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One came from the grassroots, single-handedly, became the director of the lock factory in his 20s, managing more than 1500 employees; one was cultivated with an international vision, had the next line of experience, and in his 20s, he saved more than 40 million yuan for the enterprise by negotiating alone.
In just over a decade, not only has Zhongtian Iron and Steel grown into a steel giant ship with an annual revenue of more than 120 billion yuan in the hands of industrialists; the hair-drenched children who have been pinned on high hopes have also passed and become qualified baton bearers who can shoulder the future.
As 2018 draws to a close, the Xinhua Daily financial client recently conducted an exclusive interview with Dong Caiping, chairman and president of Zhongtian Iron and Steel Group Co., Ltd., and Dong Liyuan, vice president of Zhongtian Iron and Steel Group Co., Ltd. – this is also the first time that the father and son have a dialogue on the same stage.
Ask them to talk about the experience of working together, talk about the differences and similarities between the two generations of Zhongtian people, talk about the inheritance of the enterprise, and talk about the upcoming 2019.
Zhongtian Steel Group
More than 30 years ago, he had a goal that was so simple that it was almost generous
With the tide of the historical torrent of reform and opening up, after 17 years of fission development, today's Zhongtian Iron and Steel has achieved a steel production capacity of 11 million tons, an operating income of 120 billion yuan, and the world's largest Upowerte steel rod and wire production base, becoming one of the domestic private steel giants.
However, at the beginning of returning to the first home, Dong Caiping, who was just 20 years old, held 3 simple and almost generous goals - to become a regular worker; to marry a wife in the local area; and to allocate a 20-square-meter house in the factory as a marriage room.
The characteristics of being able to endure hardships are vividly reflected in the 20-year-old Dong Caiping. "Dry handling during the day, working night shifts alone in the workshop at night, day and night, there are many mosquitoes in the middle of the night, only the exhaust fan is buzzing, and at seven or eight o'clock in the morning, the whole person is delirious." When Dong Caiping told the Xinhua Daily financial client, he did not mark this memory as "pain", in his eyes, the tall buildings were flat, and this hardship was just a stone on the road to growth.
However, Dong Liyuan did not realize what kind of glorious years this stone would be polished for him.
Dong Caiping, Chairman of the Board of Directors and President of Zhongtian Steel
Soon after realizing his original plan, Dong Caiping had greater "ambitions", "I want to run supply and marketing, earn money, buy a house by myself, and be a factory manager."
Dong Caiping's imagination is not a "fool's dream". When his colleagues were still selling locks in the traditional way, he had taken the lead in sorting out the situation of the lock factory into publicity materials, listing varieties and prices, filling out thousands of contracts and sending them to Wujiaohua companies across the country, and successively obtaining feedback.
Dong Caiping quickly emerged. At the age of 28, he was promoted to director of the lock factory, and in addition to managing production and sales, he also shouldered the livelihood of 1500 employees. This is only 8 years since Dong Caiping entered the lock factory as a temporary worker.
In 1997, Dong Caiping ushered in the biggest turning point in his career. His superiors valued his business talents and reduced him to the wujin rolling mill on the verge of closure as chairman. "The superior leaders talked to me, three requirements, the first worker to return to work, there is work; second, the salary should not be less than 600 yuan a month; third, insist on two years of bankruptcy."
Two years of phoenix nirvana, twenty years of spreading wings and taking off. Under the leadership of Dong Caiping, this small steel mill with an annual output of 60,000 tons of steel, 100,000 tons of timber and less than 1 billion yuan in production and sales ushered in rebirth. In September 2001, after the restructuring of the enterprise, Zhongtian Iron and Steel Group was formally established, and gradually developed into a state-level super-large steel joint enterprise, covering steel, logistics, hotels, education, sports and other fields, becoming one of the first batch of 45 enterprises and national green factories announced by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology to meet the "Steel Industry Specification Conditions".
Looking back at the growth of Zhongtian, Dong Caiping is more grateful to the times. "As a witness and witness of the 40 years of reform and opening up, I am very grateful for this experience, I am very grateful for this experience, and I am also grateful for this experience."
