June 1st, Children's Day.
The new Zhejiang version of the "traffic regulations" was officially implemented.
Auspicious license plate numbers were auctioned, bicycle registration and licensing were canceled, and replaced with commercial vehicle sales registration.
The maximum speed limit on non-speed-limited urban roads shall not exceed 60 kilometers per hour, 90 kilometers per hour on highways, and 20 kilometers per hour within unit compounds and residential areas.
Additionally, there's a proactive learning points system, a maximum compensation of 50,000 yuan for motor vehicle drivers not responsible for traffic accidents, direct claims to insurance companies for traffic accidents with property damage under 3,000 yuan, and so on.
There are also regulations like compulsory traffic insurance.
The new traffic regulations are infinitely close to the era Tan Jincheng was familiar with when driving, which made Tan Jincheng adapt quite well.
Regarding the auction of auspicious license plates, when he previously applied for license plates, Tan Jincheng always thought they were for auction and never considered that they weren't auctioned in this era, only realizing it after reading the new traffic regulations.
If he had remembered this earlier, he would have definitely gotten a few free auspicious license plates.
The new traffic regulations also include the latest management methods for electric vehicles.
Due to the explosive growth in electric vehicle sales since this year, various regions, including Zhejiang Province, are continuously improving their electric vehicle management methods.
Nationwide, Zhejiang Province is currently the most comprehensive province in electric vehicle management, with fairly detailed rules.
Through these rules, one can generally perceive the trajectory of electric vehicle development.
At the meeting, Tan Jincheng also spoke on the topic of electric vehicles.
The speech was arranged by the conference organizer, with no particular highlights.
Tan Jincheng just read it as is, but the feeling was quite novel.
Although it was a non-governmental organization, it carried the words "national" and was still very authoritative in this era.
It was his first time speaking at such an institutional conference.
After attending the seminar on the National Bicycle Eleventh Five-Year Plan in Shanghai, Tan Jincheng did not linger much.
On the morning of June 2nd, he prepared to return to Ningbo.
He didn't have much time to stay here.
General Manager Jin and General Manager Zhang of Bo Neng would go to Beicang tomorrow to discuss the latest cooperation issues between the two parties.
"Boss, Tianyu heard you came to Shanghai and wants to ask if you have time to discuss contract issues?"
Zeng Jixiang asked.
Zhao Xinyi stayed in Beicang to handle handover matters with Sun Yuming.
She would not be taken on subsequent business trips for the time being, which also fulfilled her wish to rest at home.
"Reply to them that the itinerary is already arranged, there's no time currently, and it will have to wait until next time."
What's there to talk about contract renewal before the July promotional event and fan meeting are over?
If the renewal is completed and you act like a big shot at the fan meeting, wouldn't that be a huge loss?
Tianyu is not a good company.
"Okay."
"Alright, let's pack up and prepare to go back."
---
"Boss, are we going today? Wouldn't that seem a bit too eager? The negotiations might become somewhat passive then,"
Zhang Yunhua asked hesitantly.
"Not really. I've recently gathered a lot of Mr. Tan's activities and remarks during negotiations. He shouldn't be the kind of person to take advantage of others,"
Jin Chuanling said with a smile.
"Besides, we are already a bit passive right now. I heard that Chaowei is also preparing to send people over."
Chaowei is a first-tier domestic brand, headquartered in Changxin County, just like Bo Neng.
Changxin County is an important industrial base for the domestic battery industry, gathering several well-known brands of lead-acid batteries.
Shan Chi Group has now exploded in capacity.
Its sales announced in May were 52,700 vehicles, continuing to rank first in monthly sales.
As of May this year, Shan Chi has sold 167,200 electric vehicles, and total sales have exceeded 200,000, reaching 205,200 vehicles.
And yesterday, on June 1st, it was successfully rated as a "Zhejiang Province Famous Brand."
With the added endorsement of an Olympic sponsor brand, Shan Chi should have no suspense in being rated as a National Inspection-Exempt Brand next.
With continuously rising sales, Shan Chi has become a force that no one in the entire electric vehicle industry chain can ignore.
At this point, one must absolutely not lose this client for the sake of so-called face or considerations of initiative and passivity.
A year ago, when Shan Chi came to the factory to sign orders, Jin Chuanling didn't even want to show up.
It was just a small electric vehicle manufacturer with a small supply volume, and even Zhang Yunhua was indifferent.
If they could sign it, they would; if not, it didn't matter.
They didn't need such an dispensable client.
A year later, to meet the boss of Shan Chi Group, Wang Yunhua and his assistant repeatedly confirmed the itinerary.
They couldn't arrange a meeting throughout May, and in June, Shan Chi's reply was that they wanted to meet after the business trip to Hangzhou on the 8th.
But with the covetous Chaowei by their side, they really couldn't wait any longer.
"The world is changing too fast. We also have to work hard to keep up with the times, otherwise we'll be left behind,"
Jin Chuanling said with emotion.
The status between suppliers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) is not fixed.
If an OEM is too small and wants to improve quality by seeking large component suppliers, it's very normal for component manufacturers to ignore them.
There is no absolute boundary between Party A and Party B; whoever is stronger is Party A.
