In order to completely transform the Artisan Camp into the manufacturing bureau in his mind, it is not enough to have incentives and management through shares and personnel systems. It is also necessary to make major adjustments to its internal operating mechanism.
The previous Artisan Battalion had undertaken very complex tasks, including manufacturing and repairing more than ten kinds of military equipment and providing military supplies, from spears, swords, to arrows, shields, as well as soldiers' belts, harnesses, metal triggers and guide grooves on crossbows, and even arrows and the bits, saddles, horseshoes and all kinds of other things needed for military carriages. As long as the army needed something, the task would be assigned to the Artisan Battalion and the craftsmen there would make it. The advantage of this was that it saved trouble for the people above them, as as long as there was a Artisan Battalion, any problem could be solved. But at the same time, the disadvantage was also obvious, that is, the work efficiency of the Artisan Battalion was very low. From the perspective of military supply and logistics support, such an arrangement was extremely inefficient.
As a person with advanced management awareness, Yan Liqiang certainly would not allow his manufacturing bureau to become a bloated and slow-moving behemoth. So, on the second day after he arrived at the Artisan Camp, he made drastic streamlining and reforms to the manufacturing bureau's operations.
For the weapons manufacturing of the Manufacturing Bureau, Yan Liqiang only retained two categories: spears and arrows.
The reason for the spears is that there are large ash forests on the mountains near the manufacturing bureau. This is the strength of the Machine Tool Bureau and its trademark for decades, so there is no need to give up. The spears made by the manufacturing bureau are of reliable quality and are the most standard military equipment in the Han Empire. In addition to being used by themselves, they can still be sold at a good price to the garrison in Pingxi County and the martial artists in the society. There is no need to worry about sales, so they were preserved.
Similarly, the arrows manufactured by the Artisan Camp are also high-quality military supplies. Arrows are consumables, and when a war really breaks out, the consumption of arrows is huge. Even if there is no war, there is a huge consumption of arrows among the army and civilians in the entire Pingxi County on weekdays. Therefore, the manufacture of arrows has been retained.
Apart from these two things, all the other things made by the various tasks that the Artisan Battalion had previously undertaken were cut down by Yan Liqiang. Those miscellaneous tasks had nothing to do with the Artisan Battalion from then on.
Even the manufacturing methods used by Yan Liqiang for the spears and arrows preserved by the Manufacturing Bureau shocked everyone.
Yan Liqiang had no intention of producing these two items in the manufacturing bureau, but instead planned to hand them over to the villagers of two villages surrounding the manufacturing bureau for production.
When Yan Liqiang called a meeting of managers and craftsmen in the manufacturing bureau and expressed his ideas at the meeting, everyone was stunned.
"In that case, what's the use of our craftsmen... the manufacturing bureau? And how can we ensure the quality of the weapons made by the villagers in the villages and towns outside?" An upright craftsman stood up at the first moment and raised his question.
In Yan Liqiang's previous life, this was a typical "company plus farmers" production model, and it was also an extension of the idea of cultivating and managing suppliers. Of course, this set of things at this time was a huge conceptual challenge for many people in the Manufacturing Bureau, because no one had ever thought of using this method to produce military equipment.
Yan Liqiang did not tell everyone about the great principles and advantages of this model, but simply and concisely stated the method of operation. "Of course our manufacturing bureau is useful, because the whole process is controlled and managed by us. The first step is that we send craftsmen and artisans to teach the villagers how to make arrows and spears. The manufacturing technology of these two kinds of weapons is not difficult, not much more difficult than weaving mats. As long as they are attentive, the villagers will learn it immediately. After they learn how to make them, we can sell things like ash wood and arrowheads on credit to the villagers in the villages and towns that cooperate with us in advance, so that they can process them at home during the slack season. After they process them, we will be responsible for recycling them and give them a suitable price. Of course, when recycling, we have requirements for quality. We only take those that meet our requirements, and we don't take those that don't meet our requirements. The material loss will be borne by them. In this way, we can expand the production capacity of arrows and spears produced by the manufacturing bureau several times without spending a penny. Moreover, if we calculate the production cost, we can also reduce the production cost of arrows and spears. We are responsible for selling the things, so that the profit can be guaranteed, which is a win-win situation!"
