The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 183 The Bet, The Arrival of the New Deputy Factory Director
After finalizing the division of tasks and the tentative timeline for research and development, everyone except Professor Yu's group could basically go back to prepare.

However, before the meeting adjourned, Zhou Zhiqiang gave a final instruction: "Comrades, we cannot allow any stagnation in research and development within our project team."

You must attend the weekly coordination seminar and report back. If a technical problem cannot be solved within 48 hours, you must report it to me.

If any resource or logistical issues, or other non-R&D factors, cause the project to stall, report to Director Ren immediately. He will be responsible for coordination. I will discuss this with Director Ren later.

"If there are no problems, let's start the research and development work according to the division of labor."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, the others looked at each other and shook their heads, indicating that there was no problem.

So the meeting adjourned and everyone went back to prepare. Deputy Leader Wu had communicated with their superiors and units, and the task documents had been shown. They would receive the green light all the way back.

"Deputy Director Zhao."

Zhou Zhiqiang stopped Zhao Chenghui and then explained, "I'll be going to your factory a couple of days later. I need to go back to the factory first to make some arrangements, and I also need to prepare a place for Professor Yu."

"No problem, it's fine to be a couple of days late."

Zhao Chenghui immediately said, "Team Leader Zhou, I'll go back and have Director Liu get you a pass, then you can come and go as you please."

Their factory has very strict security. They don't hesitate to interrogate outsiders, and they even have the authority to arrest anyone who seems suspicious.

Although people like Zhou Zhiqiang don't need to be questioned, they still need to report to their superiors if they want to enter the factory without a pass.

After finishing his conversation, Zhou Zhiqiang set off to find Deputy Leader Wu and Director Ren.

They had just finished their conversation when Zhou Zhiqiang knocked and came in. They greeted him, "Zhiqiang, come and sit down. Have you finished talking over there?"

"They've already gone back to prepare to start the research and development work, Director Ren. This is the record of the meeting just now."

After handing the meeting minutes to Director Ren, Zhou Zhiqiang continued, "I told them to come to you for help with any non-technical R&D issues they encounter."

"Okay, I'll arrange someone to help. If there's an emergency and I can't find him, I can contact him."

After glancing at it briefly, Director Ren put it away and continued, "The Ministry will allocate additional supplies to your factory for the Tsinghua team. You can go back to the factory and make the arrangements."

"Yes, I really have to thank you leaders for helping me get this done."

Zhou Zhiqiang breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "If it had been two years later, I would have been in a terrible situation. There is still a huge market for CNC machine tools, and even Amei hasn't fully grasped its potential."

Not to mention the Russians' CNC machine tools; they've gone a bit astray in their development of computers.

After that, their CNC machine tools were somewhat stagnant, and in the 1970s they were even unable to develop their own and had to buy CNC machine tools from small businesses.

This is what happens when development goes astray: it may appear powerful for a time, but its internal strength is distorted and cannot be sustained for long.

"If we develop CNC machine tools domestically next year, we can produce enough for a year to supply the domestic market first, and then we can announce to the world that we also have first-class CNC machine tools."
Leaders can then use CNC machine tools to achieve many goals. For one thing, they can earn a fortune in foreign exchange alone, a substantial amount every year.

When Zhou Zhiqiang spoke to Deputy Leader Wu and Director Ren about the prospects of CNC machine tools, he was full of enthusiasm.

The productivity boost from CNC machine tools is enormous, and if they can be exported in large quantities in three or four years, they will truly be taking away our livelihoods.

Zhou Zhiqiang remembers that China only began exporting CNC machine tools on a large scale in the late 1960s.

After listening to Zhou Zhiqiang's explanation, Deputy Leader Wu and Director Ren were somewhat persuaded. They realized that if one day they could earn over $100 million in foreign exchange through CNC machine tool exports, it would be a tremendous help to the country.
"Comrade Zhiqiang, stop making empty promises. CNC machine tools haven't been developed yet."

Deputy Leader Wu waved his hand and then continued with a smile: "Well then, didn't you just say that if you work hard, you can manufacture CNC machine tools in about a year and a half?"

"I'll make a 15-month deal with you. If you can show me the CNC machine tool within 15 months, I'll give you a 15-month supply of cigarettes and tea."

"Oh? Boss, are you serious?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang's eyes lit up. Before Deputy Leader Wu could speak further, he directly said to Director Ren beside him, "Director Ren, can you be my witness? This is what Deputy Leader Wu said himself. I didn't force him."

Fifteen months is no problem. If I fail to meet my deadline, then whatever your superiors say about me, that's how it's settled.

