Mingcan Molding's injection molding workshop.
Zhang Mingcan stood beside an injection molding machine that was being tested for molds, complaining helplessly,
"It seems like we mold makers are always rushing orders. Ugh, it's really annoying."
Tan Jincheng smiled, ignoring his complaint.
Isn't that how it is when you're the weaker party?
You wouldn't say that when you're collecting prepayments.
The mold industry in Beicang District was highly developed, and Tan Jincheng had some knowledge of it in his previous life.
When he chatted over tea with some mold bosses, they all immensely missed the early 2000s because making molds during that period was extremely profitable.
Labor costs were low, and the technical barrier was relatively high in that era.
If you encountered clients who didn't understand much, gross profits could be 100% or even more.
Under normal circumstances, achieving over 40% gross profit was relatively easy, earning no less than import and export businesses.
As the new samples were tested, Tan Jincheng watched the workers finish their inspection, then took one from the sample box.
While examining it, he asked,
"All the mold tests should be completed this week, right?"
Sun Yuming was originally in charge of parts procurement, but recently he had been extremely busy.
Tan Jincheng didn't assign him tasks like the trial production of exterior parts.
This time, they were testing samples of the Fengchi series.
All the exterior parts were the same; after successful trials, they would proceed with paint color treatment.
Liu Yifei's promotional campaign was about to end.
A single endorsement ad couldn't run indefinitely.
Fortunately, the buzz from her new drama nearing completion was still there, so tying it together with Fengchi could still gain some traction.
The subsequent promotion would depend on Shanchi Technology.
Therefore, the sample vehicles had to be finished as soon as possible, as they were waiting to shoot a promotional commercial.
"Don't worry, I'll definitely get the samples tested and ready for you within this week. I know the rules."
"Alright, same as last time. Even if they don't meet mass production requirements, you'll still have to hand-repair dozens of usable samples for me. I need them urgently."
"It's for the commercial, right? Speaking of which, that celebrity you signed for a high price, does she have autographed photos? Get me one, my daughter wants it, she's a fan of hers."
"I'll help you get one when we shoot the commercial. I'm not a fan, what would I want an autographed photo for?"
"Then can I bring my daughter to see?"
Tan Jincheng paused, then looked at Zhang Mingcan and said,
"I didn't expect Brother Zhang to be such a doting father. We'll see then, depending on where they shoot. If it's nearby, it wouldn't be impossible for you to bring your daughter along."
Tan Jincheng had already finished writing the commercial plan.
They would still be collaborating with the same advertising company as last time.
The specific filming location hadn't been decided yet because the popular celebrity's schedule was too tight, with year-end events mostly fully booked.
The commercial shoot was a late insertion, so they needed to accommodate her schedule, unlike last time with Brother Chun, where they could just call him over to shoot.
Most likely, they would still have to go to Hengdian to shoot the commercial.
If they really wanted to go see it, it wouldn't be impossible.
"With just this one daughter, what can I do? It's a pity she's too young, otherwise, I could have recruited you as my son-in-law."
"Forget it! I'm the client boss now. Could I still enjoy this treatment if I were your son-in-law? No way!"
Tan Jincheng had met Zhang Mingcan's daughter, a little chubby girl still in junior high.
Her academic performance seemed less than stellar, and there was a high probability she would pursue studies abroad in the future.
Most second-generation rich kids in the Jiangzhe region followed a similar path: even if their academic performance wasn't great, they would go abroad to get a degree.
They didn't care if it was a diploma mill; anyway, these days, as soon as people heard 'studied abroad,' they thought it was impressive.
Children from wealthy families rarely had low academic qualifications.
Someone with a junior high diploma like Young Master Guo was probably unique.
For a post-95s generation person to have only a junior high diploma was also quite odd; even in rural areas not considered poor, it would be shocking.
"You can't say that. Your brother, I, at least have some family wealth. Although you might not think much of it now, imagine the benefits of having such a father-in-law during your early entrepreneurial days?"
Tan Jincheng pursed his lips and ignored him; he was getting increasingly off-topic.
"I also have a rich 'father-in-law,' I just haven't met him yet, and I haven't reaped any benefits from him either."
"Talk about it when your daughter grows up; you're just bullshitting now. Wang Chao, make sure to follow up on the next steps. I have other things to do, so I'll head back first."
"Okay, boss, I'll make sure to arrange everything. I'll try to get the sample vehicles ready by this weekend."
"Leaving already? Not staying for a meal?"
Zhang Mingcan asked, somewhat surprised.
Tan Jincheng shook his head and said,
"I still have a business trip. Just arrange lunch for Wang Chao. It's the same as last time; you two will handle the follow-up."
"Alright then. It's not easy for a big boss like you, having to go on business trips so often."
Zhang Mingcan said with a smile.
When he first started his business, he also had to travel frequently.
After the business stabilized, he didn't need to travel much.
However, in the past two years, due to the motorcycle ban, his previously stable motorcycle parts business encountered some problems, and he had to start traveling everywhere again to discuss business.
Fortunately, the sudden emergence of Shanchi Technology alleviated his travel pressure this year.
In the second half of the year, Shanchi's mold and plastic parts orders led to a significant improvement in the factory's profitability.
