Mexico project team

For over four hundred days and nights, a group of people used the sense of mission in entrepreneurship as a torch to illuminate each other. With sincerity, they paved the way for success, chiseled out light in places without a path, and tempered their beliefs into a reality of giving their all and achieving their mission

What is the most important thing for a group of people to do something well

We need to have a sense of mission for entrepreneurship

Project manager Zhao Yubin's answer was resolute. This is not only his personal creed, but also the foundation of the entire Mexican project team's struggle.

The client is a top global steel giant. From signing, design, production to testing, every step is fraught with obstacles, with strict standards, complex structures, and unprecedented design difficulties, like mountains that urgently need to be crossed. For over four hundred days and nights, without sleep or food, every member of the team almost burned themselves out. When the first 50 ton crane with the "Weihua" logo slowly drove out of the factory area, all the sweat and hard work finally condensed into light heading towards the distance at that moment.

This is an unprecedented expedition, and more importantly, a 'northward march' carrying glory and dreams.

Open the land springboard with sincerity

Affected by both tariff policies and market dividends, Mexico has become an indispensable "land springboard" for many companies to enter the North American market. With top global car manufacturers settling in one after another, local economic vitality is surging.

Faced with this thriving land, an international steel group has ambitious plans to build a new factory in the industrial hub of Monterrey in northern Mexico in 2024 and publicly tender globally, with three 50 ton gantry cranes as the core tender project.

The news came, and Shi Jian, the national manager of Weihua International's Europe and America region, was deeply moved.

As a pioneer who has been deeply involved in the Mexican market for many years, he knows very well that this is not only the key outcome of Weihua's internationalization strategy, but also the pivot to open up the high-end markets in Europe and America. Winning orders from international steel giants is like holding the key to a higher stage.

Shi Jian (first from the left) and colleagues visit Mexican clients

Opportunities are fleeting, and we have no way out in this battle that occupies favorable timing and location. We must win it. "Faced with international competitors who are eyeing us, Shi Jian's belief is as firm as a rock.

In multiple business negotiations, he calmly presented Weihua's service cases to clients: the bridge crane from Mittal in France, the gantry crane from Saudi Aramco, customized solutions for the Russian market... world leading anti sway technology, innovative practices in flexible manufacturing of discrete equipment, and efficient production capacity of one bridge crane offline per hour. Weihua demonstrated the unique advantages of China's manufacturing industry, which made customers nod frequently.

However, real tests followed one after another. The customer conducted four on-site inspections of the Weihua factory, without exchanging pleasantries or formalities, only asking questions and taking notes directly to the topic: observing the trajectory of the automatic welding gun, measuring the distance between wires with a vernier caliper, and checking the waterproof performance of the equipment... Every time, Shi Jian's palms were sweaty, but he always responded calmly, never eagerly asking for results, but winning the trust of the customer with professional product comparisons and suggestions.

In the end, what impressed the customers was not only the technical strength, but also the determination of Weihua to root in Mexico - Weihua's local office and soon to be established subsidiary demonstrated unique sincerity and service capabilities.

Shi Jian and the client took a photo at Weihua

We are not selling equipment, but solutions to problems, "Shi Jian said." In the sales field, there is nothing harder than winning trust. But as long as we provide solutions that can directly address pain points, customers have no reason not to choose us

Chisel out light in places without roads

At the beginning of the signing, members of the technical team believed that everything should go smoothly, "because we already have mature products and a lot of resources, and the difficulty of doing it is probably not high." However, the fact proves that things are not as simple as imagined.

The European standard and the national standard are completely different design systems, "Liu Fuli rubbed his swollen temples and pointed to the parameters on the screen." For example, for this weld grade, the national standard may only specify one level, while the European standard needs to be refined to the depth of fusion, bite amount, and flaw detection ratio

What's even more tricky is that the core components specified by the customer are all foreign brands, and only limited contact can be obtained through intermediaries. They can't even provide product drawings and information, and it's difficult to contact the other party's technical team, making it difficult to achieve effective communication.

Liu Fuli (second from the right) and the team discuss technical feasibility

Without a reference plan, starting from scratch is like learning a new language. "The design team was thrown into a" desperate survival "battle.

Liu Fuli disassembled the thick technical agreement into more than 300 specific requirements, translated word for word, annotated, and repeatedly verified them, and then transformed them into drawings through precise design language.

This is a high-intensity cross-border 'translation', filled with countless times of starting over and over again. Any minor modification can have a ripple effect, causing the entire system to readjust.

