There are dozens of members of the Yubei Revitalization Working Group, and they have all been arranged by Meng Fanze to go to various enterprises for research in advance. Meng Fanze took Feng Xiaochen with him and acted alone all the way, in fact, he was looking for a feeling, because with his age, he couldn't withstand the high-intensity research work at all, so he could only take a look. Of course, even if he is a casual observer, he can see a lot of things, after all, he has far more experience than those young cadres, and he can also understand some things that others cannot understand by virtue of his status as a deputy minister.

"Minister Meng, you see, this is the Yubei Heavy Machinery Factory, a large factory with 15,000 employees, and now ninety percent of the workers have gone home to wait for their posts. Our city government also tried a lot of ways to help them get out of trouble, but the size of the factory was too big for us to sustain at all. ”

When the car drove into the gate of a rather imposing factory, Tan Dejun introduced Meng Fanze and Feng Xiaochen.

Meng Fanze and Feng Xiaochen have both been to Yubei Heavy Machinery. Feng Xiaochen knew that this was a large-scale factory, with four or five production areas, special factory railways and freight yards, as well as administrative areas and family areas. There are two criss-cross commercial streets in the middle of the factory, and there are grain stores, grocery stores, department stores, movie theaters, gymnasiums, etc. on both sides, and the whole factory is like a small city.

The last time Feng Xiaochen came, the machines in the factory were roaring, black smoke was coming from the chimney, and the air was filled with the smell of engine oil. In just two or three years, everything has changed, there is no sound of machines, no black smoke, and the workers have no energy, and they are looking at them with exhaustion and helplessness.

"How did it get like this!" Meng Fanze sat in the car and said hatefully.

Feng Xiaochen's heart is also heavy, he knows that the era of great layoffs has just begun, and the situation will become more and more serious in the next few years, and it will not be gradually alleviated until the end of the 90s. There are various reasons for this, but in the final analysis, it is the pain of institutional change. A large number of state-owned enterprises are accustomed to the state's mode of production, and the cadres and workers also lack the initiative and enthusiasm to face the market economy.

During this period, both the central and local governments were desperately trying to save these large enterprises from bankruptcy, and they also paid a huge price for this. After more than 10 years, people gradually explored some effective measures, and after entering the new century, many state-owned enterprises have successively realized the transformation of their operating mechanisms and regained their vitality. What Feng Xiaochen needs to do now is to advance this process a little bit, and try to make the cost of transformation smaller.

The car stopped under the office building of the factory department, and a factory leader in a straight suit walked up quickly, and the leader personally opened the car door and helped Meng Fanze out of the car.

"Minister Meng, welcome, welcome!" the man said enthusiastically.

This is Fang Chengju, the factory director of Yubei Heavy Machinery. Tan Dejun introduced Meng Fanze beside him.

"Oh, it's Director Fang, it's hard work. Meng Fanze nodded politely to Fang Chengju. Before setting off in the capital, he had already read the information of some key enterprises in Yubei, and also knew Fang Chengju's name. Fang Chengju only served as the director of the factory a few years ago, and Meng Fanze had retired at that time, so he had not dealt with him.

This is Comrade Feng Xiaochen, deputy head of the National Yubei Revitalization Working Group and assistant general manager of the State Equipment Industry Corporation. Tan Dejun introduced Feng Xiaochen to Fang Chengju again.

"I'm an old friend with Assistant Xiao Feng, I remember that Assistant Xiao Feng came to our Yuzhong the year before, didn't you?" Fang Chengju walked over and shook hands with Feng Xiaochen while laughing and saying in an exaggerated tone.

Feng Xiaochen also smiled and responded: "It should be the year before last, that time I came to coordinate the production of heavy-duty track straightening machines for the Daqin Coal Railway, and Director Fang gave us a lot of support." ”

"Alas, alas, I'm ashamed, I'm ashamed, because our technical strength is limited, and we didn't help Assistant Feng in the end, which is really ashamed. Fang Chengju said repeatedly, but there was not much apology in his tone.

"It doesn't matter, in fact, Director Fang gave me a lot of inspiration at that time, and it helped me a lot. Those few pieces of equipment, we later asked Qinzhou Heavy Machinery to help get them out, but it didn't delay anything. Feng Xiaochen said with a smile.

The two of them were talking about three years ago, the Daqin coal transportation line under construction needed five heavy-duty track straightening machines, and Yubei Heavy Machinery had experience in producing ordinary track straightening machines in the past, so Feng Xiaochen made a special trip here to discuss the development of heavy-duty track straightening machines with Fang Chengju. That time, Fang Chengju's attitude was quite enthusiastic, but when it was implemented, he would say that there were other tasks and could not be freed up for the time being, and that the equipment was outdated, and it would be difficult to undertake such a difficult task unless the state could give a technical transformation fund.