"Deputy Leader Wu, Director Ren, I need to go back to the factory to arrange some things. I'll come back to report to you next month."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, he got up and left the office. Their project team reported weekly, and the project team reported monthly to higher authorities, which is why Zhou Zhiqiang said "see you next month".

What they did wasn't even a small bet; it was more like a minor joke between superiors and subordinates. There were plenty of these kinds of jokes within the department, like issuing rewards after completing a pledge.
However, after Zhou Zhiqiang left and the door was closed, Deputy Leader Wu realized that Zhou Zhiqiang was even more eager than he was to finalize the agreement, so he turned to ask Ren Licheng...

"Comrade Licheng, this Zhiqiang seems to have more confidence than I do. I just said fifteen months, not eighteen months, right?"

"It's fifteen months, but Zhou Zhiqiang, don't you know him yet?"

Director Ren said with a smile, "When has he ever made sure he's all-knowing about something? He always leaves himself an escape route."

Last year they asked us for a year to develop and manufacture machine tools, but they ended up developing two new machine tools within a year.”

They won all the New Year's goods from his workplace. In the end, he still had his family use special ration coupons to buy flour and meat, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to eat dumplings for the New Year.

"Comrade Zhiqiang's behavior is a bit like that of the Thunder God!"

"You mean him? He does seem to be leaving himself too many escape routes!"

Upon being reminded of this, Deputy Leader Wu immediately remembered Comrade Lei Gongye, who did indeed resemble him.

A battle report would take three days, but I told my superior privately that it would take thirty hours. In the end, we stormed the city in twenty-nine hours, leaving an hour specifically for polishing shoes.

This leaves them with too many escape routes.

"Oh dear, my tobacco and tea quota, a fifteen-month quota."

Deputy Leader Wu immediately regretted it, but quickly recovered and shook his head, saying, "Forget it, if I can really see a CNC machine tool in fifteen months, I'd be fine even if I quit buying cigarettes outside for a year. What difference does it make what I smoke?"

Upon hearing this, Ren Licheng immediately laughed and said, "Haha, boss, you've already admitted defeat."

"I almost wish I had lost."

"Oh no, Comrade Zhiqiang left too quickly just now. I forgot to let him go back to the factory with the new deputy director. We should have made him wait a little longer."

Director Ren suddenly remembered the matter. He had intended to mention it earlier, but Zhou Zhiqiang had left too quickly. Fearing that Deputy Leader Wu might change his mind, Zhou Zhiqiang stood up and left decisively, causing Director Ren to forget about it for a moment.

The new deputy factory director should have arrived much earlier, but before the transfer, Comrade Liu Wenzhou was also delayed by other matters, and the Second Machine Tool Factory wasn't in a particular hurry, so he was a month late.

Deputy Leader Wu said, "He must have left by now. Go and see him off again later."

Comrade Liu Wenzhou was also a deputy factory director at the level of a division chief. According to regulations, he would usually be sent to his post by the deputy director of the Machine Tool Administration Bureau.

However, both Deputy Director Liu and another deputy director were too busy to be at the ministry, so Director Ren Licheng had to make the trip.

Director Ren then took his leave, preparing to take the new deputy director of the Second Machine Tool Plant to the Second Machine Tool Plant.

He currently has his own work to do, and he also has to manage the resource coordination and logistics of the CNC machine tool project team, so he can't rest at all.

------

After returning to the Second Machine Tool Plant.

Zhou Zhiqiang immediately instructed Zhang Yaoguo to notify Secretary Li, Deputy Factory Director Sun, Director Liu of the office, and Director Tian of the logistics department to hold a meeting.

After everyone had arrived, Zhou Zhiqiang announced directly: "Comrades, with the approval of the China Ocean Academy, the Ministry of Machinery Industry taking the lead, and together with the Fourth Ministry of Machinery Industry and Tsinghua University, we have decided to establish a CNC machine tool engineering project team."

Next, I will bring my colleagues from the technical department to join the CNC machine tool project team. Our newly built precision workshop will be used as an experimental workshop, and Professor Yu from Tsinghua University will also be bringing a team to our factory.”

Zhou Zhiqiang briefly explained the matter, which served as a notification to everyone.

After listening, Secretary Li said directly, "Director Zhou, you are in charge of this matter. The factory will follow your lead now."

Deputy Factory Director Sun nodded in agreement, saying that he had a slight objection and might have to go to the branch factory to provide guidance on business operations tomorrow.

With the approval of the China Ocean Academy, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology taking the lead, and the Fourth Ministry of Machinery Industry and Tsinghua University also involved, who among these departments and units would dare to object?
"Then I will make the following arrangements."

