test it. You operated it very skillfully just now. It seems that I am not as good as you at using this machine tool."

The worker quickly replied, "Factory manager, you must be joking. In terms of technical processing, which worker in our factory dares to say they can compare to you?"

Even when praising him, you can't overdo it. If the news gets out today that Deputy Factory Director Zhou said his processing skills are inferior to his, then tomorrow or the day after, many workers will definitely come to him.

We need to see who the master craftsman is, someone even Deputy Factory Director Zhou would be ashamed of.

"Haha, enough with the small talk."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, he began to use the testing tools to take measurements.

Once Zhou Zhiqiang got his hands on the component, he felt there was nothing wrong with it. It was just that the material was special, otherwise it could clearly reflect his face.

After using various measuring tools such as a micrometer, Zhou Zhiqiang said with delight, "It's qualified. The error of each precision data is no more than one tenth of a second, which is exactly the same as the requirements of the design drawings!"

"It's done? Deputy Factory Director Zhou just said it passed inspection?"

"Of course it will succeed. I knew we would succeed, after all, it was designed and developed by Deputy Factory Director Zhou."

"My God, we actually did it! That's amazing!"

"Long live ***! Long live the big leader! It's finally done before the new year!"

After the workers in the workshop cheered and jumped for joy for a while, Zhou Zhiqiang finally calmed everyone down.

After things calmed down, Zhou Zhiqiang assigned a new task: "Master Li, you did a great job just now. These parts were not easy to process before, but this time you almost got it right on the first try."

Master Li scratched his head and said, "This machine tool is easy to use, and the adjustment and calibration are more convenient than before. Most importantly, it's stable. I was a little nervous just now, and I was very focused, afraid that I would mess it up."

"Haha, Master Li's skills are famous in our factory."

After praising him, Zhou Zhiqiang continued, "However, one part is hard to represent anything. We need to do more testing next. Before the New Year, Master Li, we may need to trouble you to do some more work."

"Section Chief Ding, find a few more senior technicians. Don't let Master Li do all the testing. Take turns so he doesn't get too tired from processing."

Upon hearing this, Ding Zhixue quickly replied, "I understand, Factory Director."

"Please compile all the data for the processed parts and give it to me by tomorrow afternoon, or by the morning after tomorrow."

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Zhiqiang changed the time again and said, "I'll have to trouble you again these next two days, Master Li."

Upon hearing this, Master Li quickly waved his hand and said, "It's alright, Factory Manager. It's just a little work. Besides, several people can take turns doing it, so it's not tiring at all."

In the days leading up to the Spring Festival holiday, most of the production tasks were completed, and the last task was cleaning the entire factory. Logically, the workers shouldn't have to do any more work.

However, if Zhou Zhiqiang were to speak up personally, that would be a different story.

Moreover, the work is not heavy. Several workers take turns using one machine tool, and the workload is only a quarter of the usual amount.

After the wages were paid out, the factory's general meeting of all employees was also over.

Although the wages were not much, the workers knew what the situation was like outside. Given the current conditions in the factory, it was not easy for each person to receive half a pound of meat and two pounds of flour.

That's enough for every family to make a meal of meat dumplings for the Lunar New Year.

This year, the factory gave out a lot of prizes to outstanding individuals, model workers, and collective model workers, distributing all the materials it could get.

Finally, Zhou Zhiqiang apologized at a factory-wide employee meeting, saying that the factory's logistics department had done its best and that was all they could get.

If the factory achieves good results next year, the rewards will be even greater than they are now; Zhou Zhiqiang also guaranteed that next year's prizes will include at least four large items.

It has all four major items: a sewing machine, a bicycle, a radio, and a watch.

Zhou Zhiqiang also took care of the factory workers. This year's honors were almost all given to the front-line workers. None of the cadres received any, and the other clerks only took up three spots.

After the factory-wide staff meeting, all the workers went on holiday to rest.

The factory only had security personnel and some staff to do the finishing touches. The logistics department for agricultural and sideline products and animal husbandry had staff left, and except for the Chinese New Year, people would come to the factory to check on and take care of the rabbits.

Tian Wenguo also applied for a subsidy of 80 cents a day for the temporary workers who came to the factory. After Zhou Zhiqiang read the application, he signed and stamped it without much hesitation.

Few people work during the Spring Festival. Those who stay at the factory receive subsidies, including temporary workers. Once supplies are plentiful the following year, these temporary workers will become permanent employees. Now, apart from their wages and the title of temporary worker, they are no different from other employees of the factory.