Electrical designer Hou Pengchao has a deep understanding of this, especially the optimization of combining air conditioning into one. By compressing the heat dissipation of two air conditioners into one box, the thermal conductivity coefficient needs to be recalculated, the air duct direction needs to be adjusted, and the electrical room needs to be merged. We need to meet customer requirements while also considering quality and safety, as well as matching usage scenarios. For example, building Lego blocks and adjusting any component requires starting from scratch

Hou Pengchao carefully checked the technical agreement requirements

The plan has undergone five rounds of revisions and is still undecided. The team's initial spirit has been put to the test, and their patience is almost exhausted. Depressive emotions began to spread, and even some people began to give up. But Liu Fuli is well aware that this is the first "ticket" to tap into the North American market, with extraordinary significance.

He said, 'We don't aim for quick success, but we must walk steadily and solidly! No matter how many revisions we make, we must do our best to ensure that everything goes smoothly!' This statement reignited everyone's fighting spirit.

Although there is a 14 hour time difference between China and Mexico, the project team works day and night, often communicating with clients late at night, refining plans based on opinions during the day, and their hard work is also common in the office on weekends. Everyone has only one belief in their hearts: they must win this opening battle!

In the end, the technical team perfectly responded to all needs with the utmost craftsmanship of "hand drawing": optimizing the design of the electrical room, innovating integrated wireless WiFi, sliding line communication, "safety failure protection system" and other technologies have been implemented one after another.

The project team conducts experimental acceptance with the client

Liu Fuli proudly said, "This design strictly benchmarks against the European standard system, achieving zero compromise in all dimensions. We have not only overcome international technical barriers, but also achieved a comprehensive leap in team capabilities

Sense of mission is the strongest bond

The project team members come from different departments, and although they are all elite soldiers, the initial collaboration was not smooth. Everyone has different understandings of the project, and when faced with high-intensity work pace, it is inevitable to have differences.

How to unify thoughts? How to closely integrate company strategy with project execution? Project manager Zhao Yubin constantly self interrogated. Especially during meetings, it's difficult for everyone to have free time collectively, and many people complain that 'meetings always delay work'.

Zhao Yubin did not rush to refute, but instead moved a chair to his colleague's workstation to communicate and push forward in the form of a "small meeting".

If he doesn't come, I'll go. The essence of the meeting is to reach a consensus, the form is not important. So, the workshop, the cafeteria, and even the freight elevator have become places for discussing issues. ”This subtle change quietly ignited the team's chemical reaction, and the team's edges slowly ground into a cohesive force.

Project Promotion Meeting

During the customer inspection period, the team coordinated and integrated sales, technical, production and other resources, and accompanied the explanation throughout the process; On National Day, product testing and acceptance entered a sprint, and all staff actively stayed behind to overcome the difficulties of tight time and heavy tasks, ensuring the smooth completion of acceptance.

The real test lies in the details, but what is even more moving is the hardworking figure in ordinary positions.

When the first imported air conditioner arrived, warehouse manager Dong Xinyue encountered difficulties: all English labels, irregular appearance, and even logistics documents were filled with professional terminology. I can't accept it! "She grabbed the delivery driver and said," I need to figure out if this is what the customer wants. "She used mobile software to translate word for word, double checked, cross checked the technical agreement, and contacted the procurement department for confirmation before putting the materials into storage.

In order to overcome the management difficulties of imported materials, she took photos of all English labels for archiving, translated and compared them one by one, and even personally compiled a "Quick Reference Handbook for English Materials".

Once, a batch of imported hydraulic valves were short of two sealing gaskets. She repeatedly checked them in the warehouse more than ten times and finally found them in the hidden compartment of the container.

From being flustered at the beginning to being efficient and precise later on, she and the warehousing team silently supported the project's massive material demand system with quick responses time and time again.

Zhao Yubin reviewed the minutes of the review meeting

We cannot wait for everything to be ready, "Zhao Yubin expressed the team's voice." We must carry the mission of entrepreneurship, think and work together, and strive towards a common goal with all our might

The smooth shipment of the first crane is not the end point, but a brand new starting line.

For over four hundred days and nights, they sowed hope in every inch of the blueprint, honed their hard work in the roar of the workshop, and caught up with the progress in the reversed time difference.

This is not the heroism of one person, but a group of people who use the "sense of mission in entrepreneurship" as a torch to illuminate each other and ultimately temper their beliefs into the reality of "giving their all and achieving their mission".

Every person who strives to run through time will surely receive rich rewards from time. As long as their gaze is firm and their heart is towards the distance, they will surely be able to cut through the waves and move forward without hesitation.