The "young marshal" workshop worked hard, and some people still questioned: Is it true or false?
1997 was not only the year that Dong Caiping paid the most. This year, it was also a challenge for his son Dong Liyuan - at the age of 10, he began to pack his bags and go to boarding school in Wuxi alone.
"Father is always busy." Dong Liyuan told the Xinhua Daily financial client. When I was a child, I slept by myself, my father was still working overtime; when I got up in the morning, my father had gone to work in the factory; when I went to school, the parents' meeting was attended by two parents, while my father was basically absent, and once he came, he only sat for 10 minutes and left again. Dong Liyuan, who was still a child at that time, inevitably had losses, but now that Zhongtian Iron and Steel was in charge of key positions, he sighed softly and laughed, "I can understand."
Dong Liyuan, Vice President of Zhongtian Iron and Steel Group Co., Ltd
In recent years, Dong Liyuan has begun to appear more and more in the public eye. As a deputy to the People's Congress of Jiangsu Province and the "young marshal" of Zhongtian Iron and Steel, Dong Liyuan, who wears a straight suit and has a clear thinking, most of them show a combination of high professionalism and young thinking in front of the public.
But many old employees have seen him on the other side - wearing overalls, a stinky sweat, and white salt sweat on their clothes.
"From 2005 to 2009, every year my father let me intern in Zhongtian, sintering, ironmaking, steelmaking, rolling mills, sales, and international trade." Dong Liyuan said that the working conditions were limited that year, itself was nearly 40 degrees high temperature in the summer, and there were more than a thousand degrees of molten steel and molten iron in the workshop, plus for environmental protection, Zhongtian Iron and Steel completely closed the workshop, and the entire temperature of the workshop was as high as about 50 degrees. Even Dong Caiping, who never easily affirmed his son, admitted that "Dong Liyuan can suffer better than his peers."
This experience of "the group boss kissing his son to suffer hardships at the grassroots level" is still talked about by many employees. "Really fake?" There is no shortage of doubts in the internet post bar. "I have been to the iron casting workshop and the steel rolling workshop, which is very hard-working and very low-key." Someone replied.
Obviously, Dong Caiping does not need to falsify the matter of making his son suffer – he was born in the 60s and is a typical representative of the traditional Chinese strict father.
"Not suffering will hurt him." Dong Caiping's intentions were not in vain. Dong Liyuan, who had just passed the age of establishment, did not have the slightest pampering in his body, and many years ago, he developed the habit of getting up at 6 o'clock in the morning, first going to the construction site for a turn, and then going to the morning meeting. Dong Liyuan's circle of friends, there is no famous car watch, no luxurious banquet, occasionally basking in work and meetings, overtime and fast food, running and chicken soup - "don't pretend to work hard, the result will not accompany you to act."
The successor is recognized by the directors, "inheriting not only the enterprise but also the spirit"
Son Shaw his father. Dong Liyuan's "fighting" is obvious to all.
In 2011, Dong Liyuan officially entered Zhongtian Iron and Steel Group, and negotiated the first business in the company's engineering department - a 550-square-meter sintering machine desulfurization project worth 120 million yuan. The landing of this project makes Zhongtian Iron and Steel the fourth enterprise in China and the first enterprise in the national steel private enterprise to adopt the energy-saving and environmental protection technology. More importantly, through business negotiations, Dong Liyuan saved Zhongtian Steel 40 million yuan.
Zhongtian Iron and Steel Plant
After that, Dong Liyuan focused on the group's raw materials and products market in shanghai branch, led the team to inspect mines around the world for several months, deepened cooperation with international mining giants and emerging mines, expanded the volume of long-term agreement orders, and looked for cost-effective overseas coal resources to promote the supply of imported coal with low price and high quality such as Australian coal. The two-pronged approach has greatly reduced the production costs of enterprises from the source. In 2017, raw materials soared, Dong Liyuan returned home for a few days, he flew all over the world to visit customers, research and judge the upstream and downstream markets, and achieved cost reduction and efficiency increase of 370 million yuan throughout the year.
