Chapter 70 Crisis
While Xu Qiang and Wang Yongsheng were trading in the dormitory, in the conference room on the second floor of the office building, Liu Biao, with a serious expression, was meeting with a dozen workshop leaders and department heads.

"Director Liu, you are kidding us, right? The superiors want to cut one-third of military orders, and it will start from next year!?"

"Yes, does the higher-ups want our factory to lose money and go bankrupt? If we reduce production by one third, we won't even be able to pay half of the workers' wages!"

"Cutting military orders by one third is already the limit set by my superiors. I risked my reputation, begged and pleaded everywhere, and even treated everyone to drinks and meals to get this. According to my superiors, they want to cut the orders by half!"

"Reduce it in half!!"

Some people couldn't help but exclaimed.

"I've said before that we must be prepared for danger in times of peace. In fact, I told you two years ago. I conveyed this to you during the meeting, but you obviously didn't take it to heart..." Liu Biao paused, then continued, "Now that the superiors have clearly issued a document, what do you think?"

After hearing what Liu Biao said, everyone at the scene fell silent.

The leaders present knew very well what this production cut meant to Shengli Machinery Factory.

As a large factory with tens of thousands of employees, the costs and profits of the factory's order products are strictly limited. In the past, when there were enough orders, the factory could barely make a small profit. However, a one-time reduction of one-third means that it is still unknown whether the factory can pay wages in the future.

In fact, rumors that superiors were reducing military orders have been around for a long time, but no one took it seriously before.

After all, for so many years, the state has been providing for third-tier enterprises like theirs like a nanny. The orders are full all year round, and the superiors give the enterprises whatever they ask for. As long as the report is submitted, there is basically no rejection. But now, Shengli Machinery Factory has faced the biggest crisis in a decade. When the document was issued in black and white, nothing could be changed.

In fact, for most of the current state-owned enterprises, they have always been like a baby in a cradle. When they are suddenly weaned, they have almost no ability to survive on their own.
"As the director of our factory, I personally bear the main responsibility. I have been busy with production over the years and have not paid enough attention to the military-to-civilian projects." When he said this, a trace of self-blame flashed across Liu Biao's face, and he continued: "In the final analysis, it is because of my limited personal ability and little knowledge of technical things..." "Director, you don't have to blame yourself. In fact, we are all responsible." At this time, Li Cunzhu, the head of the technical department, began to speak. He continued: "Speaking of it, the research and development of military-to-civilian products is mainly completed by our technical department, but the current situation is that most of the manpower and resources of the technical department are invested in the research and development of new military products, and there is not enough manpower to complete the research and development of civilian products. But since the superiors have issued the document, our technical department will adjust the direction of research and development in the future and focus all its efforts on civilian products. We hope to solve the losses caused by insufficient military orders in the factory..."

Li Cunzhu was also one of the earliest veterans to come to Shengli Machinery Factory. He graduated from the PLA Air Force Engineering University and worked at the Nanjing Air Force Logistics Headquarters after graduation. Later, he was assigned to Shengli Machinery Factory. He successively conquered the 130 rocket radio fuse project, the sliding grenade-2 fuse project and other tasks. He is the most outstanding technical talent in the factory.

Like leaders of other departments, Li Cunzhu has always been obsessed with researching military product technologies and has no research experience in civilian products. The key parts of the tape recorder products they developed and produced before were actually the key technologies provided by the Shanghai No. 3 Factory.

Now that the factory's military-to-civilian conversion work is imminent, Li Cunzhu, as the factory's top technical leader, naturally has to make a statement.

"Old Li, the key to our factory's military-to-civilian project depends on you." Liu Biao was very satisfied with Li Cunzhu's statement. He continued, "You are one of the greatest contributors to our factory. In the past ten years, you have been able to excellently complete the technical research tasks assigned to you by your superiors. Now our factory has come to a historical crossroads. I hope you can organize capable personnel in time to develop new civilian products as soon as possible, so that our factory can create greater glory!"

"Thank you for the encouragement, but I would like to talk about some of the problems our technical department is facing. On the one hand, there is the problem of funding. Civilian product research requires a lot of investment. Judging from the current situation, if we want to develop a civilian product with market competitiveness, we need to invest a lot of money, because we are facing manufacturers all over the country, and the competition will be very fierce." Li Cunzhu paused and continued, "There is also a shortage of talents in related fields. Just like I graduated from microelectronics, most of our department are also majoring in this field. Considering the high investment threshold of electronic products, if we want to develop some products that can see benefits in the short term, we also need professionals in other fields to supplement our department as fresh blood."

It is obvious that Li Cunzhu is looking for a way out for himself. He also knows that the task of developing civilian products is quite difficult, so he must emphasize the difficulty of the task and take the opportunity to ask for funds and manpower. If the factory cannot meet his requirements, he can also find some excuses to shirk responsibility after the R&D task fails.

After all, he is a veteran college student, and Li Cunzhu is very smart. Not only in technology, but also in work and social skills, he is very sophisticated and smooth.

"As for funding, I will try my best to apply for funding from my superiors. If that doesn't work, our factory still has some assets. Even if we have to sell everything we have, we will meet your needs!" Liu Biao was determined, but then he frowned and said, "But as for talent... By the way, the list of winners for the military-to-civilian technology transformation solicitation activity that our factory held some time ago is out, right?"

"It's out." The person in charge of judging the awards for this military-to-civilian technology collection activity was Wu Yaochen, deputy director of the technical department. He said, "After careful evaluation by me and several judges in the factory, the exquisite sofa made by Comrade Liang Baoguo from the Chemical Workshop won the first prize..."

(End of this chapter)