Zhou Zhiqiang looked at Director Liu of the factory office and said, "Professor Yu from Tsinghua University and his colleagues and students will be coming to the factory tomorrow. Director Liu, you will be responsible for all the work that Professor Yu and his group need while they are at the factory."

If there's anything you can't resolve, report it to me immediately. Just come directly to me with this matter.

"Director Tian, ​​there are thirty-five of them. The ministry will provide them with supplies; you will take care of their meals and rest while they are at the factory."

I suspect many of them are working overtime at the factory. Please prepare a place for them to rest, make sure they have comfortable accommodations, and absolutely not get cold, as it's only early spring.”

"Huh? Factory manager, the rest area for thirty-five people—they don't need to get cold."

Tian Wenguo felt as if he had been filled with bitterness again. Why was he always assigned such difficult tasks? Maybe he should let Director Liu handle it?
Zhou Zhiqiang said, "You are the logistics director. If you don't solve the logistics problems, who will? Can you even do it well?"

Tian Wenguo said somewhat awkwardly, "Our factory doesn't have dormitories, and the factory office building is so small that it's not suitable for resting. As for the workshops..."

Zhou Zhiqiang didn't say anything, he just stared at Tian Wenguo.

Finally, Tian Wenguo felt a little uneasy under the gaze, and soon thought of a place, so he said, "Factory manager, I know a place, why don't we rent a courtyard for them nearby?"
The security department collectively rented a place to live, not far away, only about 200 meters away. There's a yard next to their place, which is uninhabited and rather dilapidated, but it can be renovated and made habitable. Our factory can use it to purchase some things.”

He wouldn't have thought of this if the pressure was too great; luckily, he had heard Section Chief Kong mention it when they were chatting before.

Zhou Zhiqiang waved his hand and said, "Go and take care of it. Just make sure Professor Yu and the others get a good rest, and also ensure their safety."

I'll be inspecting it later, and if it doesn't meet the standards, I'll convert your office into a rest area.

"Yes, factory manager, I guarantee the task will be completed."

Tian Wenguo immediately assured him, but just as he finished speaking, Zhang Yaoguo suddenly knocked on the door and walked in, followed by Director Ren and another comrade.

Zhang Yaoguo quickly walked to Zhou Zhiqiang's side and whispered, "Factory Director, the security guards at the factory gate just called to say that Director Ren from the Machine Tool Management Bureau has arrived."

I ran into Director Ren, who was looking for you, as soon as I came downstairs, so I brought him over.

Zhou Zhiqiang got up and walked towards Director Ren, asking in confusion, "Director Ren, did you have something else to say? You could have just given me a call, and I would have come to you."

"That won't do. I originally came to your factory to talk about this, but you walked a bit too fast just now, and I forgot to mention Comrade Liu Wenzhou."

After Director Ren finished speaking, he stepped aside to introduce the comrade next to him: "Secretary Li, Deputy Factory Director Sun, please get to know this comrade Liu Wenzhou."

The former deputy director of the Shanghai Machine Tool Factory has been transferred to your factory as deputy director due to a job change, to assist Comrade Zhou Zhiqiang in managing production tasks.

His production management skills are undeniable, and he's also adept at maintaining discipline. Previously, the ministry transferred Liu Wenzhou to the Shanghai Machine Tool Factory specifically to reorganize the factory.

The results were excellent.

The reason for bringing Comrade Liu Wenzhou back is to help the Second Machine Tool Plant develop better.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang smiled and extended his hand, saying, "Deputy Factory Director Liu, welcome to the Second Machine Tool Factory. From now on, we'll be comrades-in-arms in the same trench."

"I am Zhou Zhiqiang, temporarily serving as the acting factory manager of the Second Machine Tool Plant."

Li Younian, Sun Yifei, and the others stepped forward to introduce themselves, which was a way of greeting the newly arrived Deputy Factory Director Liu.

After they had all introduced themselves, Director Ren asked curiously, "Comrade Zhiqiang, are you having a meeting?"

"Yes, Professor Yu will be here tomorrow. Let's discuss the preparations today."

Director Ren said, "Then you all go ahead with your work. I'm going to leave now since I'm with Deputy Factory Director Liu. I also have something to do at the department."

"Director Ren, let me see you off."

"No need, no need, you go about your business, it's not like I don't know the way."

Director Ren waved his hand and said that, then quickly left.

After everyone left, Zhou Zhiqiang turned to Liu Wenzhou and said, "Deputy Factory Director Liu, you've come at the right time. Let's start the meeting. There's something important we need to tell you about recently."
"Call the factory managers over again tomorrow or before they finish work this afternoon, and let them get to know you."

(End of this chapter)