A year ago, in front of Bo Neng Environmental, even if Shan Chi was the one paying for goods, it could only be Party B.
Tan Jincheng, who had regained the initiative as Party A, was not surprised at all to see Jin Chuanling and Zhang Yunhua when he returned to the company on June 2nd.
If it were him, he wouldn't be able to sit still either.
At this point, anyone still sitting idly by is either overly confident and arrogant, or has no great ambition for running a business.
In Tan Jincheng's impression, he had heard of the Yazhen Battery brand in his previous life.
Its market share was unknown, but the fact that he still remembered it surviving until 2023 indicated the company's vitality was quite good.
"General Manager Jin, General Manager Zhang; I'm really sorry, last month was incredibly busy, and I made you two come all this way personally. My fault, my fault."
As soon as they met, Tan Jincheng repeatedly apologized, showing great enthusiasm.
Then he said to Zeng Jixiang,
"Xiao Zeng, go get that can of hidden tea for me."
A smile for everyone, even if no deal is struck, goodwill remains.
This approach is quite effective in business, and Tan Jincheng often relied on this humility to win over many people.
Zeng Jixiang looked puzzled.
The boss usually liked to drink coffee, so where did this treasured tea come from?
Besides, what tea would one drink on such a hot day?
Go ask Sister Zhao, she should know.
"It's fine, Mr. Tan has been in the limelight for over a month now, and business is incredibly good, so being busy is understandable. When you're busy, Mr. Tan, we also benefit, as more batteries are sold,"
Zhang Yunhua chuckled.
Shan Chi sold 205,200 electric vehicles, all using their company's batteries.
These 205,200 vehicles alone, through two order signings, brought Bo Neng nearly 90 million yuan in sales.
A sales volume of 90 million yuan in just 11 months since Shan Chi Technology was established, not even a full year.
How terrifying.
According to the industry and Shan Chi's sales forecast for the full year of 2006, Shan Chi Technology's cost on batteries could be nearly 200 million yuan, and Bo Neng has the capacity to fully absorb this 200 million yuan in production.
In a booming market, a strong OEM can easily boost an important component supplier.
"What were the contents of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan seminar?"
Jin Chuanling asked with some curiosity.
"It's my first time attending such a seminar. The content needs some digestion, but the sense of novelty was quite strong,"
Tan Jincheng replied with a smile.
"Indeed, the first time is more about novelty, but Mr. Tan should attend such meetings frequently in the future,"
Jin Chuanling nodded.
"Furthermore, I know young people aren't very interested in meetings, especially purely academic ones, but as an elder, I still want to advise Mr. Tan once: don't underestimate these meetings."
Tan Jincheng asked seriously,
"Is there something to it? Please enlighten me, General Manager Jin."
Jin Chuanling said with a smile,
"I wouldn't presume to advise, let's just exchange thoughts. In business, it's really all about connections. These meetings might not necessarily yield concrete discussions, but they allow you to meet many people. Mr. Tan, you probably exchanged business cards with many industry insiders this time, didn't you?"
Nodding, Tan Jincheng said,
"Yes, indeed. Besides some seniors I already knew, I did meet many industry veterans this time, and I also had a brief acquaintance with the chairman of Lüyuan in our Zhejiang Province."
Dong Jinggui and Zhang Congxun both attended.
The chairman of Lüyuan, who has always been dedicated to promoting industry development, naturally wouldn't miss this meeting.
However, what surprised Tan Jincheng the most was meeting Zhang Jian, the founder of Aima, at this conference!
Previously in Tianjin, Tan Jincheng had intended to visit Aima's bicycle factory, but regrettably couldn't find a reason.
A sudden visit would seem somewhat strange, so he had to suppress the idea.
Zhang Jian, born in 1969, is from Henan Province.
In the 1990s, he gave up his "iron rice bowl" and joined the bicycle company founded by his father.
By the late 1990s, he and his wife moved to Tianjin to establish their own bicycle factory, reaching the forefront of the industry after 5 years of development.
In his previous life, for a period, Aima's stock performed very well, attributed to consumption downgrade.
During that time, Tan Jincheng had learned about Aima's past; it was a typical family enterprise.
Aima was able to carve out a new path with a completely new brand in 2009, despite the market landscape already being established, somewhat akin to Pin Xixi's breakout.
Besides the founder's ability, it should have a significant connection to the family's deep roots.
Private enterprises, particularly those operating under a family model, might face severe corruption issues later on, and conflicts of interest can become quite ugly once they grow large.
However, in the early stages, it is the best operating method for rapid expansion.
"The chairman of Lüyuan, a truly respectable person. In a sense, we've all benefited from him,"
Jin Chuanling sighed.
"General Manager Jin is right. Juniors like me are all benefiting from our predecessors. Shan Chi's rapid development is also inseparable from Bo Neng's provision of stable and reliable battery supply,"
Tan Jincheng responded.
Jin Chuanling smiled; it was time to get down to business.
This was Tan Jincheng's style; he didn't like too much small talk.
Jin Chuanling had dealt with Tan Jincheng twice before, and recently he had also gathered a lot of information about Tan Jincheng and inquired about him.
"Then, Mr. Tan, what are your thoughts on your company's upcoming cooperation with our Bo Neng?"
(End of chapter)