Reborn in 2012, building a new energy empire

Chapter 142 In Full Swing

In the Kirin Technology R&D Center, a striking countdown whiteboard has appeared in the once quiet corridor. With red background and white lettering, the countdown is updated daily by the earliest arriving employee.

Today it says: 118 days.

The morning meeting is scheduled for 8:30.

When Jiang Haoran entered the conference room, Zhao Haichuan, Gu Qiushi, and Wang Qiming were already there. Each of them had a notebook open in front of them, and their respective progress schedules were displayed on the screens.

"Let's begin." Jiang Haoran sat down without exchanging pleasantries.

Zhao Haichuan reported first: "The booth has been confirmed, Hall W3, E-72, a standard booth, 54 square meters. The location is indeed a bit off, close to the fire exit. But the advantage is that there is a solid wall behind it, which can be used as a backdrop, and the side aisle is also relatively spacious, making it easy to set up a small demonstration area."

He pulled up a 3D model of the booth. "The design company provided three drafts, leaning towards a main color scheme of tech blue + minimalist white, emphasizing data and physical displays."

"What's the focus of the demonstration area?" Jiang Haoran asked.

"Two optimized desktop demo units from cutting-edge technology are used to continuously cut standard silicon blocks, allowing visitors to see the cut silicon wafers in real time. Next to them are diamond wire samples with different diameters ranging from 70 micrometers to 120 micrometers, along with corresponding comparison samples of the cutting effect."

Zhao Haichuan spoke quickly, "All samples and data reports are equipped with QR codes. Scanning them allows you to view detailed technical parameters and test videos."

"On-site network and power supply?"

"It has been included in the checklist and will be tested intensively when we arrive at the venue three days in advance for setup. We will also prepare backup plans."

Jiang Haoran nodded: "Continue."

"Regarding promotional materials," Zhao Haichuan switched pages, "the first draft of the tri-fold brochure is complete, highlighting three key points: the significance of domestic substitution, comparison of actual performance data, and cost advantage calculation. The technical white paper, with content provided by Engineer Gu's team, is currently being typeset. In addition, based on the list you provided, I have drafted the first batch of invitations for the closed-door technical exchange meeting, totaling 12 companies, including 3 leading silicon wafer manufacturers, 4 medium-sized specialized manufacturers, and 5 equipment integrators and investment institution representatives."

He projected the list. Jiang Haoran quickly browsed it and saw several familiar names. Many of the province's major photovoltaic manufacturers were listed, marked as "Category A Key Projects".

"Invitations and initial communications will begin this week, using a targeted invitation and appointment system," Zhao Haichuan added, "to limit each exchange to no more than eight people to ensure in-depth discussions."

"The media?" Jiang Haoran looked at him.

"Through Zhou Mingyu's connections, we came into contact with two industry media outlets, China Photovoltaic News and Energy Watch, as well as the technology channel of a financial new media outlet."

They expressed interest in the topic of "breakthroughs in domestically produced core equipment" and were willing to conduct interviews or feature reports during the exhibition. Specific interview outlines and timing still need to be finalized.

Jiang Haoran jotted down the key points in his notebook: "Be cautious with media communications. The content must be based on the actual items and data we present on-site, without exaggeration or premature disclosure of key information. Mr. Zhao, you will personally oversee this."

"clear."

"Engineer Gu, Engineer Wang," Jiang Haoran turned to the R&D team, "The exhibits are the core. The stability of the demonstration prototypes is of paramount importance. I don't want to see them crash, alarm, or have quality fluctuations in the silicon wafers cut from the display stand."

Gu Qiushi adjusted his glasses: "The demonstration prototype is a simplified and reinforced version based on the engineering prototype. Unnecessary research functions have been removed, and the stability and ease of operation of the core cutting module have been enhanced. It is currently undergoing a continuous 48-hour trouble-free operation test, which has already passed two rounds. Engineer Wang is in charge of the final optimization of process adaptation parameters."

Wang Qiming continued, "For the diamond wire samples prepared for the exhibition, we plan to produce five independent batches, ten rolls per batch, and select the three rolls with the most stable performance for display. The electroplating process parameters have been finalized, and we are now optimizing the online testing and sorting process to ensure that the key indicators such as wire diameter fluctuation and breaking strength of each roll of the exhibit fall within the narrowest possible range of excellence."