On the morning of the last day, Ding Zhixue happily went to Zhou Zhiqiang's office to report on the progress of the universal grinder.

The process is convenient and the feed is precise. After a period of practice, the workers found that processing parts was much easier than before.

Moreover, all accuracy indicators are fully qualified.

Compared to before, the pass rate of processed parts has increased several times!
"Good, very good, well done!"

After reviewing the data summary report of the processed parts, Zhou Zhiqiang said with a smile, "Section Chief Ding, you've really worked hard. Are the workers still here?"

Ding Zhixue said, "Not yet. They're waiting in the workshop because they're worried you might have something else to do, Factory Director."

"It should be fine now, they did a great job."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, he took out some receipts from the drawer, handed them over, and said, "Section Chief Ding, these receipts are for you. You can take the rest and distribute them to Master Li and the others."

They were still working before the holiday; thank you for your hard work. This is my share as the deputy factory director, but I don't need it, so you can keep it.

"Factory manager, I can't accept this."

"Take it, and listen to what I, the deputy factory director, have to say."

Zhou Zhiqiang interrupted, saying, "There are quite a few receipts left in the factory. Do you expect me to carry all these bags home by myself? If others see this, they'll think I, the factory director, am involved in corruption."

"Please consider this a gift from me, okay? It would be pointless to refuse any longer."

Besides giving Ding Zhixue the coupons, the other cigarette and alcohol coupons could also be divided into four portions, just enough for Master Li and the other three.

However, the most valuable one was Ding Zhixue's, which contained a lot of cloth coupons and cotton coupons, enough to make a set of clothes.

After hearing Zhou Zhiqiang say that, Ding Zhixue smiled and took the tickets, then said, "Factory Director, I'll go and deliver the tickets to Master Li and the others now."

"Go ahead, thank you for your hard work, and Happy New Year! Please also pass on the greetings to Master Li and the others."

"Alright, Happy New Year to you, Factory Manager!"

After offering his congratulations, Ding Zhixue left Zhou Zhiqiang's office.

After everyone left, Zhou Zhiqiang picked up the phone and called Director Ren.

"Director Ren, I have good news to report to you. Our factory successfully trial-produced a high-precision universal grinding machine the day before yesterday."

And after two days of processing and testing, it has fully achieved the expected results; Director Ren, our factory has now produced the high-precision universal grinding machine before the end of the year.”

"Haha, alright then, I'll just wait at home for Director Ren's New Year's gifts; don't worry about safety, the newly arrived Deputy Section Chief Zhao and Deputy Section Chief Chen are both very attentive to duty arrangements."

There will absolutely be no problem.

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Zhiqiang's smile lingered for a while before slowly fading away.

This year has been quite successful. The research and development tasks were completed excellently, and the factory is developing smoothly. Zhou Zhiqiang felt that for an ordinary person like him, achieving this much in 1959 was already quite remarkable.

Once the Second Machine Tool Plant has developed, he will be able to do more things through it.

If it were to truly become the number one machine tool manufacturer in Asia, it would genuinely influence the direction of domestic industrial development.

"Yaoguo".

Zhou Zhiqiang called in his assistant, who had been with him for almost a year, and then handed him a watch ticket, saying, "Pack your things and go back. Take this ticket; it's a personal gift from me."

Upon seeing the pastries and cigarette/alcohol coupons, Zhang Yaoguo felt they were too valuable and quickly said, "Sir, these coupons are too many. I'd rather..."

"Take it, I have more."

Zhou Zhiqiang didn't give Zhang Yaoguo any room to refuse, and directly stuffed it into his hand, then continued, "After you tidy up the office and do the handover, you can go home."

"You don't need to stay at the factory this afternoon; everyone else has left."

"Thank you, factory manager."

After receiving the ticket, Zhang Yaoguo expressed his sincere gratitude and then went out to tidy up his things.

Zhou Zhiqiang didn't stay at the factory for long. After tidying up his office, he inspected the factory again before having his driver take him home.

During the Spring Festival, the driver arranged by the security department no longer needed to follow him.

However, the security department had already informed the street office's patrol team, instructing them to pay attention to the residents of No. 63 Nanluoguxiang, and also presented a certificate from the armed forces department.

Upon seeing the certificate issued by the Armed Forces Department, the neighborhood committee also took the matter seriously and offered a guarantee.

They will pay special attention to that area during their patrols, and will definitely not allow any enemy agents or saboteurs to cause trouble in Nanluoguxiang.

　Third update!

　　Brothers, please vote for me! I'm almost there!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)