After hearing what Yan Liqiang said, the group of people looked at each other, not knowing what to say. After thinking carefully, the method Yan Liqiang said seemed... seemed feasible...
"In this case... we can give it a try!" Qian Su said thoughtfully, "I can ask someone to find the village chiefs of the two villages near our manufacturing bureau and talk to them first to see what they think!"
Yan Liqiang smiled. This kind of thing was totally irresistible to those villagers who had basically no extra income and relied on selling eggs for money at the market. As long as the Manufacturing Bureau spread the news, Yan Liqiang believed that the enthusiasm of those villagers would definitely scare everyone. This time he would test the waters with arrows and spears. When this was done, he would let the people from the Manufacturing Bureau gain experience and let those villagers taste the sweetness. He also had a big trick up his sleeve.
"Well, let's do as Uncle Qian said. Let's talk to the village chief first and let him go back and give them some advice. If they are willing, we will send someone to teach them how to make this thing. As long as we give a recycling price for an arrow or a spear, and then control the recycling quality, we don't have to worry about anything else. If the villagers are not reassured, we can sign a contract with them first, and everyone will follow the contract!" Yan Liqiang made the decision.
"Don't worry about the quality. Our previous rule for manufacturing weapons was to engrave our names on the weapons. Once there was a problem with the weapons, we could directly find the craftsmen and craftsmen who produced them. If they didn't do it well, they would lose their heads. Although our craftsmen and craftsmen have become a manufacturing bureau, this rule still applies. If we purchase things from the villagers, we will ask the person who receives and inspects the things to leave a mark on the things we receive. If there is a problem, we will find the person in charge of inspection!"
"Well, let's do this. The Manufacturing Bureau will set up an Armament Production Department to be responsible for this matter. Uncle Qian will arrange the manpower for the Armament Production Department!"
"good!"
"In addition to the Ordnance Production Department, the Manufacturing Bureau will also set up a Vehicle Production Department. In the short term, our Ganzhou Manufacturing Bureau will only be divided into these two departments. Uncle Qian will tell you about our arrangements and adjustments later!"
Qian Su nodded, and didn't say much. He just handed over a few sketches of a four-wheeled carriage that Yan Liqiang had drawn last night, and asked a foreman and a manager at the meeting to pass them around and look at them...
In just a moment, the atmosphere in the conference room suddenly became heated.
Qian Su then began to announce the relevant personnel adjustments and arrangements for the production of four-wheeled carriages. On the same day, the division of labor and personnel of the two major departments of the entire manufacturing bureau were clarified, and the entire manufacturing bureau began to move, especially the vehicle manufacturing department, which directly began to adjust and arrange the production tasks of various workshops and yards and prepare materials.
The production of a carriage involves many links. Yan Liqiang has arranged production tasks for almost all craftsmen and workshops, from blacksmiths to carpenters, painters, leatherworkers, coppersmiths, and silversmiths. Everyone in the entire craftsman camp can participate, and no one can be idle.
Yan Liqiang was not idle either. On the same day, he and several skilled and reliable old craftsmen selected by Qian Su went into a confidential blacksmith workshop specially designated in the Manufacturing Bureau and started working on springs.
Yan Liqiang knew how to make springs. To make a spring, you just need to wind the iron wire into a spiral shape, then quench it at high temperature, and then temper it at medium temperature.
But knowing is one thing, but how to operate it specifically, how to control the temperature, and how to choose the steel or iron material to make the spring, you still have to explore in the blacksmith shop...
…
ps: Today is New Year’s Eve, Tiger wishes you all a happy New Year, wishing you all a happy New Year’s Eve, family reunion, and all the best!
(End of this chapter)