Feng Xiaochen stayed in Yuzhong for seven or eight days and found nothing, so he could only transfer to Qinzhou Heavy Machinery Factory and ask Cui Yongfeng for help. Qin Zhong referred to the design ideas of similar foreign equipment, overcame many difficulties, and finally came up with qualified products.

Since then, Feng Xiaochen has felt that Yuzhong is in decline, but he didn't expect it to decline so quickly, and in just a few years, it was on the verge of stopping production.

The poor man must have something to hate, is it not said that this is the case?

Fang Chengju didn't care about what Feng Xiaochen said, in his heart, he felt that the equipment he didn't make was not a great thing to be made by other companies. With just five heavy rail straightening machines and an output value of several million, what is it? He exchanged a few words of greeting with Feng Xiaochen, and then introduced the other factory leaders who were following him to Meng Fanze and Feng Xiaochen one by one. Subsequently, a group of people hugged each other and welcomed Meng Fanze and the two to the factory conference room.

As soon as they entered the conference room, Meng Fanze and Feng Xiaochen felt that their eyes were bright, the high-end chandelier, the large solid wood conference table, the leather back chair, and the delicate fruit in the fruit bowl, all of which seemed so luxurious, in stark contrast to the sluggish atmosphere in the factory. The waiters in brand-new overalls are all young and beautiful, with bright smiles on their faces, which makes people feel happy and happy at first sight.

"Minister Meng, Assistant Feng, have you worked hard all the way? Come on, eat some fruit, this season, it's not easy to get some fresh fruit in us, this is still bought by the office in the provincial capital, and it was sent by overnight last night. ”

Fang Chengju beckoned Meng Fanze and Feng Xiaochen to sit down in the middle of the conference table, and personally gave them the bananas airlifted from the south, chattering and showing off.

Meng Fanze's face was already a little unsightly, but he still controlled himself and didn't get angry. After all, Fang Chengju is the director of a large state-owned enterprise, and his level is very high, unlike a small official like Liu Jinwen, who will be trained after training. To put it mildly, with Fang Chengju's level, he is so respectful to you, a retired deputy minister, that is, to give you face, do you really think that people are afraid of you?

"Director Fang, you're welcome. Minister Meng brought us here this time to learn about the difficulties of enterprises in Yubei and to determine a plan to help enterprises in Yubei get out of difficulties. As far as we know, Yubei Heavy Machinery has suffered continuous losses in the past two years, and the current business is in difficulty, with an operating rate of less than 10%.

Feng Xiaochen spoke.

Fang Chengju had already broken a banana for Meng Fanze and Feng Xiaochen and put it in front of them, and he would return to his seat, just about to say something polite. Hearing Feng Xiaochen get straight to the point, he seemed a little uncomfortable, and after a while, he said with a smile:

"Uh-huh, yes, let's get down to business first. About Yubei Heavy Machinery, in fact, we have lost money for five consecutive years, but the loss in the first three years is not large, and it can barely be regarded as breakeven. Last year, the net loss was more than 10 million yuan, all supported by bank loans, or I wouldn't even be able to pay the workers' wages. In this regard, I have to solemnly express my gratitude to Mayor Tan. ”

Hearing Fang Chengju talk about his head, Tan Dejun smiled bitterly: "Hehe, Director Fang, I'd rather you don't thank me." You know how much effort our city has gone into getting the bank to lend you money. If you continue like this, you will be fine, and all the banks in Yubei will go bankrupt first. ”

"What can I do?" Fang Chengju said confidently, "The national task has been reduced, but I still have to eat for more than 10,000 people, who can I rely on if I don't rely on the bank?"

Feng Xiaochen interrupted their dispute and said, "Director Fang, you said that the national task has been reduced, what is the specific situation, can you tell me about it?"

Fang Chengju said: "Isn't this obvious? Our Yubei Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd. has more than 80 million tasks in the past year, and it can reach more than 100 million in many years." Since the year before last, the annual task is more than 40 million, and last year it was not even 30 million. After deducting raw materials, water and electricity, the remaining money is simply not enough to pay wages. So far this year, the task given by the state is more than 10 million, but I have no liquidity in my account, raw materials can't be bought, some equipment has failed, and there is no money to buy accessories, how to produce?"

"Then have you thought of any solutions?" Feng Xiaochen continued to ask.

"I thought about it. Fang Cheng said.

"What can you do?"

"I personally went to the capital to find the State Planning Commission, the Ministry of Machinery, the Ministry of Energy, and the Ministry of Railways. Not to mention anything else, the fuel money for the car alone has been spent in thousands, and the result is useless!"

Fang Chengju said in an indignant tone, his face full of grievances.