Tan Jincheng, preparing to leave, pointed towards outside the workshop.
Zhang Mingcan understood and followed Tan Jincheng out of the workshop.
"What's wrong? Is there something else? Would you like to come to the office for a seat?"
Zhang Mingcan faintly sensed something.
If it were just a simple sample test, Tan Jincheng wouldn't need to come personally when he clearly had a business trip planned.
Sending Wang Chao to oversee it would be sufficient.
Could they dare not put in their full effort on their end?
Tan Jincheng had no intention of going to the office.
He really was going on a business trip soon, this time to Huzhou.
Next year's projected production capacity was 500,000 vehicles, and battery demand would rise significantly.
Tan Jincheng needed to go there to discuss new prices, striving to increase production while reducing costs and improving efficiency.
Batteries were definitely a must, but developing usable accumulators and meeting their own production capacity within a year was wishful thinking, unless they acquired a complete lead-acid battery company.
There was no need for that.
Not to mention that the development of the electric vehicle industry would lead to an increase in the valuation of lead-acid battery companies, making an acquisition somewhat disadvantageous.
Tan Jincheng himself didn't intend to develop lead-acid batteries; if he were to develop anything, it would be lithium batteries!
Lithium battery technology was not only the future direction for new energy vehicle batteries but could also be applied to electric scooters.
In later generations, electric scooters using lithium batteries were not uncommon.
"You know I'm developing an industrial base. It has officially entered the planning stage, but it won't be built that quickly."
"What, are you trying to invite me into your industrial park cluster?"
The inspection by the top leader had even made it onto Yongcheng News, and the local media in Beicang District also widely reported it.
With a cooperation agreement also reached with the City Investment Company, Zhang Mingcan couldn't possibly be unaware of the district's electric vehicle industrial park plan.
This was a major project expected to exceed ten billion yuan.
Shanchi Technology Industrial Park was only a part of it, with additional supporting industrial parks covering the entire industry chain.
Companies with a certain scale and strength could settle in the industrial park.
Factory buildings could be self-built on approved land, or leased.
Additionally, there was a series of preferential tax policies.
"If you want to move in, it's not impossible. You can relocate your factory there after that area is built, or you can apply for land approval now to build your own factory."
"Let me consider that. If I were to build a factory, I don't have that much capital right now, so the pressure would be a bit high."
No one in manufacturing doesn't want to own their own factory building.
However, moving there would definitely mean expanding beyond the current scale.
First, they would need four or five mu of land.
Land itself wasn't worth much, but building a factory required money.
After construction, further investment would be needed: new equipment, more employees to hire.
All of these required money.
It wasn't that he couldn't afford it, but it always felt a bit reluctant to take money out of his own pocket once it had gone in.
Furthermore, Zhang Mingcan wasn't very keen on expanding through loans.
At his age, earning a few million a year was already very comfortable.
With just one child, why work so hard?
In short, the current Zhang Xucan no longer possessed the entrepreneurial passion he had in his youth.
"What I'm talking about today isn't about that. The industrial park is one thing, and my new factory is also going into production, which you know. Let me reveal a number to you first: next year, our annual output can reach 500,000 electric vehicles, and at the very least, it should be 200,000."
Zhang Mingcan's eyes twitched involuntarily.
Tan Jincheng had seen this expression on Zhang Haiping's face, and he couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth turn up.
Excluding molds, the plastic exterior parts for the Shanchi series electric vehicles were contracted to Zhang Mingcan's Mingcan Molding at a price of 68 yuan per set.
The minimum purchase price for 200,000 sets would be 13.4 million yuan, and the maximum annual purchase could reach 34 million yuan.
With such large figures and a cooperation premise built on ample trust, even someone wanting to "lie flat" would be tempted.
But the problem was still the same as with Zhang Haiping: his current scale couldn't handle such a large order.
In business, there's also the saying,
"sailing against the current, no progress means falling back."
This was merely a transitional production capacity before the Shanchi Industrial Base was completed.
Once the industrial base was built and operational, the procurement orders for plastic exterior parts would definitely rise further.
And this part was not included in Tan Jincheng's project plan.
Doing business emphasizes shared profits.
Core technology must be developed to avoid being bottlenecked, but if you also develop non-core technology, leaving no room for downstream suppliers to survive, that's hogging all the profits.
In that case, you shouldn't expect to continue doing business.
During the transitional production capacity period, Tan Jincheng would, out of past favors and consideration, give Mingcan Molding an order they could handle, ensuring their annual profit margin.
However, once the industrial base officially began production, the supplier system would definitely be optimized.
By then, if he lacked the strength to compete with other large suppliers, Tan Jincheng wouldn't have a better reason to allocate a portion of the orders to him at a higher price, would he?
After all, Shanchi Technology now also had a City Investment Company as a shareholder.
After thinking it over, Zhang Mingcan quickly understood.
Looking at the smiling young man before him, whose face still held a hint of youthful inexperience, he seemed to have transformed into the God of Wealth at that moment.
"So I'm also going down the path of Old Zhang's expansion?"
Is this what they call,
"When one person achieves success, even his chickens and dogs go to heaven"?
(End of Chapter)