"Timeframe?" Jiang Haoran pressed.

"We will complete the debugging and acceptance of all demonstration prototypes by mid-March. We will complete the trial production of five batches of samples by early April, and complete the screening and final packaging by mid-April," Gu Qiushi replied. "We will leave a one-month buffer period to deal with any unexpected situations."

The timeline is tight, but relatively clear.

Jiang Haoran closed his notebook and glanced at the three men: "From now until the opening of the exhibition, all company resources will be focused on this project. We will hold regular coordination meetings every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning at 8:30 to keep track of progress and resolve issues. General Manager Zhao will be in charge of overall coordination and external affairs, while Engineers Gu and Wang will ensure that the technical deliverables are flawless."

He paused, then emphasized, "This appearance isn't just about showcasing the products; it's about demonstrating the execution and reliability of our entire team. Customers, competitors, investors, and the media will all be watching. Therefore, every detail, from a single data point on the display board to a single sentence during the demonstration, and even the packaging of the samples, must reflect professionalism."

The meeting ended at 9:20. Everyone quickly dispersed, and hurried footsteps and hushed voices echoed in the corridor.

Jiang Haoran did not leave the conference room immediately. He turned on his computer and pulled up the constantly improving "SNEC Project Master Control Sheet".

A dense array of task items, assigned to different people, marked with varying completion status and risk levels. This is a miniature battlefield, and he, as the commander, must clearly see every step of the advance and any potential obstacles.

He reviewed the media communication plan sent by Zhao Haichuan, picked up his pen and revised a few wordings, making the overly dramatic statements more concrete.

Then, he opened the risk assessment report of the demonstration prototype submitted by Gu Qiushi, put a question mark next to the "Redundant Design of Cooling System" item, and commented: "It is necessary to simulate the scenario of dense crowds at the exhibition site leading to an increase in ambient temperature and conduct stress tests."

Downstairs, a truck was slowly driving into the park, its body bearing the logo of a well-known testing agency. This was a third-party, authoritative testing agency contacted by Zhao Haichuan to conduct tests on the exhibition samples. All the data needed to withstand scrutiny.

His calm face was reflected in the window. More than a hundred days may sound like a long time, but for a complex series of actions to complete, from product solidification and sample preparation to booth planning, customer invitation and publicity, every day felt like a race against time.

My phone vibrated; it was a WeChat message from Zhou Mingyu: "I've spoken to the media; their editor-in-chief is quite interested in your project, saying there's a 'Made in China 2025' feature that could fit in. We can discuss the details further after you showcase your product at the exhibition."

Jiang Haoran replied, "Thanks, Mr. Zhou. Let's meet again after the exhibition."

Just as I put down my phone, another call came in; it was from Chen Jingge.

"Haoran, I've basically figured out the debt situation of that Wuxi company you asked me to inquire about. There's an additional hidden guarantee, about two million more than we found during the previous due diligence. Also, we need to confirm the remaining protection period of their core patent."

"Send me the detailed report. For the patent term issue, contact Professor Sun's team directly and ask them to help with the assessment," Jiang Haoran responded quickly. "Let's put the acquisition negotiations on hold for now; Kirin Technology needs to focus on ensuring the success of the exhibition. But due diligence cannot stop; we must hold our bottom line."

"clear."

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Haoran rubbed his temples. Exhibits, acquisitions, R&D, marketing—simultaneously advancing on multiple fronts was like walking a tightrope over a cliff, requiring absolute focus and balance.

He walked back to his desk and drew a striking red circle around the box for April 25th on the calendar. That was the final deadline for locking in the samples.

Next to it, on May 28th, the opening day of SNEC, a larger, more aggressive star was drawn.

Then, he opened a new document and began drafting the first draft of the invitation letter to Director Bai and the industry association leaders.

The wording must be respectful and appropriate, reflecting both technological confidence and the humility of a startup, while also subtly highlighting the project's alignment with provincial strategies.

The rhythmic clatter of keyboard keys filled the empty conference room. Outside, the sunlight gradually rose, illuminating "118".

The countdown numbers for "day" became increasingly clear in the light.

The drums of battle have already sounded relentlessly.