socalfunplaces Chapter 58 Clearing the Inventory
Chapter 58 Clearing the Inventory
In June in Hong Kong, the sweltering heat intensifies. Occasionally, a sea breeze blows through the noisy streets, but it cannot dispel the restlessness permeating the air. Groups of young people holding banners can be seen walking around street corners from time to time. The sirens of police cars sound, sometimes near, sometimes far, like a taut string, constantly reminding people that this city is on the verge of a storm.
But at this moment, the Zhonghua Home Appliance Factory on the outskirts of the city was a scene of bustling activity, a stark contrast to the noise outside.
Inside the warehouse, the air fryers that had once been piled up like a small mountain were now almost gone, with only a few empty wooden crates scattered against the corner. The floor had been swept spotless, without a trace of packaging debris. The workers' faces were full of undisguised smiles, their voices brimming with excitement as they chatted, but their hands never stopped; they were doing the final check on the last batch of goods that were about to be shipped to the dock.
"I never expected that these 10,000 to 20,000 machines would sell out so quickly!" Old worker Uncle Chen wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, his tone full of emotion. He had worked in Hong Kong for more than ten years, coming from the mainland to Hong Kong, and had seen many factories rise and fall. When Zhonghua Home Appliances was first established, he was secretly worried that it would be another "short-lived ghost".
Li, who was in charge of packing, chimed in, "That's right! My wife told me the other day that the neighbor's factory hadn't paid wages for three months, and it scared me so much that I was thinking about finding another job every day. Now it's great, Boss Lin has sold all the goods, and not only will we get paid on time, but we might even get a bonus!"
"That's for sure!" Wang Dali, who was in charge of moving the equipment, patted his chest and spoke in a loud voice. "I've heard all the details about the trade fair. As soon as our air fryers were put on display, they were surrounded by layers of people. Those foreigners were all scrambling to place orders. Boss Lin is really capable; he can make such a good product and make it sell so well!"
The workers chatted amongst themselves, their words filled with admiration for Lin Zhou and confidence in the factory's future. Most of them had transferred from radio factories and were now making a living in Hong Kong. Their biggest wish was to have stable jobs so they could earn a living and support their families. Before, seeing the mountains of air fryers piled up in the warehouse, everyone was anxious. Now that the goods were cleared out, the weight on their hearts had finally been lifted, and they even had more energy to work.
Lin Zhou stood at the warehouse entrance, looking at the busy yet orderly scene before him, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. The results of this trade fair far exceeded his expectations; not only had all the inventory been sold, but he had also received numerous follow-up orders. He glanced at his wristwatch; the hour hand pointed to three in the afternoon. The cargo ship at the dock was scheduled to depart in two hours, and this last batch of goods had to be delivered on time.
"Everyone, give it your all and get this shipment to the dock on time!" Lin Zhou shouted. His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.
"Alright!" the workers responded in unison, their enthusiasm growing even stronger.
Lin Zhou turned and walked out of the warehouse. Su Wanqing was standing at the office door waiting for him, holding an order list in her hand. She was wearing a light-colored dress, her hair neatly tied back, and although she looked tired, her elegance was still undeniable. During this period, she had been responsible for liaising with the trade fair and handling subsequent orders and shipments, working almost non-stop, yet she had always maintained an orderly and efficient demeanor.
"Lin Zhou, all the orders from the trade fair have been checked, and the last batch of goods has been packed. The cargo ship is already waiting at the small dock." Su Wanqing handed over the list, her tone light and cheerful. "Also, these are the new orders we received recently, about twenty or so, all inquiring about air fryer supply."
Lin Zhou took the list and quickly glanced at it. It was filled with customer information, order quantities, and delivery times. He frowned slightly and tapped lightly on the "delivery time" column.
"These new orders all have tight delivery deadlines," Lin Zhou said thoughtfully.
Su Wanqing nodded, her smile fading slightly. "Yes, several shopping malls and supermarkets are urging us to stock up as soon as possible. However, the situation in Hong Kong is quite unstable right now, with strikes and demonstrations becoming more frequent. Will we be affected?"
Lin Zhou looked up at the window. What Su Wanqing said was only one aspect. More importantly, Zhonghua Home Appliance Factory was simply not capable of handling these new orders.
