Then, the second issue was even more serious.
It’s common knowledge that dust can explode in any factory.
But those Beifu workers didn’t know that.
The batteries that Beifu bought from the outside needed to be cut at Beifu’s factory.
Of course, the cutting process doesn’t require any effort from Beifu’s workers; it’s fully automated.
But after cutting, so tal dust is produced, and this dust is placed in dust collectors.
The dust in the collectors needs to be handled with specialized equipnt.
However, Beifu’s workers responded by using regular vacuum cleaners to suck up this dust.
The result, naturally, was a dust explosion, and one worker died.
Beifu’s response was to send out a maintenance team of hundreds to frantically demand docuntation from partners, hoping to prove through loopholes in the paperwork that they weren’t to bla.
"So, you’re saying that the current problem with Beifu is actually a collective breakdown in worker competence and mid-lower level managent?"
Asked Schaefer, who was beside him.
"Yes, that’s right," Ms. Li nodded and said. "Of course, working at Beifu is very easy and pleasant because there’s virtually nothing to do every day.
Working at Beifu for a day involves less activity than cleaning your own house. But this atmosphere, along with the workers recruited in the na of diversity, ans that Beifu can’t even assemble imported battery components from Huaxia into finished products."
"But from what I see in the data and news, hasn’t Beifu already started delivering products to so clients who placed orders?" Chen Yiyang asked.
"Those are just small-batch products. And most of those are just branded batteries, and to be able to label them, Beifu had to urgently hire hundreds of employees from Huaxia and South Korea," Ms. Li explained after Chen Yiyang and Schaefer discussed briefly.
"Beifu is definitely going to go under," Schaefer stated his judgnt.
"They can’t even handle branding properly, and Beifu has no capacity to produce products. Those major clients placed orders to obtain usable products to enter the European market. But now with no products, they simply can’t accept it.
If even one major client announces the cancellation of an order, then, by chain reaction, Beifu’s internal problems will be exposed sooner or later."
"If Beifu goes under, it ans losing an easy way to enter the European market," Chen Yiyang, at this point, instead beca the one who hoped Beifu wouldn’t go bankrupt.
"How did our Europe end up like this," Schaefer was already sowhat ntally broken down.
Originally, he introduced Beifu to Chen Yiyang to showcase Europe’s future.
But now he saw that Europe’s future consisted of workers who couldn’t even handle branding.
"Don’t take it like that," Chen Yiyang patted Schaefer’s shoulder in consolation.
"You know," Schaefer told Chen Yiyang, "many universities in Germany have science courses aid at primary school students.
When I was in school, these courses would introduce which technologies Germany led the world in, hoping to ignite German children’s interest in science and technology.
Later on, the content of these classes beca about how Germany would overtake the world’s advanced technologies through Industry 4.0."
"Isn’t that nice?"
"But that was several years ago," Schaefer said, "In recent years, these classes have entirely turned into environntal courses, with all content about how to handle waste, how to be environntally friendly, and the ecological threats posed by products now.
The whole lesson is like a chant, with zero technical content. Even for environntalism, kids should learn so scientific knowledge, but instead, it’s all liberal arts propaganda."
"Don’t forget your role," Chen Yiyang could only say to Schaefer, "You’re a broker. If Europe loses production capacity, doesn’t it precisely need soone in your profession to bring products to Europe?"
"Oh, right," Schaefer imdiately snapped back.
The less production capacity Europe has, the more in demand he is.
"We need to talk with Peter Carlson," Chen Yiyang said to Schaefer, "If Beifu goes bankrupt, it’s not beneficial for us. Even if it’s just labeling, we need to ensure Beifu continues labeling."
Chen Yiyang and Schaefer once again arranged to et with Peter Carlson.
After hesitating for a few days, Carlson finally decided to et Chen Yiyang and Schaefer at his ho.
"Let’s get this straight," Peter Carlson said after they t, "This is my ho, a private place. We can discuss any topic freely here, but these are just casual chats among friends, not formal discussions."
"No problem," Chen Yiyang and Schaefer nodded and sat down at the dining table in Peter Carlson’s ho.
"I’ve learned so things about Beifu through its internal employees," Chen Yiyang began directly.
Almost like a reflex, Peter Carlson imdiately responded, "I admit Beifu has so problems, but we are working to overco them."
"Are you talking about overcoming the frequent employee deaths due to safety issues, or do you an that even sticking a label on a battery requires the help of Huaxia and South Korean workers?" Schaefer was relentless in his criticism of this European companion.
"You didn’t co here just to laugh at , did you? If there’s anything, just say it," Peter Carlson was sowhat despondent.
"I’m responsible for managing the supply chain, and every docunt on my desk shows that I’ve done the best I can.
I’ve solved equality and environntal organization issues for Beifu, and I’ve brought production lines and technology to Beifu."
"We know, this is obviously not your responsibility," Chen Yiyang quickly said, "We’re here to help you."
Peter Carlson at that mont felt like the last Emperor Chongzhen, aware that the company had many issues, and despite his efforts, these issues were deep-rooted, beyond what he alone could solve.
"Based on our investigation, Beifu simply does not have the capability to supply large orders to major clients. They can’t even do branding properly in Beifu’s factory.
So, with things reaching this level, Mr. Forr Vice President of Tesla, why not learn from what Tesla did back then?" Chen Yiyang suggested.
Tesla’s approach back then?
Peter Carlson imdiately understood what Chen Yiyang ant, "You want to set up a factory in Huaxia. That’s not possible."
Tesla managed to deliver cars back then by relying on Huaxia’s ga-factory.
But Beifu’s situation is not the sa as Tesla’s.
"Beifu took a lot of money from the European Conglorate to produce batteries locally in Europe. If we ran off to Huaxia to build a factory, these investors wouldn’t agree."
"So what we need is so re-packaging," Chen Yiyang said, "If possible, we’d of course like to build a battery labeling factory in Europe. But for now, Beifu just can’t do it."
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