hotmtlnovel Chapter 73 Home Small Lawn Mower
Chapter 73 Home Small Lawn Mower
Lin Zhou had anticipated their questions and wasn't in a hurry. He patiently explained, "Uncle Lou, Brother Lou, you only see the situation in Hong Kong, but you don't see the market outside. In Western countries, such as the United States, Britain, and Australia, many families have detached houses and gardens, and lawns are standard in every household. In the past, they used sickles or long-handled lawnmowers to cut lawns, which was tiring, time-consuming, and inefficient."
He paused, picked up another document, pointed to the data on it, and said, "I've checked the relevant information. The demand for small household lawnmowers in Western countries is currently very high and is still growing. However, there aren't many manufacturers producing these lawnmowers, and the supply is far from meeting the demand, resulting in a large market gap. If our steel mill could produce these lawnmowers and export them to Western countries, we could definitely open up sales channels and get out of our current predicament."
Lou Zhenhua and Lou Jianjun listened intently, their doubts gradually fading, replaced by surprise and a touch of emotion. Although they had never been to Western countries, they had heard that people there lived well, and every household had a garden and lawn. If what Lin Zhou said was true, the market for lawnmowers was indeed not to be underestimated.
"But how technically demanding is this machine? Can our factory workers make it?" Lou Zhenhua still had some concerns. The steel rolling mill had always produced simple metal products such as steel and reinforcing bars, and had never produced such complex machinery before. He was worried that the factory's technology and workers' abilities would not be up to par.
"Uncle Lou, don't worry," Lin Zhou said confidently. "The lawnmower I designed is not complicated in structure. The main components are the engine, blades, transmission device, and wheels."
"We can purchase ready-made small gasoline engines, which are available on the market; the blades and other metal parts can be manufactured using the existing equipment in our steel rolling mill. The technology is not difficult, and the workers can get started with just a little training."
He picked up the blueprints and explained them to the two of them one by one: "Look, these are blades. They are made by stamping steel plates from our factory, and then grinding and quenching them to ensure they are sharp and durable."
This is the transmission mechanism, connected by gears and chains, which transmits the engine's power to the blades, causing them to rotate at high speed to achieve the effect of mowing the lawn; and these wheels are made of solid rubber, which is wear-resistant, non-slip, and easy to move.
Lin Zhou explained things in detail and clearly, making every component and structure on the blueprints crystal clear. Lou Zhenhua and Lou Jianjun listened attentively, nodding as they spoke, their doubts fading and their confidence growing stronger.
They were all people who dealt with machines year-round, and after listening to Lin Zhou's explanation, they knew that the technical threshold for this lawnmower was not high. With the equipment and worker skills of the steel mill, it was fully capable of producing it.
"Moreover, the lawnmowers we produce have several advantages," Lin Zhou continued. "First, they are low-cost. Our steel rolling mill can produce most of the metal parts ourselves, so we don't need to rely on external suppliers, which saves us a lot of costs."
Secondly, it offers excellent value for money. Compared to existing lawnmowers in Western countries, our products are more competitively priced and more readily accepted by consumers.
Third, it's easy to operate. My lawnmower is lightweight and compact, making it easy for women and the elderly to operate, thus appealing to a wider market.
He spread all the documents out on the table: "Here you'll find detailed drawings, a parts list, production processes and technical parameters, as well as my market analysis and forecasts. Take a look carefully, and if there's anything you don't understand, I'll explain it to you."
Lou Zhenhua picked up a market analysis report and read it word by word, his expression growing increasingly excited. The report contained detailed data and thorough analysis, painting a very broad picture of the market prospects for small household lawnmowers.
He looked up at Lin Zhou, his eyes filled with admiration and gratitude: "Lin, I really didn't expect you to come up with such a great idea so quickly! This information is so detailed, you must have stayed up all night, right?"
"It's alright, I'm glad I could help." Lin Zhou smiled. "Now is not the time to talk about these things. Time waits for no one, and the market waits for no one. We need to act quickly, make samples first, and then contact foreign trade companies to open up export channels."
Lou Jianjun, unable to contain his excitement, stood up: "Lin Zhou is right! Without further ado, I'll take the blueprints to the experienced workers in the workshop right now, so they can familiarize themselves with them, prepare the materials, and strive to make a sample as soon as possible!"
Seeing Lou Jianjun's energetic demeanor, Lou Zhenhua's face broke into a long-lost smile, the gloom of the past few days vanishing. He patted Lin Zhou on the shoulder and said sincerely, "Lin, thank you so much this time! If it weren't for you, the steel mill probably wouldn't have survived. The Lou family will remember your kindness!"
"Uncle Lou, you're too kind." Lin Zhou quickly waved his hand. "I genuinely hope the steel mill can do better. We came from Beijing together, so helping each other is only right. Besides, the production and sales of these lawnmowers will require your and Brother Lou's help. I'm just providing an idea and some blueprints."
"Don't worry!" Lou Zhenhua said firmly. "From today onwards, all the factory's resources will be focused on lawnmower production. We'll go all out to make the prototype and open up the market!"
As they were talking, the office door was pushed open, and a middle-aged man who looked like a workshop foreman walked in. Seeing the atmosphere in the room, he asked with some doubt, "Factory manager, deputy factory manager, and who is this?"
"This is Mr. Lin Zhou, a benefactor to our factory!" Lou Zhenhua introduced enthusiastically. "He brought a new project to our factory: a small household lawnmower. Whether our factory can be revived depends on this project!"
He picked up the blueprints on the table and handed them to the workshop foreman: "Take these blueprints now, gather the key technical personnel in the workshop, hold an immediate meeting to study them, formulate a production plan as soon as possible, prepare materials and equipment, and strive to produce a sample within three days! Report any problems to Jianjun and me immediately!"
The workshop foreman took the blueprints, glanced at them, and although he had some doubts, seeing the confident expressions of the factory manager and deputy factory manager, he immediately nodded: "Yes, Factory Manager, I'll get on it right away!"
Watching the workshop director's hurried departure, the three people in the office all smiled with satisfaction. Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on the blueprints on the table, as if gilding the future of the steel rolling mill with a golden glow.
Looking at the hopeful eyes of Lou Zhenhua and his son, Lin Zhou secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He knew this was only the first step; making a sample was just the beginning. There was still a series of things to do, such as contacting foreign trade companies, establishing sales channels, and expanding production.
"Uncle Lou, Brother Lou, after the samples are made, I will contact some foreign trade companies to come and see the goods," Lin Zhou said. "I know a few friends who are in the import and export trade. They have many customers in Western countries, which should be able to help us open up sales channels."
"That's great!" Lou Zhenhua exclaimed with delight. "With your help in contacting foreign trade companies, we're even more confident!"
Lou Jianjun also said excitedly, "Once the samples are made, I will personally oversee the production to ensure that the quality is up to standard."
The three then discussed in detail the potential problems that might be encountered during the production process, as well as the subsequent sales plan. Before they knew it, the sun had risen high in the sky.
As Lin Zhou left the steel rolling mill, Lou Zhenhua and Lou Jianjun personally saw him to the door, repeatedly expressing their gratitude. Lin Zhou smiled and waved goodbye, silently thinking, "I've repaid your family's favor; from now on, we're just acquaintances!"