The current factory is newly built, small in size, and uses second-hand equipment, resulting in limited production capacity. Previously, producing a few hundred air fryers was already the result of workers working overtime. To fulfill more orders, production must be expanded, a new factory built, and more advanced production lines introduced. All of this will take time.
"These new orders will be put on hold for now," Lin Zhou said firmly. "Reply to the clients that due to the current strikes and protests in Hong Kong, logistics and transportation have been disrupted, and there have been problems with the supply of raw materials. This is considered a force majeure event, and the delivery time will need to be postponed for a while. We will inform them of the specific time after the situation stabilizes."
Su Wanqing paused for a moment, then understood Lin Zhou's intention. She asked worriedly, "Won't this upset the customers? What if they cancel their orders?"
"Some customers will cancel their orders, but most will wait," Lin Zhou smiled confidently. "Our air fryers have already made a name for themselves at the trade fair. Their price-performance ratio far surpasses other fryer products on the market, and they will find it difficult to find better alternatives. Moreover, I will have the finance department refund the deposits to customers who cancel their orders first, minimizing their losses and preserving our factory's reputation."
He paused, then continued, "This period of time is perfect for building a factory and buying equipment. I've already used my connections to contact overseas equipment manufacturers. They have a brand-new production line that's quite suitable for us, and the price is reasonable. It just takes a while to transport it. The factory building has also been handed over to Manager Zhou of the construction company so he can start construction. It will be dozens of times larger than it is now, enough for our future expansion."
A hint of surprise flashed in Su Wanqing's eyes; she hadn't expected Lin Zhou to have planned everything so thoroughly. Looking at Lin Zhou's composed profile, her worries gradually dissipated, replaced by complete trust. "Okay, I'll go reply to the client right away."
"Okay." Lin Zhou nodded, then added, "When you reply, pay attention to your tone and try to be tactful so that the client can feel our sincerity. Also, I will arrange for someone to follow up on the factory construction and equipment procurement. Your main responsibility is to maintain good relationships with existing clients. Once our new factory and production lines are ready, we can start taking orders on a large scale."
"I understand," Su Wanqing replied, turning and walking into the office.
Lin Zhou stood there, gazing at the distant sky. He knew that the storm in Hong Kong would continue for some time, and might even intensify. But for him, it was both a challenge and an opportunity. Once this movement was over, Hong Kong's economy would usher in new development opportunities, and his Zhonghua Home Appliances would also accumulate strength during this period, waiting for the moment to take flight.
He has already planned to expand on a large scale once the new factory and production lines are operational. He intends to not only produce air fryers but also develop a wider variety of small home appliances to capture the market in Hong Kong and even Southeast Asia. He is confident that within a few years, Zhonghua Home Appliances will become a leader in the industry.
Time slipped by unnoticed, and before we knew it, it was July 1967.
The situation in Hong Kong is completely out of control.
The deafening explosions echoed throughout the city, sometimes in bustling commercial streets, sometimes in quiet residential areas, and even near government buildings. The ear-piercing explosions shattered the city's tranquility and destroyed the last vestiges of security in people's hearts.
Hong Kong authorities were forced to declare a curfew. The streets were deserted at night, with only the headlights of patrol cars weaving through the darkness, creating a suffocating atmosphere. During the day, the strike and demonstrations grew larger and larger, and the clashes with the police intensified. The smoke from tear gas, the shouts of the crowd, and the sirens of police cars mingled together, turning this once prosperous and orderly city into chaos.
With soaring prices and shortages of goods, many shops closed down, turning once bustling streets into deserted ones. Those most affected were undoubtedly Hong Kong's wealthy.
These wealthy individuals mostly own extensive real estate, shops, and businesses in Hong Kong, and the continued deterioration of the situation has caused them great anxiety. They fear the storm will destroy their wealth, and even more so, they fear their personal safety will be threatened. As a result, an increasing number of wealthy individuals have chosen to emigrate overseas, taking their families and enormous fortunes to countries in Europe and America seeking asylum.
In order to cash out as soon as possible, they began to sell off their assets in large quantities, including luxury villas, commercial office buildings, street-front shops, and factory land. These once sought-after properties have now become "hot potatoes," with prices dropping again and again. Some can even be sold for half the original price, and there are still few interested buyers.