The directors of Zhongtian Steel are satisfied with the future successor, "The directors recognize him, recommend letting him manage, let him be a concerted actor, and take over my shift later." Several of his son's achievements were listed, and Dong Caiping finally smiled on his face, but his tone still did not change, "But this is what he should do." ”
As a traditional father, Dong Caiping almost never speaks of praise for his son. "Because I know that there are too many people saying good things on his side, I can't talk to him anymore, lest he not find the north."
Dong Caiping sometimes compares Dong Liyuan with his younger self, "At that time, no one cared about me, and I crawled down by myself." Why did this fall behind? I think analytically for myself. He believes that he must be "ruthless", because the market is rapidly changing, cruel and ruthless, without his own accumulation of experience in the crawl, there is no way to deal with various complex situations.
Although I sometimes hope that my father can encourage him more, Dong Liyuan, who has also become a father, can understand his father. "Some people say that 'rich is not more than three generations', but in fact, what needs to be inherited is not only the enterprise founded by the father, but also the spirit of integrity and responsibility." Dong Liyuan feels that what his father wants to inherit is not only the way of business, but also the foundation of people. ”
High quality, environmental protection, digital, the giant ship is about to transform and then start
No matter what the family, friction and collision between the two generations is inevitable. In the interview, Dong Caiping and Dong Liyuan did not shy away from the differences in their ideas.
After Zhongtian Iron and Steel became the first enterprise in Changzhou with a revenue of more than 100 billion yuan in 2013, Dong Caiping's greater goal is to become the world's largest and most competitive special steel rod and wire quality base. "It's not easy for a man to do one thing well in a lifetime." He put all his efforts into the development of special steel and strong industry. At the same time, the security of funds is the top priority he considers.
Dong Liyuan, who has studied abroad and worked in Shanghai for many years, has gradually begun to understand the transformation of other private steel companies, thinking about how to rationally use the financial market to empower enterprises and diversify development.
Although the two have different ideas and ideas, the direction is not contradictory. More often, while cautiously innovating and trying, they firmly focus on the common development goals of developing and expanding special steel and environmental protection.
Since 2005, Zhongtian Iron and Steel has begun to implement three five-year plans for the development of special steel - five years of "general to excellent", five years of "excellent to special", and five years of "special to fine". At present, Zhongtian Iron and Steel has been in the development stage of "special to fine", with a total of more than 300 varieties of special steel developed, "Zhongtian brand" cord steel has supplied 70% of the country's automotive tires, power generation claw machine automotive steel successfully supported BMW, Mercedes-Benz and other internationally renowned brands.
In addition, as one of the first "defenders" to join the "blue sky defense war", Zhongtian Iron and Steel has continued to increase investment in environmental protection since 2007, and has invested nearly 12 billion yuan so far, and has implemented more than 110 technical environmental protection transformations. "Some environmental protection investments can be directly seen, but there are many hidden efforts that are invisible, such as huge environmental protection operating costs." Dong Liyuan said frankly, but even in 2013-2016, when the steel market was very severe, this investment did not stagnate.
Sewage treatment
Both father and son of the Dong family firmly believe that environmental protection investment is actually a social responsibility, and it is responsible for the surrounding residents as a company. "Not only jinshan yinshan, but also green water and green mountains", which has become the main line of the development of Zhongtian Steel. So far, Zhongtian Iron and Steel has become the first steel enterprise in Jiangsu Province to achieve ultra-low emissions, sintering machine nitrogen oxides from 300 mg to 50 mg, sulfur dioxide from 200 mg to 35 mg, particulate matter from 50 mg to 10 mg, a drop of more than 80%; it is also the first enterprise in the province to implement fully closed control of all materials. Environmental protection indicators have reached the international advanced level.
At the same time, Zhongtian Iron and Steel is also rapidly accessing the track of information construction, building digital Zhongtian, wisdom Zhongtian and intelligent Zhongtian. Steelmaking and rolling workshops have been successfully selected as demonstration intelligent workshops in Jiangsu Province, and the per capita steel production of Zhongtian Iron and Steel has reached about 1,000 tons, and it is planned to reach 1,500 tons per capita in the next three years.
