Chapter 129: The Life and Death of Line One

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Shen Guodong had seen the way the two men had been working over the past couple of days. They were both taking the matter seriously, arriving very early and spending nearly the entire day walking around the factory grounds.

Now Shen Guodong eagerly took the blueprint from them and gave it a quick look. Sure enough, the garbage dump to the southwest had been removed from the plan entirely.

“If we clear away the garbage dump, then according to their actual measurements, we can fit two production lines there. That would be just enough space for the latest machines from the United States.”

The machinery used to determine the factory’s production capacity was constantly changing, and with continued effort, its performance could be improved. Their technology, too, was gradually advancing.

So if they wanted to raise the factory’s output, replacing the entire set of machinery would indeed be highly effective.

The main concern now was that if this group of veteran workers openly replaced the personnel on Line One, the consequences could be troubling. If the workers developed a rebellious attitude, it might damage the unity of the factory.

Shen Guodong studied the aerial view as well.

The two drawings showed plans for two of America’s newest terminal assembly lines. Their efficiency would be fifteen percent higher than that of the existing lines.

According to the original plan, these two new production lines, with their fifteen percent increase in efficiency, would become the mainstay of the factory. Line One, by contrast, would gradually see its output reduced. But judging from the current situation, they might not even need to wait that long.

The existing assembly lines might soon be unable to keep up at all.

Shen Guodong immediately called Baldhead.

“Baldhead, send people over first thing tomorrow morning. We’ll clear out the garbage dump over there.”

His younger cousin from the architecture department of a teachers’ university was genuinely capable. Her ideas were clear, and the layout was well thought out. She truly had the air of a top student.

The finished design was almost exactly what Shen Guodong had envisioned, so he did not hesitate. He directly instructed Baldhead to come in the following day and deal with the garbage dump first.

Zhou Meiniang, standing nearby, was surprised by how readily Shen Guodong had approved the plan and called Baldhead in.

“How can you trust your cousin so easily? Aren’t you going to have anyone else take a look?”

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Shen Guodong shook his head.

“Let’s clear the garbage dump first. Two production lines would fit perfectly there. If we put them in the northwest section, the ventilation might not be very good.”

Seeing Shen Guodong muttering to himself, Meiniang burst out laughing.

“All right, then. What do you think about the production lines? Should we use the two newest models the Americans are selling us?”

“How are their prices these days? From what I can tell, their overall efficiency is fifteen percent higher. Once you factor in the other advantages, it should be worth it.”

Zhou Meiniang sighed.

“Their quotation is a real trap. They want to charge us for every machine tool we produce.”

“What do you mean? They charge a production fee for every machine tool we make? Are they refusing to sell us the equipment?”

“Exactly. They’re acting like vampires. They’ll let us use the machines for free and even install them for us if we want, but for every machine tool we produce, they’ll take between one and five dollars.”

Shen Guodong’s brow furrowed deeply.

“These people have certainly thought things through.”

He suddenly understood what the foreigners were trying to do. They wanted to bleed the factory dry. As long as the factory used the machines to create value, they could collect money every day.

Thinking about it, he could not help wondering how much a single machine might earn them over the course of a year. If they charged one dollar, it might still be manageable. But if they took more, it would become an invisible drain on the factory.

“Get me the production figures for their latest machines, along with any comparison charts or related materials. I want to look over the manuals.”

“Oh, and check whether any factories here can manufacture the components we need.”

Zhou Meiniang opened the documents in confusion. She soon discovered that they contained a list of components essential to Line One. Her brow tightened.

“What’s wrong? Are we running short of the parts for Line One?”

“That’s what Old Wang came to tell me just now. It seems the director of the purchasing department has been controlling that position for a long time. On top of that, with the breakup of the Soviet Union, the supply routes for their components have been cut off completely.”

Shen Guodong frowned.

“I heard Old Wang mention that as well. So what’s the solution? I have one idea: have our people search everywhere and see whether they can locate replacement parts.”

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Zhou Meiniang rubbed her temples.

“As for the components, we may have to buy them from the Soviet Union. But because of the breakup, those small manufacturers probably don’t have the time or resources to produce parts like these anymore.”

Shen Guodong nodded.

“That’s exactly what I’m worried about. But we have no other choice. Those parts are the real obstacle.”

Zhou Meiniang’s brow remained tightly furrowed.

“Otherwise, since we have the funds available, we could simply replace Line One with the new American model. A new assembly line would give our overall production capacity a tremendous boost.”

Shen Guodong’s expression grew serious.

“But I’m worried about the veteran workers on Line One. If they can’t adapt to the new system, things could become very troublesome. It would inevitably affect the unity of the entire department.”

Zhou Meiniang frowned as well.

“That may be true, but this is all we can do now. It’s impossible to look elsewhere. Are we supposed to go searching through the Soviet Union ourselves? The country has already fallen apart. Where would we even find those components?”

When it came to the factory’s profits, Zhou Meiniang was direct and practical. She laid out the advantages and disadvantages without hesitation.

Shen Guodong nodded.

“You have a point. Let me think it over.”

“Have Baldhead send people tomorrow first. As for the assembly line, look into it and see whether you can find any alternatives.”

For now, they could not make any definite promises. Shen Guodong understood that perfectly well.

After sending Zhou Meiniang away, Shen Guodong began considering what to do next.

He went straight to Line One. At that moment, it was still operating at full speed. Although their inventory was running dangerously low, they could at least still produce machine tools.

Old Wang was in the workshop, angrily scolding someone. He was no fool. If they could not obtain the necessary components, Line One might soon be scrapped, leaving its workers unemployed.