Looking back at the speech made by the general secretary at the national private economy forum at the beginning of the month, coupled with the private economic forum in Jiangsu Province that he just participated in, Dong Caiping strengthened his confidence, and he told Dong Liyuan, "Immerse yourself in hard work and look at it in three years." He believed that one day in the future, this huge ship would set off again, and the commanding commander on the upper deck would have the same or even greater courage, courage, responsibility, and ambition.
Zhongtian Steel
Father-son dialogue | extract
This interview is also the first time that Dong Caiping and Dong Liyuan father and son have been interviewed on the same stage. Obviously, in the face of the camera, Dong Caiping, who has been in the mall for more than 20 years, can highlight the absolute aura of the helmsman of the steel giant ship, and Dong Liyuan, who has always been easy to accept interviews, is more solemn and serious when he participates in the interview with his father on the same stage.
Dong Caiping (second from left) and Dong Liyuan (first from left) were interviewed by Xinhua Daily's financial client
l Xinhua Daily Financial Client: Dong Zong (Dong Liyuan) just started to practice in the workshop, what is the most impressive thing?
Dong Liyuan: When I first interned, others knew that I was his son, so they put me on the shelf and didn't let me touch anything, so when I interned later, I didn't say anything.
In 2011, I participated in our project preparation, got up at 5 o'clock in the morning in the winter, and at 6 o'clock and a construction boss circled around the construction site, the situation was almost touched, participated in three production site morning meetings, after participating, and then our preparatory team morning meeting. Meetings were all professional knowledge, and it would be very tiring and confusing, but anyway, I felt that the feelings of those months were different, because at least I knew that my father said that the tall buildings start from the foundation, and so do things.
l Xinhua Daily financial client: When working, who is more fighting between the two people?
Dong Caiping: I am very hardworking, and he is also good among young people of his generation, but there is still a gap with our older generation.
Dong Liyuan: Agreed.
l Xinhua Daily Financial Client: What are the advantages of appreciating each other the most?
Dong Caiping: First, he (Dong Liyuan) has his own ideas and judgments, and has his own direction; the second is that he is filial to the elderly and loves his children. In general, it is still passable, but it cannot be scored high and cannot be praised.
Dong Liyuan: My father's generation of private enterprises are the same, working hard from the grassroots, bearing hardships and standing hard work, taking the factory as their home, and great dedication, this quality is the most lacking thing in this era.
l Xinhua Daily Financial Client: Chairman (Dong Caiping), what do you want to say to the second generation of entrepreneurs who will succeed them in the future?
Dong Caiping: To be pragmatic, to bear hardships and stand hard work, and more importantly, when managing enterprises in the future, we must always have acumen and insight, IQ, emotional intelligence, and courage quotient must be available. In addition, it is necessary to operate and pay taxes according to law.
l Xinhua Daily Financial Client: Does Dong Zong (Dong Liyuan) have any expectations for his future?
Dong Liyuan: I think the most difficult thing is how to take over the baton of my father. At present, some so-called "rich second generation" have caused some adverse effects on society. But in fact, this part of the people is only a very small minority, and among the second-generation entrepreneurs, the vast majority are very hard-working. We (second-generation entrepreneurs) sit together and talk more about work, and rarely eat or play. Usually, I will find an ordinary restaurant and start talking about the main business of my business and share my business ideas.
For me personally, in the days to come, I will still focus on the strategic planning of the group, carry out more in-depth development in the development of special steel, and continue to develop green environmental protection, and spare no effort to invest in environmental protection.
l Xinhua Daily Financial Client: If one day you can temporarily put down your work for a while, what do the two want to do together?
Dong Caiping: Spend more time with your family, you have definitely lost a lot over the years, and as you get older, your biggest desire is the return of your family.
Dong Liyuan: I am similar.
Reporter: Wang Yingfei
Editor: Pan Jie